Missouri softball to host NCAA regional tournament

For the seventh straight season, Missouri softball will host an NCAA Division I softball regional tournament.

The Tigers, 39-14, were announced Sunday as the No. 10 overall seed and will open regional play at approximately 6:30 p.m. Friday against Indiana State, 26-29.

For the second straight season, Kansas, 38-13, was drawn into Missouri’s regional. The two teams also met during regional action last season at University Field in Columbia.

The Jayhawks battle Louisville, 30-17, at 4 p.m. Friday in their postseason opener.

The Tigers finished seventh with a 14-10 record during the Southeastern Conference regular season and were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the conference tourney Thursday by Auburn.

If Missouri advances, they face the winner of the UCLA regional. The Bruins as the No. 7 seed would host.

Florida, 50-6, drew the No. 1 overall seed. The Gators, who are the reigning national champions, went 18-5 and claimed the SEC regular-season championship.

The SEC landed 11 teams in the field, including Florida and Missouri, for the second straight season.

SEC Softball Tournament champion Auburn was chosen as the No. 4 overall seed.

Four other SEC teams were seeded and will host a regional — No. 5 LSU, No. 6 Alabama, No. 8 Tennessee, which lost to Auburn in the SEC tourney title game, and No. 14 Georgia.

Kentucky, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Texas A&M also made the field as unseeded at-large teams.

Tickets for the Missouri regional go on sale at noon Monday and are available at Mizzou Arena, by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS or online at MUTigers.com.

Columbia regional softball schedule

Friday’s games:

Game 1 — Louisville, 30-17, vs. Kansas, 38-13, 4 p.m.

Game 2 — Indians State, 26-29, at Missouri, 39-14, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday’s games:

Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 2:30 p.m.

Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5 p.m.

Game 5 — Game 4 winners vs. Game 3 loser, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday’s games:

Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, noon

Game 7 — If necessary (Game 5 winner wins Game 6)

This story was originally published May 10, 2015 at 9:47 PM with the headline "Missouri softball to host NCAA regional tournament."