PELLA—For a record 31st time overall, but the first time since 2019, the Central College softball team is in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, playing host to a four-team regional Thursday through Sunday in Pella.
           
Central (31-9), rated No. 22 in last week's NFCA Division III Top 25, is seeded first in the double-elimination Pella, Iowa Regional at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex softball field. The Dutch will take on Grinnell College (29-12) Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Bethel University (Minn.) (33-3) meets the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (28-13) at 2 p.m..
           
The regional winner advances to the super regional May 26-27 against the winner of a two-time regional at McMinnville, Oregon that features Linfield University (Ore.) (41-4) against Redlands University (Calif.) (27-14). The eight super regional winners move on to the national finals June 1-7 at Marshall, Texas.

Thursday, May 18
Game 1            2 p.m.             Wis.-La Crosse (25-17) vs. Bethel (Minn.) (33-3)
Game 2            4:30 p.m.         Central (31-9) vs. Grinnell (29-12)
Friday, May 19
Game 3            11 a.m.             Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4            1:30 p.m.         Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5            4 p.m.              Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
Saturday, May 20
Game 6            Noon               Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7            2:30 p.m.         Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)
 
Tickets
Adults - $10
College students/Seniors - $7
Youth - $6
Children under age 3 - Free


MORE TO COME