Bracket

FORT WORTH, TX:  The NAIA has officially released the pool play schedule for the 2012 NAIA Softball National Championships, held May 17-23 at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex in Gulf Shores, AL.  Eight pools of four teams each will play three games from May 17-19.  The winner of each pool will advance to an eight-team double-elimination bracket that will play out May 21-23 and will culminate in the crowning of the 2012 National Champion.
 
The event is hosted by the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission, in conjunction with the University of Mobile (AL), for the second straight year.
 
The field of 32 teams is comprised of 23 automatic qualifiers, eight at-large selections (determined using the final top-25 rating), and the host berth, Mobile.  Texas Wesleyan received an automatic qualification after winning the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament on Saturday.
 
The Lady Rams will see their first action on Thursday, May 17, when they take on Cal State San Marcos at 2:30 p.m.  They will then face Southern Nazarene University at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, and Mobile at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Cal State San Marcos qualified as the Association of Independent Institutions Tournament Champion.  The Cougars are making their third National Championship appearance.  At 50-4, they are the nation’s second ranked team.  Southern Nazarene received the sixth at large bid.  The Crimson Storm is making its first tournament appearance and are ranked 15th nationally with an overall record of 40-17.  Mobile is making its fifth tournament appearance. The host team holds a record of 30-17.
 
The Lady Rams are making their second appearance in the NAIA National Championship, having previously qualified in 1984.  The Rams are 2-7 all-time vs. Southern Nazarene.  The Crimson Storm swept a doubleheader in Bethany, OK, earlier this season.  Texas Wesleyan is 0-1 against San Marcos and has never faced Mobile on the softball field.