Softball Championship Outlook - May 5

May 5, 2006

As the eight Horizon League softball teams enter the final weekend of the 2006 regular season, the seeding for the championship is still up in the air.

Currently, Cleveland State holds the top spot in the standings with a 13-5 mark in loop play, while Detroit and UIC sit in a tie for second place at 11-6.

The Vikings control their own destiny as they need to win two of their three games against Detroit this weekend to clinch the No. 1 seed for the League summit.

If CSU wins only one, then they'll need help from Wright State. The Raiders will need to take at least one of their three contests against UIC. The Vikings could also fall as low as the three-seed if they are swept by Detroit and UIC wins two or three games over Wright State.

Detroit still has a chance to steal the top spot with a three-game sweep of Cleveland State. The Titans will then need WSU to win at least one game over the weekend since UIC owns the tie breaker after sweeping UDM in the season series.

UIC can only claim its third-straight regular-season crown with help from Detroit and a sweep of Wright State.

Youngstown State is now in the fourth position with a 9-8 circuit ledger. The Penguins can move up as far as the second seed if both UIC and Detroit get swept this weekend. YSU can also fall as low as sixth if it goes winless against Loyola (8-9 HL) and UW-Green Bay comes out of the Butler-series with three wins. If the Ramblers take two of the three, a tie will ensue for the fourth position with LU holding the tie breaker.

The double-elimination tournament is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 11 at McCune Park in Canfield, Ohio. Youngstown State will serve as the tournament host. Live stats from every game will be available via the Internet through ysusports.com.

This weekend's schedule...
May 6
Detroit at Cleveland State (DH)
Youngstown State at Loyola (DH)
Wright State at UIC (DH)

May 7
Butler at UW-Green Bay (DH)
Detroit at Cleveland State
Youngstown State at Loyola
Wright State at UIC

May 8
Butler at UW-Green Bay

Current Standings (through games of May 5)

School	League	Overall
Cleveland State	13-5	34-11
UIC	11-6	21-31
Detroit	11-6	15-25
Youngstown State	9-8	17-23
Loyola	8-9	16-38
UW-Green Bay	7-10	10-19
Wright State	6-12	6-36
Butler	4-13	17-25-1