CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- University at Albany softball needed a weekend sweep of Boston University in order to capture the regular season title, and the Great Danes succeeded in doing so for the right to host the 2008 America East Softball Championship May 8-10 as the number one seed in the tournament. The winner will receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Softball Championship.
Albany finished with a 16-5 conference record. This marks the first year since 2005 that the Great Danes earned the top seed in the America East Championship and the first time they have hosted the event. Albany is looking for their fourth-straight tournament crown.
Boston University (15-6 record in America East) earned the two seed, followed by Stony Brook (13-8) as the three seed and UMBC (12-9) as the four seed. UMBC also used a weekend series sweep to earn a spot in the tournament, defeating Maine in a Saturday doubleheader and a single game on Sunday.
Albany and UMBC will meet Thursday, May 8 at 1 p.m. in a rematch of last year's final which the Great Danes took from the Retrievers. Boston University and Stony Brook will play at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The winners of the first two games will take on each other at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 9, while the losers of Thursday's games will play at 1:30 p.m. where the first team will be eliminated from the tournament. A second team will go home later on Friday when the winner of previous game and the loser of the day's first game meet at 4 p.m.
The 2008 America East Softball Champion will be named on Saturday, May 10. The final two teams standing will play at 12 noon with a second game at 2:30 p.m., if necessary.
The 2008 America East Softball Championship
Thursday, May 8
Albany, N.Y.
Game #1: #1Albany vs. #4 UMBC, 1 p.m.
Game #2: #2 Boston U. vs. #3 Stony Brook, 3:30 p.m.
Friday, May 9
Game #3: Winner Game #1 vs. Winner Game #2, 11 a.m.
Game #4: Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2, 1:30 p.m.
Game #5: Loser Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4, 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 10
Game #6: Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #5, 12 p.m.
Game #7 (If Neccessary): Winner Game #6 vs. Loser Game #6, 2:30 p.m.