Tallahassee begins its quest for national title

2014 NJCAA Division I Softball National Championship Media Notes

ST. GEORGE, Utah (May 13, 2014) – Tallahassee Community College's quest for a national championship begins on Wednesday when the Eagles play San Jacinto (Texas) College-South in opening round play at the NJCAA Division I Softball Championship.

The third-seed Eagles (41-12), ranked No. 5 in the final NJCAA poll, and the No. 14 seed Coyotes (39-22) are scheduled for an 8:30 p.m. eastern first pitch at Canyons Complex.

Tallahassee punched its ticket to St. George by winning the NJCAA District H/FCSAA Gulf District Tournament in Pensacola last week. There, the Eagles dropped their tournament opener to Hillsborough Community College then won six straight elimination games to capture the championship and the accompanying berth to the national tournament – their third in the last seven seasons (2008, 2011).

The Eagles then defeated District G/FCSAA Atlantic District champ College of Central Florida for the FCSAA's overall state championship, their first in 20 years.

Tallahassee and San Jacinto have some postseason history. In the 2008 national tournament in Plant City, Fla., No. 12 seed San Jacinto defeated 5-seed Tallahassee in opening round play and went on to a fourth-place finish in the event.

Win or lose, Tallahassee will play a second game on Thursday – either a 4:30 p.m. eastern elimination game or a 7 p.m. eastern winner's bracket game – against either six-seed Odessa (Texas) College or 11-seed Seminole State (Okla.) College.

There will be no video available for Wednesday's game, however, fans can follow the action on Twitter (@TCCeagles).​