MGCCC softball battles Blackhawk College Thursday

Sarah Smaltz (16) leads the team with 13 home runs in 2009.

Lady Bulldogs No. 7 seed in NJCAA Tournament

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College begins its quest for the NJCAA Division II Championship Thursday at Noon when the No. 7 seeded Lady Bulldogs (26-10) face the No. 10 seed Blackhawk College (Ill.) (30-4) at Champion Fields in Normal, Ill.

Blackhawk enters the 16 team, three day double-elimination event sporting two of the nation’s best pitchers in Alissa Rohm (10-3, 0.62 ERA) and Kaci Ellefritz (6-0, 0.93 ERA) while Gulf Coast counters with pitchers Brittany Fields (13-3, 2.79 ERA) and Brandi Westerfield (11-5, 2.33 ERA).

The Gulf Coast/Blackhawk winner will face the Lansing Community College (Mich.)/ Delaware Tech Community College (Del.) winner at 4 p.m. Thursday with the loser taking on the Lansing/Delaware loser at 2 p.m.