Morningside College, the number one seed at the 2014 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Softball Championship, went 2-0 to advance to the winner’s bracket championship on Friday at the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings, Nebraska. The GPAC regular season co-champions this year, Northwestern, were eliminated, after going 0-2 on the opening day.

The Red Raiders fell in a close game in the opening round, 2-0, to Doane. The two squads entered the top of the seventh tied up, 0-0, but Doane was able to plate a pair in the top of the inning and then hang on for the win.

Concordia bounced back to eliminate the Red Raiders of Northwestern, with an 8-4 victory in the elimination contest. Dakota Wesleyan moved on to day two action, defeating Dordt 8-2 in the other elimination game.

Morningside belted five homeruns in a 10-0 victory over Dordt in their first game and then defeated the host team, Hastings, 8-6 to remain perfect in tournament play. Earlier in the day Hastings picked up a 10-2 win over Dakota Wesleyan. The Mustangs will face Midland, who had wins over Concordia (9-1) and Doane (2-1) respectively. 

Morningside, by way of tie-breakers, have earned the number one seed and league’s first automatic NAIA National Championship Opening Round berth.  The Tournament Champion will gain the second automatic berth for the GPAC in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.  If Morningside wins the tournament the tourney runner-up will gain the second automatic berth.  The top eight teams for the regular season have qualified for the conference tournament.  The GPAC tie-breaker procedures were used to break ties in the standings. 

2014 GPAC Softball Championship
Smith Softball Complex – Hastings, Nebraska
Hastings College Host
May 1-3, 2014

Day One -Thursday, May 1, 2014
Smith Softball Complex – Hastings, Nebraska
(Games 1 – 8)
Game 1-
Field 1, 2:00 pm
(1) Morningside 10,  (8) Dordt 0 (5 inn.) – BOX
Game 2-
Field 4, 2:00 pm
(4) Hastings 10, (5) Dakota Wesleyan 2 (6 inn.) – BOX
Game 3-
Field 3, 2:00 pm
(6) Midland 9, (3) Concordia 1 (5 inn.) – BOX
Game 4-
Field 2, 2:00 pm
(7) Doane 2, (2) Northwestern 0 – BOX
Game 5-
Field 4, 4:00 pm
(5) Dakota Wesleyan 8, (8) Dordt 2 (elimination game)
Game 6-
Field 3, 4:00 pm
(3) Concordia 8, (2) Northwestern 4 (elimination game)
Game 7-
Field 1, 4:00 pm
(1) Morningside 8, (4) Hastings 6
Game 8-
Field 2, 4:00 pm
(6) Midland 2, (7) Doane 1