Softball: NCAA D2 teams embark on NWA for classic

BENTONVILLE -- Alvy Early saw an opportunity to schedule some different teams and play some early-season games on a neutral site when he first brought his Arkansas-Monticello softball teams to Bentonville years ago.

The event has since become the UAM 8-State Classic, and it brings 31 NCAA Division II teams for three days of softball games that will fill the Tiger Athletic Complex and Memorial Park fields, starting today.

At A Glance

UAM 8-State Classic

When: Today through Friday

Where: Tiger Athletic Complex and Memorial Park, Bentonville

Admission: $10 for one-day pass; $20 for three-day pass

Today’s Games

Tiger Athletic Complex — Rockhurst vs. Southwest Baptist, 9 a.m.; Arkansas-Monticello vs. Nebraska-Kearney, 11 a.m.; Arkansas-Monticello vs. Upper Iowa, 1 p.m.; Fort Hays State vs. Missouri-St. Louis, 3 p.m.

Memorial Park Field 1 — Quincy vs. Upper Iowa, 9 a.m.; Emporia State vs. Harding, 11 a.m.; Henderson State vs. Missouri Southern, 1 p.m.; Henderson State vs. Central Missouri, 3 p.m.

Memorial Park Field 5 — Southern Arkansas vs. Northwest Missouri, 9 a.m.; Southern Arkansas vs. Lindenwood, 11 a.m.; Arkansas Tech vs. Northwest Missouri, 1 p.m.; Arkansas Tech vs. Emporia State, 3 p.m.

Memorial Park Field 6 — Missouri Southern vs. Illinois-Springfield, 9 a.m.; Truman State vs. Missouri Western, 11 a.m.; Quincy vs. Missouri Western, 1 p.m.; Northwestern Oklahoma vs. Pittsburg State, 3 p.m.; Northwestern Oklahoma vs. Central Missouri, 5 p.m.

Memorial Park Field 7 — Northeastern (Okla.) State vs. Drury, 9 a.m.; Fort Hays State vs. Minnesota-Duluth, 11 a.m.; Southern Nazarene vs. Southwest Baptist, 1 p.m.; Minnesota-Mankato vs. Northeastern (Okla.) State, 3 p.m.

Memorial Park Field 8 — Truman State vs. Harding, 9 a.m.; Illinois-Springfield vs. Rockhurst, 11 a.m.; Ouachita Baptist vs. William Jewell, 1 p.m.; Southern Nazarene vs. Drury, 3 p.m.

Memoral Park Field 9 — William Jewell vs. Oklahoma Panhandle, 9 a.m.; Pittsburg State vs. Minnesota-Mankato, 11 a.m.; Lindenwood vs. Oklahoma Panhandle, 1 p.m.; Nebraska-Kearney vs. Minnesota-Duluth, 3 p.m.

"We're about as stretched as far as we can, as far as facilities and time go," Early said. "If it was a little bit warmer, we might be able to schedule some later games, but right now we're probably past capacity. That's why we are having to play some 5 p.m. games."

The UAM 8-State Classic gives a chance for some Northwest Arkansas players a chance to come home and play on the fields they played on during their younger days. The list includes former Bentonville players Kali Piha (UAM), Morgan Vaughan and Alicia Lowery (Arkansas Tech) and Kate Lacina (Ouachita Baptist), as well as Kambrie Hill of Springdale (Arkansas Tech), Chandler Little of Rogers (Harding), Ashlye Pool of Fayetteville (Northwestern Oklahoma) and Brittany Engel of Siloam Springs (Ouachita).

College coaches enjoy playing in the event because it gives them games against other teams that are in their Division II super region and games some teams wouldn't have otherwise. A number of the 31 participating teams are either in the Great American Conference, the Northern Sun Conference and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, and other Division II conferences are represented.

"That's the selling point for many of these coaches," Early said. "They get in-region games against teams that aren't in their conference, and we've promised them that they won't have to play the same opponent twice. It's great opposition because there are many top 10 teams in there and teams that won their conference or region last year.

"It becomes a circus when we put the schedule together because we try not to have everybody playing the same teams over and over again. My board becomes a quagmire, and coordinating things become intricate at times. It takes time, but it's fun because it's a challenge."

Henry Apple can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAHenry

Sports on 02/13/2015

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