Redlands softball team ranked No. 11

The University of Redlands softball program will embark upon the 2012 campaign as the No. 11 team in the country according to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) .

The Bulldogs, coming off a 36-11 overall record, nabbed 121 points in the NCAA Division III Top-25 Preseason Poll.

In 2011, Redlands captured the program’s eighth overall and seventh consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship while dismantling various school records, including wins in a season.

In addition, the Bulldogs ran the table at the SCIAC Postseason Tournament to secure the automatic berth to the NCAA Championships for their seventh straight appearance. Equalizing the program’s best performance at the national tournament, the Bulldogs came out of the losers’ bracket to finish tied for second against host University of Texas -Tyler.

Sophomore All-American Amanda Lievanos headlines the team’s returning crew as the SCIAC Player of the Year. She led the Bulldog starters in nine offensive categories and ranks among the best in school history in six categories.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps checks in at No. 18. The poll is topped by Linfield (Ore.)

The Bulldogs kick off the 2012 season on Friday with a 5 p.m. doubleheader at Azusa Pacific University before hosting their home opener on Sunday against Concordia University – Irvine at 11 a.m. at the “Field of Dreams.”

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