By Chad Waller, Director of Athletic Communications and Media

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Day One Highlights

• There were 30 games played on Day 2 of the 2018 Softball National Championship Opening Round at nine different locations.
• Five of those contests went to extra innings, including two, 11-inning affairs. St. Francis (Ill.) out-lasted the game against Northwestern (Iowa), 5-2, in the Southern Oregon Bracket. Brenau (Ga.) survived a 6-5 contest over Houston-Victoria (Texas) in the Gulf Shores Bracket.
• Four programs punched their tickets to the NAIA Softball World Series in Clermont, Fla., May 25-31 after winning their respective Opening Rounds today: Faulkner (Ala.), Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), Georgia Gwinnett and Marian (Ind.).
• Faulkner, Freed-Hardeman and Georgia Gwinnett all will be appearing in their first-ever World Series. Marian will be playing in its fourth all-time and third-straight event.
• Two-time defending national champion Oklahoma City stands 2-0 in the Oklahoma City Bracket and will face second-seeded Grand View (Iowa) in the bracket championship tomorrow at 11 a.m. CST.
• Hosts today went 5-5 overall after a 7-1 start on Day 1.
• Opening Round All-Time Records (by seeds from 2013 – 2018 (Day 2))
• No. 1 seeds: 146-54 (19-6 through Day 2)
• No. 2 seeds: 117-95 (18-16 through Day 2)
• No. 3 seeds: 70-111 (13-15 through Day 2)
• No. 4 seeds: 41-112 (6-19 through Day 2)
• Opening Round All-Time Records (hosts from 2013 – 2018 (Day 2))
• 2013 Hosts: 24-12
• 2014 Hosts: 27-7
• 2015 Hosts: 27-9
• 2016 Hosts: 22-11
• 2017 Hosts: 18-13
• 2018 Hosts: 12-6
• TOTAL: 130-58
• The sixth annual opening round event takes place from May 14 - 16 at nine different locations. The format is a double-elimination, four-team tournament.
• The champions from each of the 10 opening round tournaments advance to the 38th annual NAIA Softball World Series in Clermont, Fla., from May 25 – 31 for the double-elimination event. 
• The World Series bracket will be announced late in the day on May 16 on NAIA.org.