Story by Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Athletic Communications & Media

CLERMONT, Fla. – (World Series Central) (Bracket) No. 4 seed Science & Arts (Okla.) and No. 10 Columbia (Mo.) meet up in the 38th annual NAIA Softball World Series title game Thursday in Clermont, Fla., at the Legends Way Ballfields. Both teams are playing in their first-ever softball national championship contest. The event is hosted by PFX Athletics for the second-straight year.

World Series Title Game Notes:

• The first championship game begins at 1:30 p.m. EDT Thursday. The If Necessary game will begin approximately 40 minutes afterwards.
• USAO needs one win for the title. Columbia needs two wins for the title.
• Science & Arts is the only undefeated team remaining with a 3-0 mark. One of the wins was against Columbia on Wednesday night, 7-6, in nine innings.
• Playing in its fourth all-time World Series, the Drovers stand 9-8 all-time in the event.
• The last time a No. 4 seed won it all was back in 1993. Former-member West Florida defeated Oklahoma City by a 4-2 score.
• The Drover are attempting to bring home a title to the state of Oklahoma for the 11th time – Oklahoma City owns 10 of those red banners.
• Offensively, Randa Hatter is hitting .571 (4-for-7) with four runs scored and a homer. Chloe Clifton leads the team with seven RBI in three games, including two game-winning doubles that drove in four.
• Columbia holds a 4-1 World Series record in this event. The Cougars won their first three games before the loss Wednesday to Science & Arts.
• In their 17th World Series, Columbia holds a 21-35 record.
• Molly Carter is the offensive leader for Columbia batting .400 (6-for-15) with two home runs, four RBI and six runs scored in five games.
• The last time a No. 10 seed won the World Series was in 2012 when former-member Shorter (Ga.) took a 1-0, nine-inning victory over Oklahoma City.
• With two wins, the Cougars would become the second team from the state of Missouri to bring home a title – former member Missouri Western did this in 1982.

Source: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics