West Chester In Final Preparations For First College World Series Appearance

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SALEM, Va. – Thursday at noon, West Chester University and Armstrong Atlantic State University (Ga.) open the 2014 NCAA Division II National Finals at the James I. Moyer Complex in Salem, Va.
 
West Chester (41-20) stamped its first-ever ticket to the College World Series with a 2 games to 1 series victory over West Virginia Wesleyan College at home last weekend in the Atlantic Super Regional. No. 19 Armstrong Atlantic (35-13) qualified for the College World Series with a similar series result against No. 2 North Georgia in the Southeast Super Regional. Thursday's showdown marks just the third meeting all-time between the two schools with the first two encounters taking place in 2008.
 
Seven seniors will be playing their final college softball games this weekend for the Golden Rams. This group has left an indelible mark on a program that was in the midst of rebuilding when they stepped on campus in the fall of 2010. Over the past four years, they have carved out an overall record of 140-85 while helping the Rams to the school's first appearance in a conference championship game, first appearance in a super regional and now a first appearance in a national final.
 
At the center of it all is senior right-handed pitcher/designated player, Kim Murl. She has authored a record of 23-10 inside the circle with a 2.06 ERA while leading the team in hitting with a .331 batting average and 43 RBI. However, behind her is perhaps one of the most experienced and talented defenses around the horn. Four seniors anchor the infield, providing all the support that Murl needs.
 
West Chester will need all of that senior experience, and a top-notch outing from Murl, if it hopes to knock off Armstrong Atlantic, which has been ranked as high as fifth in the country this year. The Pirates finished second in the regular-season standings of the Peach Belt Conference and reached the semifinals of its postseason tournament. AASU swings the bats and likes the long ball. The Pirates are hitting .313 as a team with 75 home runs on the year. The team slugging percentage is .545.
 
The West Chester-Armstrong Atlantic winner gets the winner of the LIU-Post-West Texas A&M game on Friday while the two losing teams square off in an elimination game on Saturday.