MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's softball program looks to repeat history at this weekend's Midwest Conference Tournament, hosted by Illinois College at Kamp Softball Field.
 
The No. 4 seed Rams (14-20) take on regular-season co-champion Illinois College (23-14-1) in a first-round game at 12 p.m. Friday. No. 2 seed Grinnell (26-12) faces No. 3 seed Lake Forest (25-12-1) in the opening game at 10 a.m.
 
The first-round losers play an elimination game at 2 p.m., followed by a matchup of first-round winners at 4 p.m. to conclude Friday's action. The tournament continues Saturday with games at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. (if necessary).
 
The champion earns the MWC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
Cornell last qualified for the MWC Tournament five years ago. The Rams were the No. 4 seed in the 2018 tournament held in Illinois – and won it. Five years prior to that, Cornell captured the 2013 MWC crown.
 
Cornell's Jackie Sernek was part of both championship clubs, as a player (2013) and a coach (2018). She takes a young team into this tournament that clinched a postseason berth with Saturday's 6-1 Game 1 victory over Knox.
 
The Rams have counted heavily down the stretch on senior left-hander Alyssa Pearson (6-11), who has thrown every pitch during Cornell's 3-1 finish to the regular season. She allowed just two earned runs in Cornell's last three wins.
 
Cornell makes its second trip to Illinois College this spring. The Rams fell 7-1 and 10-2 to the Lady Blues in a doubleheader April 22.
 
The Rams are among the top hitting teams in the MWC, posting a .309 season batting average. First-year Peyton Souhrada (.410 BA, 13 2Bs, 23 runs) and senior Erin Puck (.409 BA, 47 hits, 23 runs) head the lineup. Miranda Keith has a team-best 22 RBIs.
 
The Lady Blues boast the MWC's No. 1 pitching staff, which has fired nine shutouts. Junior ace Julia Drake is 12-2 in the circle with a 0.67 ERA and 147 strikeouts over 104.2 innings.
 
Illinois College finished 15-1 in MWC play, its lone loss coming to Grinnell on April 30. The Rams went 9-7 against MWC foes.  
 
Tournament Schedule
Friday, May 12
Game 1, 10 a.m. – #2 Grinnell vs. #3 Lake Forest
Game 2, 12 p.m. – #1 Illinois College vs. #4 Cornell
Game 3, 2 p.m. – Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser
Game 4, 4 p.m. – Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner
 
Saturday, May 13
Game 5, 10 a.m. – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser
Game 6, 12 p.m. – Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner
Game 7, 2 p.m. – Second Championship (if necessary)