Fired up and anxious to get started, the Co-Lin Lady Wolvesarrived in Normal, Ill., Tuesday night after a 12-hour bus ridefrom Wesson. They had left the Co-Lin campus Tuesday at 6 a.m. andmanaged an uneventful journey. Most of the players curled up withtheir favorite pillow and slept.

Co-Lin head coach Allen Kent was anxious to start practice thenext day. The NJCAA Division II National Softball Tournament startstoday. His team plays the winner of the DelawareTechnical-Catonsville, Md. game at 2 p.m.

Practice went well but Brittany Watts broke a finger Wednesdaymorning during practice. Watts is a freshman outfielder fromMagee.

“The wind is so bad,” said Kent, recalling the incident. “Wewere hitting a lot of fly balls. It was a line drive and it (ball)caught her right on the end of her pinky finger.”

Watts had her finger fitted for a splint at a local hospital.She will have to be a spectator from the dugout instead of apinch-hitter.

“We are sorry that happened to Brittany,” said Kent. “She’s oneof our cheerleaders; a sparkplug for us.”

Turbulent weather greeted the Co-Lin caravan Tuesday night. Ithailed three times after they arrived at the Chateau Hotel.Fortunately, the fields weren’t too wet to practice.

The tournament’s welcome banquet was Wednesday night at theDouble Tree Convention Center.

Each tournament has a designated host. Steve Hassell, a StateFarm Insurance agent, met the Co-Lin bus. “He provided one of hispersonal vehicles for our use and we really appreciate that,” saidKent. “It’s difficult to get around town when you only have abus.”

Co-Lin head trainer Matt McClain and assistant trainers BritneeSmith and Kelly Vinson also made the trip, along with mediarelations director Natalie Davis. Robbie Hamilton, a.k.a. Voice ofthe Wolves, will broadcast the games over WMJU 104.3 FM.

Talk about a heavyweight favorite. Top-ranked Phoenix College(Ariz.), has won the national championship three years in a row.Phoenix has been ranked No. 1 all year.

Kent said he vividly remembers the 2006 encounter with Phoenix,”Phoenix beat us 2-1 in extra innings in the finals of the winners’bracket.” Co-Lin finished third in its first-ever nationalappearance.

Co-Lin (33-8) received an opening round bye, along with Phoenix(53-13), Johnson County (36-9) of Overland Park, Kan.; and SauxValley (26-11) of Dixon, Ill.

Action started at 10 a.m. today, with Delaware Technical (27-9)playing Catonsville (29-8) and St. Catharine (17-13), Ky., meetingOakland (30-20) of Waterford, Mich., on adjoining fields. Lansing(46-3), Mich., played the hometown team of Heartland (34-10) andKankakee (42-9), Ill., met Iowa Lakes (50-11) of Estherville, IA.at noon.

It’s a double-elimination tournament and is scheduled to runthrough Sunday afternoon. Predicted rain could play havoc with theschedule.

There will be less chance of rainfall in Tempe, Ariz., where theMississippi State University Lady Bulldogs are participating in theNCAA Division I Regional. The Lady Bulldogs (40-20) face Hawaii’sRainbow Wahine Friday at 6:30 p.m. CST.

For sure, there’s a local angle with the MSU team. Senior MeganBateman of Brookhaven and Co-Lin is a backup catcher and juniorGina McCloud of Monticello plays third base. This is the fifthregional for the Lady Bulldogs who are under the direction of6-year head coach Jay Miller.

Bateman has played in 18 games this season and started 5. She’sbatting .143 and has 2 hits.

McCloud is batting .241. She’s had 20 starts in 28 games and hasaccounted for 13 hits, including 3 doubles, plus 8 RBIs.

Arizona State, ranked No. 6 nationally, is the obvious favoriteto win the regional. Hawaii played MSU last year in the UNLV DesertClassic in Las Vegas and beat the Lady Bulldogs 3-2.

MSU is one of eight SEC teams invited to regional tournaments.No. 1-ranked and top seed Florida leads the parade. The LadyGators, along with Tennessee, Alabama and LSU, are hosting 4-teamregionals. Georgia, Auburn and Arkansas also are representing theSEC.

Write to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER, P.O.BOX 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mailsports@dailyleader.com