Pool Play schedule in PDF
Brackets in PDF

March 3, 2003

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The 17th annual National Invitational Softball Tournament, hosted by San Jose State, will be held this weekend, March 7-9, at the Twin Creeks Sports Complex in Sunnyvale. Santa Clara will be among 11 teams from seven states competing for this year's championship trophy, as will be defending NIST champion Arizona State and defending NCAA champion California.

Pool play begins Friday afternoon at 2 p.m., with bracket play beginning Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Games begin Sunday at 10 a.m., with the championship game Sunday at Noon.

The tournament features four teams ranked in the top-25 of the February 25 ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Poll: No. 6 California, No. 9 Arizona State, 17th-ranked Oregon State and No. 22 Oregon. Additionally, Minnesota and Georgia Tech received votes in the poll.

Santa Clara, 10-9 on the year, is led by two-time Pacific Coast Softball Conference Pitcher of the Week, Jaime Forman-Lau.

San Jose State will host the 17th annual NIST this weekend at the Twin Creeks Sports Complex in Sunnyvale.

Arizona State won the 2002 NIST after rain cancelled the final day of play. The Sun Devils also won the 2000 NIST, defeating Nebraska 6-2 in the championship game. California won the 2001 NIST with a 1-0 win over Iowa in nine innings. The Bears have won four titles, while Arizona State has won three in the 16 years of the NIST.

There will be 34 California natives that will return to the Golden State after leaving to play at other schools. Two teams will be making its first appearance at the NIST, Minnesota and UMKC.

Directions to Twin Creeks
From 101 North: Take the Lawrence Expressway exit and head north. Go over Highway 237. Turn right at the second light into the facility.

From I-880: Take the 237 West exit. Proceed west to Lawrence Expressway north. Turn right at the second light into the facility.