Maine advances to Nebraska regional Team to play No. 1 California

GLENBURN – Deb Smith remembers exactly how it felt to hear the University of Maine called as the pairings and seedings for the NCAA softball tournament are announced.

She went through it as a senior pitcher when the Black Bears made it to the tourney in 1994. Sunday night, as the UMaine coach, Smith felt the same range of emotions as the Bears found out they are heading to Lincoln, Neb. to take on California Thursday.

Maine, which beat Boston University 2-1 Saturday for the America East title, earned the conference’s automatic bid and will be one of 64 teams in the national tourney which begins with the double-elimination regional.

The Black Bears let out cheers and held up fists when they were announced on the ESPNews Selection Show as the No. 8 seed in Region 5, which is being hosted by the University of Nebraska. Maine will play the top-seeded Golden Bears at 6:30 p.m. EST.

“A lot of us were hoping to go out west because we’ve been to Florida,” said senior Nikki Taylor, a first baseman from Chelsea. We were hoping California but Nebraska’s pretty good.”

Depending on what happens against Cal, the Black Bears will take on either the winner or loser of No. 4 Mississippi State-No. 5 Iowa.

No. 3 Florida Atlantic will take on No. 6 Creighton and No. 7 Lehigh meets No. 2 Nebraska in the rest of the bracket.

“I was little surprised Lehigh went in ahead of us,” Smith said. “They must have had a little bit better [ratings percentage index] than us, maybe a better record. But Cal, they’re going to be a bit of a challenge.”

The Black Bears gathered with Smith and her coaching staff, several Maine staffers, trainers, family and fans at the home of athletic director Patrick Nero to watch the selection show.

“You’re stomach’s going a mile a minute, not knowing where you’re going to get put,” Smith said moments after the announcement. “At this point we knew we were going to get it. It was just where.”

Such gatherings are usually held at a function room on the Orono campus but the cable system that serves the school does not get ESPNews full time.

Nero has a satellite system that does, so about 50 people enjoyed pizza and cake before the announcement.

California, 46-11 (10-8 in the Pac-10 conference) is currently ranked second in the USA Today/NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) poll.

“We know what they’re capable of,” Taylor said. “We’ll just go in and play ball.”