Gulf Shores, AL-The Belhaven softball team will open the 2011 NAIA Softball National Championships on Thursday when they take on Bellevue University (Neb.) in their first pool play game at 5:00 PM. The Blazers, ranked 6th in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll, earned an automatic bid to the national tournament by winning the 2011 Southern States Athletic Conference tournament. Belhaven is making its second appearance in the NAIA National Championships and went 4-2 last year in their first ever appearance. The Blazers ended up finishing in the top eight out of 32 teams in the field.

Belhaven enters this year's championships with an overall record of 44-10 while completing the 2011 SSAC schedule with a record of 12-8. The Blazers have had some time off since the conclusion of the SSAC tournament on April 30th where they won four straight games to take home the conference championship. Belhaven knocked off Shorter University 8-0 in the championship game on April 30th to take home the title.

The Blazers are led at the plate by Christina Jaques, Annalee Carr, and CeCee Austin who have combined to hit 31 home runs this season. Jaques, a senior shortstop from Orange, TX, owns a .441 batting average heading into the NAIA National Championships. Jaques is third in the nation in total hits with 83 and leads Belhaven in triples with six. Jaques also has 12 doubles, eight home runs, 48 runs batted in, and has stolen a team high 39 bases in 45 attempts. Jaques was named to the SSAC All-Conference team for her efforts on the field this season.

Carr, a freshman third baseman from Alvin, TX, is hitting .435 on the season with a team high 14 home runs and 53 runs batted in. She also has 16 doubles, two triples, and an unbelievable slugging percentage of .820. Carr was named to the SSAC All-Conference Team and was named the league's Freshman of the Year. Austin, a junior first baseman from Randolph, MS, has been another big run producer for the Blazers in 2011. Austin has compiled a .348 batting average with 15 doubles, nine home runs, and 48 runs driven in. As a team, Belhaven is hitting at a .343 clip this season.

Sarah Burns, a senior pitcher from Edmond, OK, has turned in another outstanding season for Belhaven in the circle. Burns enters the national championships with a 30-7 record and is second in the NAIA in total wins. Earlier this season, Burns was named to the SSAC All-Conference Team and was tabbed the NAIA National Pitcher of the Week after she recorded all four of Belhaven's wins in the SSAC Tournament. Burns has an ERA of 1.15 in 226 innings in the circle. Burns has thrown 30 complete games with 230 strikeouts while holding opposing hitters to a .185 batting average.

Bellevue (Neb.) is 31-17 as they head into this year's NAIA National Championship tournament. The Bruins are making their fifth overall appearance in the tournament field after having secured an automatic bid by claiming the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship. Bellevue has struggled in national tournament games going just 1-11 over their four previous tournament appearances.

Bellevue is led on offense by Amanda Neumann, Kathryn Wardian, and Ellis Brooks. Neumann, who is also the teams top pitcher, has compiled a .432 batting average with 63 hits including four doubles, two triples, 15 home runs, and 44 runs batted in. In the circle, Neumann is 22-8 on the year and has an ERA of 2.82 with 233 strikeouts in 179 innings pitched. She has given up 89 runs and opponents are hitting .233 against her.

Wardian has a .376 batting average this season with 44 hits that include six doubles, 15 home runs, and 36 runs batted in. Ellis paces the Bruins in RBI's this season with 45 and has also reached double digits in the home run category with 10. Ellis has a .318 batting average with 48 total hits in 2011. Bellevue has a team batting average of .332 and has blasted 48 home runs this year.

Belhaven drew one of eight number one seeds for pool play and there are a total of eight pools with four teams in each pool. The winner of each pool will move on to an eight team double elimination bracket tournament. Joining Belhaven and Bellevue (31-17) in Pool F are Lindsey Wilson (KY) (45-7) and Minot State (N.D) (30-9). The winner of Pool F will take on the winner of Pool C in the first game of bracket play which will take place on Monday May 23rd. Pool C is comprised of William Carey (MS), Olivet Nazarene (ILL), William Woods (MO), and Iowa Wesleyan.

The 2011 NAIA National Championship page can be viewed by clicking here.