ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca softball team earned automatic qualification into the 2012 NCAA Division III playoffs and will participate in a regional tournament in Willimantic, Conn. hosted by Eastern Connecticut State. The Bombers are the fourth seed in an eight-team regional.

Willimantic, Conn. Regional Bracket (.pdf)

The other regional matchups in Thursday's first round include top-seeded host Eastern Connecticut State (40-1) against eighth-seeded Lesley (28-10) at 11 a.m., third-seeded Rochester (28-13) against sixth-seeded St. John Fisher (33-12) at 4 p.m., and second-seeded Tufts (36-5) against seventh-seeded Salem State (33-12) at 6:30 p.m.

TICKET/BROADCAST INFORMATION: Live Stats and Video Webcasts will be available for all tournament games at the Willimantic, Conn. Regional website. Admission for adults is $6 per day. Students and senior citizens will be admitted for $3 and children ages five and under are admitted free of charge.

ITHACA VS. 2012 NCAA PLAYOFF FIELD: The Bombers faced eight other 2012 NCAA Tournament teams this season and compiled a 7-8 overall record in 15 games. During Ithaca's spring trip, they defeated Lesley 1-0, and dropped games against Plattsburgh, Keene State and Messiah. In regular-season doubleheaders, Ithaca swept Keuka, and dropped both ends of doubleheader sets against Rochester and Cortland. The Bombers were 4-1 in five regular-season and Empire 8 tournament games against St. John Fisher.

ITHACA SERIES RESULTS: The Bombers have played at least one game against six of the other seven teams at the Willimantic, Conn. Regional, a total of 97 games and the Bombers are 60-37 against potential regional opponents. Ithaca is 1-0 all-time against first-round opponent Coast Guard. The Bombers are 14-16 versus Eastern Connecticut State, 2-1 against Tufts, 6-7 against Rochester, 34-13 all-time against St. John Fisher, and 3-0 in games against Lesley. Ithaca has never faced Salem State.

ITHACA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: The Bombers are making their 25th overall appearance in the NCAA Division III championship tournament, which is the most tournament appearances in NCAA history. The last 20 have come under coach Deb Pallozzi. In NCAA playoff competition Ithaca has compiled a record of 67-52. The Bombers have made 11 appearances in the College World Series, winning their first national title in 2002. Ithaca has also won regional titles in 1983 and 1996 as well as eight of the past 13 years.

THE 2012 NCAA TOURNAMENT: The Division III championship provides for a 61-team playoff field. The 61 teams include 41 winners of conferences whose champions have been awarded automatic qualification (including Empire 8 champion Ithaca, Little East champion Eastern Connecticut State, NESCAC champion Tufts, NEWMAC champion Coast Guard, Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic champion Salem State, and New England Collegiate champion Lesley) and two independents selected for the 2012 championship (including Rochester). The 18 remaining teams were selected on an at-large basis from automatic qualifying conferences and the remaining independent institutions (including Empire 8 member St. John Fisher).

Seven other sites (Alma, Mich.; Amherst, Mass.; Bloomington, Ill.; Newport News, Va.; Pella, Iowa; Tyler, Texas; and Union, N.J.) are hosting regional tournaments this weekend. The eight regional winners advance to the national finals, a double-elimination tournament to be held Friday, May 18 through Tuesday, May 22 at the Moyer Complex in Salem, Va.