The Mercyhurst North East softball team won the Northeast District Tournament title to move to 40-12 and qualify for the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II tournament May 17-19 in Clinton, Miss.

The Mercyhurst North East softball team won the 2012 Northeast District Tournament May 6 in Rhode Island. Contributed photo

The Saints beat Orange County Community College 11-5 in the district championship game May 6 in Rhode Island. They’ll face Cowley Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in the first game of the 16-team, double-elimination tournament. Watch or listen online.

Nine of coach Brian Dewey‘s Saints are from District 10: freshman OF Erica Wilkinson (Central Tech), freshman OF Felicity Knight (North East), freshman P/2B Allison Litz (Fort LeBoeuf), freshman OF/3B Allison Balkovic (Strong Vincent), P/3B Tyler Honard (Strong Vincent), freshman P/OF Alex Puckly (Corry), freshman OF/2B Nicole Bertolasio (Mercer), freshman 1B Sarah Hatton (Girard) and sophomore OF Jordan Artise (North East). Sophomore OF Kayleigh Millman went to Falconer in Jamestown, N.Y.

Honard leads the team with a .412 batting average, five home runs, six triples and 49 RBI. Puckly (20-7) has a 1.94 earned-run average.