By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Illinois Wesleyan softball coach Tiffany Prager feels her predecessor’s presence is still being felt on a team that’s one the verge on a return trip to the Div. III National Championship.

Cat McCreery coached the Titans to three NCAA postseason appearances in three seasons, including a berth in the Final Round in Salem, Va. in 2016.

“She really did a great job of getting them prepared for this stage last year and obviously with them making the World Series, I feel like we have a lot of that experience to lean on,” Prager said.

The Titans look to clinch a return trip to the College World Series. The Titans take on Transylvania in a best of three NCAA Div. III SuperRegional in Lexington, Kentucky starting Friday afternoon.

“We talk about being fearless and just playing loose and playing our game,” Prager said. “We don’t expect them to play perfect and we won’t have to play perfect to win the game.”

Prager said it helps to also have a number of players who are experiencing this for the first time.

“We have a lot of that experience to lean on, however we do have 11 freshman,” Prager said. “That’s the exciting part too. They kind of balance us out and provide that excitement. They don’t really stress about anything. ”

The first game of the super-regional will be played at 4 p.m. Friday. Game 2 is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday and the third game would be played immediately after if necessary.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].