SALT LAKE CITY - The North Idaho College softball team opens as the fifth seed in the Region 18 tournament today, taking on No. 4 seed Southern Nevada on the campus of Salt Lake Community College.

NIC (23-35) concluded the regular season by winning four straight against Colorado Northwestern at Memorial Field April 27-28 in Coeur d'Alene. Colorado Northwestern failed to qualify for the tournament.

Third-seeded Snow (32-16) will face sixth-seeded Western Nevada (21-38) in the other opening round game.

Top-seed Salt Lake (52-7), also ranked No. 1 in the nation, and second-seeded Southern Idaho (43-16) received byes into the second round later today.

The winner of the double-elimination tournament advances to the NJCAA World Series in St. George May 17-19.

Behind freshmen Shelby Carter (20), Nicole Atkinson (15) and Amber Meyers (12), NIC broke the school record for home runs in a season with 79.

Carter is the first freshman in school history to hit 20 home runs, and is second on the single-season home run list behind Shelby Gonzales, who hit 27 last season. Sophomores KaSara Wise and Brianna Bishop have nine homers each for NIC.

NIC split doubleheaders with Southern Nevada Feb. 11-12 in St. George, Utah, as well as another series March 30-31 in Moses Lake.

REGION 18 SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

Hosted by Salt Lake Community College

Game 1 - No. 4 Southern Nevada (26-34) vs. No. 5 North Idaho (23-34), 8:30 a.m.

Game 2 - No. 3 Snow (32-16) vs. No. 6 Western Nevada (21-38), 11 a.m..

Game 3 - No. 1 Salt Lake (52-7) vs. Winner Game 1, 1:30 p.m.

Game 4 - No. 2 Southern Idaho (43-16) vs. Winner Game 2, 4.

Friday

Game 5 - Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3, 8:30 a.m.

Game 6 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 4, 11.

Game 7 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 1:30 p.m.

Game 8 - Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 5, 4.

Saturday

Game 9 - Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 10 a.m.

Game 10 - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9, 1:30 p.m. (championship game)

Game 11 - Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 9, 3. (if-necessary game).