Following an interesting and unexpected weekend of regionals that included extraordinary returns, novice winners, an ideal video game and a stunning upset, the NCAA softball competition is set for incredibly regionals– though it will lack one seasonal power: No. 2 general seed UCLA.
The Bruins, who have actually won a record 12 championship games, got swept on their house field in regionals with San Diego State, coached by previous UCLA star Stacey Nuveman-Deniz, advancing to the school’s very first incredibly local. The Aztecs will be signed up with by 2 other unseeded groups: Oregon and Louisiana-Lafayette.
There were no such concerns for top-seeded Oklahoma as the Sooners kipped down one dominant efficiency after another. The two-time safeguarding champs scored 3 success to run their winning streak to 46 video games– the second-longest in NCAA softball history. Arizona holds the record with 47 successive wins in 1996-97.
Of the 16 groups that will play in incredibly regionals this weekend, 4 come from the Pac-12; the SEC, ACC and Big 12 each had 3 groups advance; and the Big 10, Mountain West and Sun Belt each have one agent. The Pac-12, SEC, ACC and Big 12 will each have 2 hosts schools.
REMAIN UP-TO-DATE: Sign Up For our Sports newsletter now!
Here is whatever you require to understand to prepare yourself for softball incredibly regionals this weekend– 2 series start on Thursday, while the other 6 start Friday (all video game times are ET):
No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 16 Clemson
At Norman, Oklahoma
- Video Game 1: Friday, 2 p.m., ESPN2
- Video Game 2: Saturday, 1 p.m., TELEVISION TBD
- Video Game 3 (if essential): Sunday, Time and Television TBD
How Oklahoma advanced: The Sooners swept through their local with 3 run-rule wins, beating Hofstra 11-0 (5 innings), Missouri 11-0 (6 inn.) and California 16-3 (5 inn.)
How Clemson advanced: The Tigers scored simple wins on Friday (17-2 over UNC-Greensboro) and Saturday (7-0 over Auburn), however Clemson was up to Auburn 5-2 in the very first video game Sunday, requiring a winner-take-all-game in between the 2 schools that Clemson won 5-1.
Oklahoma gamer to see: Actually everybody. The Sooners, who can subdue with their offense and shut groups down with their pitching and defense, lead the country in batting average, runs scored and period.
Clemson gamer to see: Valerie Cagle. The two-way star can pitch (25-6, 1.20 AGE) and hit (.467 batting average, 19 crowning achievement), and is among 3 finalists for nationwide gamer of the year
No. 8 Duke vs. No. 9 Stanford
At Durham, North Carolina
- Video Game 1: Friday, Twelve Noon, ESPN2
- Video Game 2: Saturday, 3 p.m., TELEVISION TBD
- Video Game 3 (if essential): Sunday, Time and Television TBD
How Duke advanced: The Blue Devils swept their local, beating George Mason 2-1 on Friday, Charlotte 5-0 on Saturday and Charlotte once again on Sunday, 4-2, and will now host their very first incredibly local.
How Stanford advanced: The Cardinal beat Long Beach State in a 1-0 squeaker on Friday then bulldozed seasonal power Florida 8-0 on Saturday and 11-2 on Sunday to advance to their seventh incredibly local.
Duke gamer to see: Deja Davis. The All American infielder and college student is the leader of heaven Devils on and off the field. Davis leads the group in doubles (15) and is 2nd in batting average (.380 ).
Stanford gamer to see: NiJaree Canady. The dyanmic freshman pitcher leads the country in both period at 0.46 and strikeouts per 7 innings with 11.8.
No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Northwestern
At Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Video Game 1: Friday, 8 p.m., ESPN2
- Video Game 2: Saturday, 9 p.m., ESPN
- Video Game 3 (if essential): Sunday, Time and Television TBD
How Alabama advanced: The Crimson Tide beat Long Island University 5-0 on Friday and Middle Tennessee 12-5 on Saturday, however Middle Tennessee won the Sunday opener 5-1, requiring the groups into a winner-take-all video game later on that day. Alabama won the pitcher’s battle 1-0 to advance to its 18th incredibly local and 13th as a host.
How Northwestern advanced: The Wildcats swept their local, however all 3 video games were close. Northwestern beat Eastern Illinois 2-0 on Friday, rallied to beat Kentucky 10-8 on Saturday and held back Miami (Ohio) 5-4 on Sunday to reach its seventh incredibly local.
Alabama gamer to see: Montana Fouts. The college student and Alabama’s indisputable leader and ace pitcher hurt her leg in the SEC Competition on May 11 and hasn’t played considering that. Will the 2021 NFCA Pitcher of the Year be prepared for the supers?
Nothwestern gamer to see: Jordyn Rudd. The college student ranks 2nd on the group in OPS (1.014 ), hits (52) and crowning achievement (9 ), and as the long time beginning catcher, easily handles the Wildcats pitching personnel.
No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 13 Texas
At Knoxville, Tennessee
- Video Game 1: Friday, 4 p.m., ESPN2
- Video Game 2: Saturday, 3 p.m., TELEVISION TBD
- Video Game 3 (if essential): Sunday, Time and Television TBD
How Tennessee advanced: The Woman Vols swept their local, beating Northern Kentucky 12-0 on Friday, Indiana 9-1 in 5 innings on Saturday and after that knocking out the Hoosiers with a 7-3 win on Sunday to advance to incredibly regionals for the very first time considering that 2019.
How Texas advanced: The Longhorns beat Seton Hall 8-0 in 5 innings on Friday, squeaked previous Texas A&M 2-1 on Saturday prior to rounding off the Aggies with an 11-5 win on Sunday to advance to incredibly regionals for the 3rd successive season.
Tennessee gamer to see: Kiki Milloy. The senior outfielder leads the country in crowning achievement with 25 and runs per video game with 1.47, while leading the Woman Vols in almost every offending classification.
Texas gamer to see: Mia Scott. The engine of the Longhorns offense, the sophomore leads the group in hits and runs, while playing excellent defense at 3rd base.
No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 14 Georgia
At Tallahassee, Florida
- Video Game 1: Florida State 8, Georgia 1
- Video Game 2: Friday, 8 p.m., ESPN
- Video Game 3 (if essential): Saturday, Time and Television TBD
How Florida State advanced: The Seminoles beat Marist 9-0 on Friday and Central Florida 5-1 on Saturday prior to being locked out by South Carolina 4-0 in the very first video game Sunday. In the winner-take-all video game that followed, Kathryn Sandercock tossed her very first profession pefect video game as FSU downed South Carolina 1-0 to advance to its 10th incredibly local.
How Georgia advanced: The Bulldogs swept their local, beating North Carolina Central 12-0 in 5 innings on Friday, Virginia Tech 8-3 on Saturday and the Hokies once again on Sunday 12-3 in 6 innings to reach their 12th incredibly local.
Florida State gamer to see: Katherine Sandercock. The ace of the pitching personnel, the senior leads the Seminoles with a 25-3 record and 1.10 period while tossing 8 total video games, consisting of the ideal video game to clinch regionals.
Georgia gamer to see: Sara Mosley. The All-American senior infielder leads the Bulldogs in hits (63) and doubles (14 ), while punching 17 crowning achievement to rank 2nd for Georgia this season.
No. 6 Oklahoma State vs. Oregon
At Stillwater, Oklahoma
- Video Game 1: Thursday, 9 p.m., ESPN2
- Video Game 2: Friday, 6 p.m., ESPN2
- Video Game 3 (if essential): Saturday, Time and Television TBD
How Oklahoma State advanced: The Cowgirls swept their local, beating Maryland-Baltimore County 9-0 on Friday, Wichita State 6-0 on Saturday and rallying previous Nebraska 5-2 on Sunday to advance to their 4th successive incredibly local.
How Oregon advanced: The Ducks knocked out No. 11 seed and host Arkansas from its own local. Oregon beat Notre Dame 5-4 on Friday then made back-to-back wins over Arkansas– 10-4 on Saturday and 14-4 (5 inn.) on Sunday, highlighted by a run-rule, walkoff grand slam by Ariel Carlson
Oklahoma State gamer to see: Rachel Becker. Following 4 exceptional seasons at Purdue where she made All American honors, the infielder moved to Oklahoma State as a college student and leads the Cowgirls in batting average (.453 ), hits (77) and runs (58 ).
Oregon gamer to see: Allee Bunker. The fifth-year senior infielder is the Ducks’ leader on and off the field, pacing the group in batting average (.391 ), hits (68) and RBI (54 ), while ranking 2nd in crowning achievement with 10.
No. 7 Washington vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
At Seattle
- Video Game 1: Friday, 10 p.m., ESPN
- Video Game 2: Saturday, 7 p.m., TELEVISION TBD
- Video Game 3 (if essential): Sunday, Time and Television TBD
How Washington advanced: The Huskies beat Northern Colorado 10-2 in 6 innings Friday and edged McNeese State 3-1 on Saturday prior to things got fascinating on Sunday. McNeese made a 1-0 nothing to require a winner-take-all video game and took a 6-0 lead into the seventh prior to Washington scored 7 runs in the top of the frame in a historical NCAA competition rally for the 7-6 win to advance to its 15th incredibly local.
How Louisiana advanced: After a 5-0 win over Omaha on Friday in Baton Rouge, the Ragin’ Cajuns lost to No. 10 seed LSU 4-0 in Saturday’s opener prior to routing Omaha in the nightcap 9-0 (5 inn.) to make a Sunday rematch with their Bayou state competitors. The Ragin’ Cajuns required a winner-take-all video game with LSU after winning 7-4 and took an early 6-0 lead in the clincher prior to needing to rally with 2 runs in the top of the seventh to beat the hosts 9-8 on LSU’s house field
Washington gamer to see: Baylee Klingler. Called among 3 finalists for nationwide gamer of the year last season, the All-American fifth-year elder can impress with her bat (.391 average, 12 crowning achievement), her plate awareness (31 strolls to just 5 strikeouts in 174 at-bats) and her excellent defense (just 2 mistakes all season) in the infield.
Louisiana gamer to see: Karly Heath. The two-way star has a 5-1 record as a pitcher, however the senior mainly makes her mark in the outfield and at the plate (.358 batting average), striking a team-high 16 crowning achievement and 47 RBI.
No. 15 Utah vs. San Diego State
At Salt Lake City
- Video Game 1: Friday, 10 p.m., ESPN2
- Video Game 2: Saturday, 5 p.m., TELEVISION TBD
- Video Game 3 (if essential): Sunday, Time and Television TBD
How Utah advanced: The Utes swept their local, beating Southern Illinois 11-9 on Friday, Mississippi 7-1 on Saturday and Ole Miss once again on Sunday 4-1. With the upset of No. 2 seed UCLA, Utah will now host its very first incredibly local in group history.
How San Diego State advanced: The Aztecs won 3 video games in the Los Angeles local and didn’t need to play the host Bruins, who were removed in 2 video games. SDSU beat Liberty 7-0 on Friday, Grand Canyon 6-0 on Saturday and Liberty once again, 6-3 on Sunday to advance to its very first incredibly local
Utah gamer to see: Ellessa Bonstrom. Among the indisputable leaders of the Utes as a college student, the All-American energy gamer, who invested the majority of the season initially base, leads the group with 52 RBI and ranks 2nd in crowning achievement with 10.
San Diego State gamer to see: Mac Barbara. The redshirt sophomore got where she ended last season, when she was called NFCA Third Group All-American. This season, the energy gamer leads the Aztecs in crowning achievement (13) and overall bases (104 ).