-
Invoice Connelly
The Oklahoma Sooners cannot do it once more, can they? Coach Patty Gasso’s program has gained the previous 4 NCAA softball titles, and after the Sooners survived their first journey via a rugged SEC schedule, they start their quest for a fifth straight ring because the NCAA regionals start on Friday.
Do not let the Sooners’ title dominance distract you from simply how deep school softball has turn into. This match boasts excellent groups from the SEC, in fact — eight of the general prime 10 seeds are from the convention, and No. 5 Florida State and No. 11 Clemson signify the ACC.
West Coast Massive Ten groups like No. 9 UCLA and No. 16 Oregon can smash the softball, as can different groups within the convention like Ohio State and Indiana. In the meantime, a few of the greatest pitchers are taking part in for groups like Texas Tech (NiJaree Canady), Arizona State (Kenzie Brown) and even Belmont (Maya Johnson).
Earlier than we discover out if somebody can take down softball’s crimson-and-cream closing boss in Oklahoma Metropolis in a few weeks, let’s begin with regionals, which can air on the ESPN household of networks. This is every thing you’ll want to comply with because the postseason will get underway.
Soar to: Title favorites | Toughest regionals
Great aces | Best hitters
Games to watch
10 title favorites
With 14 of 15 SEC groups reaching the match area, the convention guidelines the softball roost. However every of the highest 4 conferences — SEC, ACC, Massive Ten, Massive 12 — has a minimum of one crew you possibly can discuss your self into making a run. Let us take a look at 10 prime contenders heading into the match.
Oklahoma
45-7-1 | No. 2 total seed | No. 3 in RPI | No. 1 in Warren Nolan’s ELO rankings* | 22-7-1 vs. RPI prime 50
The Sooners needed to accept the No. 2 seed after the SEC match finale towards No. 1 Texas A&M was canceled on account of climate. However that simply means they get to play with a chip on their collective shoulder, proper? They misplaced midseason sequence to each Tennessee and Alabama, however gained 9 of their previous 11 SEC video games to snag the No. 1 seed within the convention match. Just like the 2024 crew, this 12 months’s Sooners aren’t fairly as loaded with star expertise as earlier editions. However hey, final 12 months’s crew gained the title, too.
(* ELO rankings are a method of energy rating that quantities to a factors alternate: The winner of a given sport takes factors from the loser. You get extra factors when you beat a very good crew, and also you lose extra when you lose to a lesser crew.)
Texas A&M
45-9-1 | No. 1 seed | No. 1 in RPI | No. 2 in ELO | 27-9-1 vs. RPI prime 50
Heading into 2025, it was straightforward to imagine that OU’s Pink River rival, Texas, can be the most important menace to the Sooners’ reign. However since dropping a sequence to Florida in early March, Texas A&M is 24-5, and the Aggies snagged the No. 1 total seed with a powerful end. Of their previous three video games, they beat Tennessee 13-2, South Carolina 12-4 and Texas 14-2. They enter the NCAA match in “take no prisoners” mode.
Texas
46-10 | No. 6 seed | No. 9 in RPI | No. 5 in ELO | 25-10 vs. RPI prime 50
The Longhorns have reached two of the previous three nationwide finals, and with veterans like pitcher Teagan Kavan and catcher Reese Atwood, the general expertise is apparent. However the Horns must rediscover fifth gear: Since mid-April, they’ve gone simply 8-7, dropping a house sequence to Tennessee, getting swept by Oklahoma on the street and getting pummeled by Texas A&M within the SEC match.
Florida
43-14 | No. 3 seed | No. 2 in RPI | No. 10 in ELO | 23-14 vs. RPI prime 50
Florida’s pitching is not fairly as dependable because the groups above on this checklist, however it might probably smash the ball. Amongst seeded groups, solely Oklahoma boasts the next crew OPS. The Gators gained a late-season sequence towards Oklahoma by outsourcing them 20-14 in three video games, they usually have scored a minimum of 9 runs a minimum of as soon as in every of their previous six SEC sequence.
(* OPS: on-base proportion plus slugging proportion, a great way of measuring an offense’s mixed effectivity and explosiveness.)
Florida State
46-9 | No. 5 seed | No. 4 in RPI | No. 6 in ELO | 19-8 vs. RPI prime 50
After a bumpy early stretch, FSU has caught fireplace. Of their previous 26 video games towards Energy 4 convention opponents, the Seminoles have misplaced 4 video games by a complete of seven runs and gained the opposite 22 by 133 runs. Once they get on prime of you, issues can get out of hand, as evidenced by scores like 16-3 and 11-3 over Cal, 13-2 over Virginia and 12-4 over Duke. Shedding outfielder Kennedy Harp to a season-ending damage will harm, although.
Arkansas
40-12 | No. 4 seed | No. 5 in RPI | No. 4 in ELO | 18-12 vs. RPI prime 50
Like Florida, the Razorbacks additionally haven’t got the most effective pitching within the match, and their report towards the RPI prime 50 is a bit shakier than different prime seeds. But additionally like Florida, they’ll hit. In Bri Ellis, they have the most effective hitter within the nation, they usually scored a minimum of 5 runs in eight of their previous 11 SEC video games.
1:11
Spotlight: Bri Ellis blasts walk-off grand slam as Hogs beat UGA in type
Courtney Day’s fifth-inning homer ties it earlier than Ellis’ lengthy ball seals the deal, lifting 5-seed Arkansas to a 5-1 second-round win over the internet hosting 13-seed Bulldogs.
Clemson
44-12 | No. 11 seed | No. 11 in RPI | No. 3 in ELO | 20-11 vs. RPI prime 50
Coach John Rittman’s Tigers are peaking on the proper time. They’ve gained 22 of 25, together with late-season wins over each South Carolina and Tennessee, and of their journey to the ACC match title, they gained each a wild, 10-9 monitor meet towards Virginia Tech (they scored eight within the sixth) and a 2-1 pitchers’ duel towards Florida State.
UCLA
49-10 | No. 9 seed | No. 8 in RPI | No. 8 in ELO | 23-7 vs. RPI prime 50
The Massive Ten won’t be as robust because the SEC total, however coach Kelly Inouye-Perez’s Bruins have performed 30 video games towards the RPI prime 50, and amongst match groups, their win proportion towards these groups is worse than solely Oregon’s. The Bruins are balanced, too: Amongst match groups, they’re seventh in OPS and ninth in OPS allowed.
Tennessee
40-14 | No. 7 seed | No. 7 in RPI | No. 9 in ELO | 16-14 vs. RPI prime 50
The Volunteers’ bats can go quiet typically, and their mediocre report towards the highest 50 is a reminder of that. However Karlyn Pickens could be the most effective pitcher within the nation not named NiJaree Canady, and sequence wins over each Oklahoma and Texas function reminders that they’ll grind out victories over anybody on this area.
Texas Tech
45-12 | No. 12 seed | No. 17 in RPI | No. 7 in ELO | 16-11 vs. RPI prime 50
To advance previous the Pink Raiders, you may need to beat NiJaree Canady twice. Oklahoma barely pulled it off when Canady was at Stanford. Tech served discover with an unbelievable Massive 12 match run: In three video games, together with battles with match groups Arizona and Arizona State, they gained by a mixed 26-0.
5 hardest regionals
Some hosts have a bit extra work to do than others this weekend. Advancing from these 5 regionals might be significantly difficult.
Tuscaloosa. Just one host is not the most effective crew in its area, per Warren Nolan’s ELO energy rankings: Alabama, the No. 15 total seed. The Crimson Tide are nineteenth total, behind a Virginia Tech crew that ranks fifteenth and went 13-8 towards the RPI prime 50. (Bama went 17-20.) Belmont, with the most effective strikeout pitcher within the nation (Maya Johnson), lurks as effectively. Yikes.
Baton Rouge. Southeastern Louisiana ranks thirty fourth within the ELO rankings, simply forward of Auburn and Arizona State, who every acquired No. 2 seeds. SELA, nonetheless, is the 4-seed in a Baton Rouge regional that additionally options the third-best 2-seed (Nebraska). LSU misplaced 10 of its previous 15 SEC video games and now faces a very tough street.
Tucson. Arizona is No. 13 total seed, which is apt for a crew that ranks twelfth in RPI and thirteenth in ELO. However the Wildcats may need to get previous each Ole Miss (the sixth-best No. 2 seed, per ELO) and Grand Canyon (by far the most effective No. 3) to advance to their tenth tremendous regional up to now 11 tournaments.
Knoxville. You want runs, proper? All 4 of the groups on this regional rank among the many prime half of match groups in OPS, led by Ohio State (first in OPS). Karlyn Pickens is superior, however Tennessee may need to show it might probably win a monitor meet or two.
0:30
Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens throws quickest pitch in NCAA softball historical past
Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens fires a 78.2 mph strike for the fastest-recorded pitch in school softball historical past.
Bryan-School Station. Liberty and Marist are two of probably the most intriguing mid-majors within the draw, and it is virtually unfair that they had been pitted towards one another right here. It is also virtually unfair to top-seeded Texas A&M that the Aggies had been handed not solely the fifth-best No. 2 seed (Liberty), per ELO, but additionally one of many nation’s greatest pitchers in Marist’s Kiley Myers.
10 nice aces
NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech (25-5, 0.81 ERA). Canady stays the gold customary. She leads the nation in ERA and batting common allowed (.147), and he or she’s second in walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP, 0.69) and third in strikeout price (39.1%). Oh yeah, and he or she’s allowed a complete of 1 earned run in her previous 5 appearances (24.2 innings).
Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee (20-8, 0.92 ERA). She’s the most effective pitcher from softball’s greatest convention. Amongst these with a minimum of 50 innings pitched in SEC play, Pickens ranked first in on-base proportion allowed (.255), first in slugging proportion allowed (.239) and first in strikeouts (123).
Kenzie Brown, Arizona State (19-6, 1.29 ERA). Brown strikes out extra gamers than even Canady (41.0%, second nationally), and he or she permits neither hits (sixth in batting common allowed) nor energy (seventh in slugging proportion allowed).
Maya Johnson, Belmont (23-4, 1.24 ERA). The junior lefty kilos the strike zone: Johnson’s struck out almost half the batters she’s confronted this 12 months (her 49.7% strikeout price simply tops the nation), and he or she walks virtually nobody (her 2.7% stroll price is second). She’s 3-1 towards Energy 4 convention opponents, too.
Sam Landry, Oklahoma (19-4, 2.04 ERA). The bespectacled Louisiana switch is not probably the most dominant ace OU has produced throughout its title run, however she’s battle-tested and robust. In SEC play, she was first in full video games (12), first in innings pitched (100), second in WHIP (1.03) and second in ERA (2.24).
2:45
Celebrity Sam Landry says Oklahoma’s vibes are excessive
Landry joins Rally Cap to debate how her teammates and coaches have helped her play at an elite degree because the Sooners look to hold their momentum into the NCAA Match.
Emiley Kennedy, Texas A&M (21-4, 2.68 ERA). Like Landry, she’s battle-tested. Kennedy will stroll some batters right here and there, however in SEC play, she nonetheless ranked third in OPS allowed (.647) whereas going 14-2 and pitching 97.0 innings.
Kiley Myers, Marist (21-1, 1.50 ERA). Myers’ type dipped down the stretch — of the 30 earned runs she’s allowed, 23 got here in her previous 11 video games — however she got here via within the MAAC match. She’s second nationally in shutouts (10) and offers the Pink Foxes an opportunity towards anybody.
Autumn Courtney, FAU (29-3, 1.80 ERA). The Queens College switch ranks third nationally in batting common allowed (.156) and fourth in OPS (.505). Courtney has solely pitched 9.2 innings towards energy convention opponents (UCF and Kansas) however struck out 13 and did not enable a single earned run.
Jordy Bahl, Nebraska (23-6, 1.65 ERA). This is a enjoyable mixture: The previous OU ace is each tenth in OPS allowed as a pitcher (.521) and eleventh in OPS as a hitter (1.486). She’s given up 15 residence runs, greater than you’d choose, however she’s countered that by hitting 19 of her personal.
Teagan Kavan, Texas (21-4, 2.46 ERA). Like Myers, Kavan misplaced the plot late within the season. She allowed 24 earned runs in her first 24 appearances however has allowed 29 in her previous eight. Her numbers had been nonetheless among the many greatest within the SEC, however she’ll must rediscover her confidence earlier than a possible tremendous regional matchup towards Clemson.
10 nice hitters
Bri Ellis, Arkansas (1.838 OPS, 26 HR, 72 RBI). Ellis is the most effective hitter within the nation by a stable margin. Regardless of taking part in within the SEC, the 5-foot-10 senior led the nation in on-base proportion (.649) and slugging proportion (1.189) and was second in residence runs (26) and walks (58).
Cori McMillan, Virginia Tech (1.661 OPS, 30 HR, 63 RBI). She’s the one participant to hit extra residence runs than Ellis (30), and he or she’s second nationally in OPS (1.661) and complete bases (172). She’s stolen a minimum of 14 bases in three straight seasons, too.
Jasmyn Burns, Ohio State (1.580 OPS, 23 HR, 69 RBI). The Buckeyes in all probability haven’t got the pitching for a significant run, however they lead the nation in OPS, and Burns leads the crew in the identical class. She’s third in complete bases (156) and tied for fourth in residence runs.
Reese Atwood, Texas (1.383 OPS, 17 HR, 71 RBI). After a star flip in 2024, the junior catcher was one of many SEC’s greatest in her first 12 months within the convention, too. In SEC play, Atwood ranked fourth in OPS (1.209), fifth in walks (20) and sixth in RBI (27).
1:07
Spotlight: Reese Atwood makes Texas historical past with game-winning homer
Within the sixth, Atwood is available in clutch with a two-run bomb and turns into the No. 5 Longhorns’ all-time RBI chief with 201 to edge Kentucky, 7-6.
Taylor Minnick, Indiana (1.559 OPS, 16 HR, 63 RBI). The Massive Ten can hit! Indiana’s batting lineup would not go as deep as UCLA’s, Oregon’s or Ohio State’s, however Minnick’s a star. She’s second nationally in extra-base hits (42), fourth in slugging (.980) and fifth in batting common (.473).
Haley Ahr, Marist (1.385 OPS, 12 HR, 61 RBI). One other Pink Fox to recollect. Clearly, Marist did not play many prime groups, however Ahr ranks first nationally in batting common (.527) and has struck out solely 5 occasions all season.
Mya Perez, Texas A&M (1.408 OPS, 14 HR, 68 RBI). Everybody certainly desires to peak heading into the postseason, and like Texas A&M total, Perez has completed that. In her previous eight video games, she’s 12-for-22 with two residence runs, a double, 11 RBIs and 6 walks.
Megan Grant, UCLA (1.499 OPS, 23 HR, 73 RBI). The lefty pull-hitter has performed All-American caliber ball for years now, and Grant’s seventh nationally with a .957 slugging proportion. She’ll must steer out of a little bit of a funk, although: She’s 2-for-14 in Might.
Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, Oklahoma (1.129 OPS, 14 HR, 45 RBI). OU overwhelms you with depth as an alternative of star energy — no Sooners batter ranks within the nationwide prime 30 in OPS. However McEnroe-Marinas got here on robust late, and in SEC play she completed first in extra-base hits (17) and second in each homers (11) and runs (27).
Savannah Kirk, Grand Canyon (1.088 OPS, 0 HR, 31 RBI). We want a slap-hitter on this checklist, and nobody’s higher at it than Kirk. The 5-foot-4 sophomore is second nationally in batting common (.505) and fourth in stolen bases (47). If (when) she will get on base, she’s going to be in scoring place shortly.
10 greatest first-round video games
Friday will likely be fairly the softball thrill journey, with all 32 first-round video games scheduled to start out between midday and 10 p.m. ET. Listed below are 10 video games with both main upset potential or easy, excessive mixed high quality.
Auburn vs. USF (midday ET, ESPN). Auburn acquired into the sphere with a powerful non-conference efficiency however went simply 6-19 towards the SEC. USF acquired knocked round by Florida and Texas this 12 months however has gained 13 of its previous 15.
Liberty vs. Marist (1 p.m., ESPN+). Kiley Myers faces a Liberty crew with 5 shutout wins in its previous seven video games. It might be disappointing if this one weren’t a dynamite pitchers’ duel.
UCF vs. Michigan (2 p.m., ESPN2). Michigan misplaced seven of eight in late April however shutout Oregon and UCLA to win the Massive Ten match. In the meantime, in Isabella Vega, UCF has a participant who almost made the good aces checklist above.
Georgia Tech vs. Florida Atlantic (2 p.m., ESPNU). FAU has Autumn Courtney and a 5-5 report towards the RPI prime 50. Georgia Tech is battle-tested … however misplaced most of these battles: The Yellow Jackets are 6-18 towards the highest 50.
Kentucky vs. Northwestern (2 p.m., ESPN+). These groups have mixed for 9 tremendous regional appearances up to now 10 years, and both might current a tough take a look at in a possible Saturday matchup with Clemson.
Georgia vs. Coastal Carolina (2:30 p.m., ESPN+). Georgia started the season 18-1 however acquired caught within the SEC undertow and completed 13-19. In the meantime, Coastal solely acquired eight photographs at RPI top-50 groups however gained six of them. The Chanticleers have gained 5 in a row after a late-April funk.
1:04
Mic’d Up: Georgia softball’s Dallis Goodnight
Take a hear because the Bulldogs put together on the sphere for his or her first-round SEC Softball Match matchup vs. Kentucky.
Ohio State vs. North Carolina (4 p.m., ESPNU). Each Ohio State sport is a possible monitor meet, and North Carolina is glad to attain (and sometimes enable) some runs in its personal proper. This one might mild up the scoreboard.
LSU vs. Southeastern Louisiana (5:30 p.m., SECN). Whereas SLU went simply 0-4 towards the RPI prime 50 this season, that features losses of 3-2 to LSU, 5-4 to Florida State and 3-2 to Texas A&M. The Woman Lions have a trio of harmful pitchers (Macie LaRue, Britney Lewinski and Hallie Burns) and simply sufficient offense to be a scary 4-seed.
Arizona State vs. San Diego State (10 p.m., ESPN2). This could be the most effective matchup of the day. Arizona State has Kenzie Brown, however SDSU ranks greater in each ELO (twenty sixth vs. thirty seventh) and RPI (twenty ninth vs. thirty seventh).
Ole Miss vs. Grand Canyon (10 p.m., ESPNU). ASU-SDSU won’t even be the most effective 10 p.m. matchup. Each Ole Miss and Grand Canyon rank within the ELO prime 25. Whereas GCU is not extremely battle-tested this season, it beat UCLA and Virginia Tech in current NCAA tournaments and scored a pair of shutout wins over Arizona State this 12 months.
