As it typically does, the NCAA Regionals ended up being the softball version of March Madness.
1 Oklahoma in, 2 UCLA out
The number one team in the country and if we’re all being honest, they are well on their way to a three-peat. The Sooners beat both Hofstra and Missouri 11-0 and beat Cal 16-3 to take the title. Nothing surprising from a team that’s 54-1 on the season, and a 0.84 ERA. The Sooners will host Clemson this weekend as they won their regional after a three-game battle with Auburn. We get the gift of a pitching duel between OU’s Alex Storako and Clemson’s Valerie Cagle.
That's what they do in Norman‼️@OU_Softball makes its 13th straight appearance in the NCAA Super Regionals ? pic.twitter.com/r1atgMZpH7
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 21, 2023
TIGERS WIN! TIGERS WIN!!
— Clemson Softball ? (@clemsonsoftball) May 21, 2023
Clemson advances to Super Regionals after defeating Auburn, 5-1!
? ESPN+
?@1055TheROAR pic.twitter.com/4K32RWArtJ
The March Madness effect haunted the number two team in the country, UCLA. The Bruins hosted the regionals but didn’t live to see the championship game. Grand Canyon and Liberty secured wins to put the Bruins in the dirt right off the bat. The Bruins’ Megan Fairimo missing from the mound for a super-regional is new territory for all of us. San Diego State ended up winning the LA regional and will advance to face number 15 Utah. Utah’s dominating performance over Ole Miss secured them a regional championship in Salt Lake City.
3 Seminoles, Bulldogs prevail
Number three on the board, the Florida State Seminoles, hung on against South Carolina to win their regional in Tallahassee. South Carolina topped the Seminoles 4-0 in their first matchup. Seminole ace Kathryn Sandercock came back with a vengeance and pitched a perfect game in the 1-0 title victory. The Seminoles will host number 14 Georgia in the supers as the Bulldogs smacked Virginia Tech 8-3 and 12-3 to win their regional in Athens.
All set for a fun weekend at The Plex?#Team40 | @Visit_Tally pic.twitter.com/Ol0IFyFw8P
— Florida State Softball ? (@FSU_Softball) May 22, 2023
4 Vols, 5 Tide move on
Number four Tennessee cruised through their regional in Knoxville and will host number 13 Texas. Duke (eight) and Stanford (nine) will face off in Durham.
Number five Alabama will host Northwestern (12) at home in Tuscaloosa after holding off Middle Tennessee State 1-0 in game three at the hands of senior Ally Shipman’s seventh-inning solo homerun. While it is still unclear whether Crimson Tide ace Montana Fouts will be back for showtime, the Tide’s Jaala Torrence is carrying the torch.
ALLY. FREAKIN. SHIPMAN.@ally_shipman
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) May 21, 2023
?ESPNU | https://t.co/VXCbn5E3rb#Team27 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/LeUSJGtXWX
Upset Alert
In the last upsets of the weekend, number 11 Arkansas fell victim to a 10-4 and 14-4 upset from Oregon in Fayetteville. Oklahoma State (six) will host Oregon in Stillwater. The last upset of the weekend came in Baton Rouge as number 10 LSU came up short 7-8 against Louisiana in the finals. Washington (seven) will host Louisiana in Seattle.
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