Previewing the 2024 college softball regionals: Sleepers, top players, WCWS paths
Credit to Author: ESPN| Date: Thu, 16 May 2024 07:58:11 EST
The NCAA Softball Tournament Selection Show panel discuss the teams most likely to upset one of the top seeds. (0:44)
College softball’s 64-team tournament field was revealed on Sunday, and Texas is the No. 1 seed. Behind the Longhorns are No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Florida.
The Sooners are on a quest to make history as the only team in the NCAA to win four straight Women’s College World Series titles. Can anyone keep them from four-peating?
We asked our softball analysts to break down the first stop on the road to Oklahoma City. From sleeper teams to bold predictions, they answer the biggest questions ahead of regionals.
Which unseeded team has the best chance to make the WCWS? Which host has the toughest road? Let’s find out.
Jump to:
Toughest road |Sleepers
Potential Super Regionals matchups
Must-watch players | Bold predictions
Jenny Dalton-Hill: FSU has a lot to get through to make it back to OKC. The Seminoles lost the ACC championship and have struggled in the circle this season. They love to swing for extra bases though, and led the ACC in doubles again this season. Auburn and UCF both can put together complete pitching performances to win, but I think this regional will be all about who can outhit their own pitching. The circle for every team in Tallahassee are all capable of holding a team to minimal hits but have stumbled through the regular season. My biggest question is which team can show up with a complete and united front with solid pitching, error-free defense and swinging the bats effectively 1-9? If the Seminoles get out of their regional, they face Oklahoma in supers, and who wants to see the Sooners before OKC?
Amanda Scarborough: LSU. The Tigers have a challenging regional with a strong Pac-12 team in Cal and a Southern Illinois team that has one of the best freshman pitchers in the country in Maddia Groff. If they win at home and get out of their regional, they will likely have to face the best pitcher in the country, Stanford’s NiJaree Canady, on the road in California. Facing Canady and trying to beat her in two of three in a super regional is a tall task for any opponent.
Michele Smith: Oklahoma State will be challenged in the Stillwater Regional with Kentucky and Michigan being strong Power 5 teams. Kentucky is a team that has performed well at times this season, and if it plays good, fundamental softball, it could be in the hunt for the WCWS. Michigan won the Big Ten Tournament and can do damage. If the seeds hold, that will set up a matchup with Arkansas at the Stillwater Super Regional. Arkansas is a very good team that can hit for power, has speed and good arms in the circle … this will be a very challenging super regional.
Madison Shipman: Louisiana has a really tough road to the WCWS. Ole Miss has played some of its best ball of the season, winning its last two SEC series. Baylor’s Aliyah Binford can be tough against any offense. And the Ragin’ Cajuns would have a potential matchup against Florida in the Super Regional, and I don’t know if there is a team with an offense more on fire than the Gators.