Complete preview: Fayetteville Regional for Arkansas softball

Four teams are in Fayetteville this weekend with ideas for a run in the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas and Princeton start the Fayetteville Regional at 5 p.m. Friday as the host team and the Ivy League champions. The teams will be followed by No. 2 seed Oregon against No. 3 seed Wichita State.

The Razorbacks are expected to advance, especially as they play at home in Bogle Park. Arkansas is ranked the No. 4 team in the nation and are coming off their second straight SEC championship.

Arkansas is one of the heaviest-hitting teams in the country with its 102 home runs this season tied for fourth in the country. Incidentally, one of the teams in front of the Hogs is Wichita State, which finished second in the country in big flies with 118, trailing only Oklahoma, the top-ranked team in the nation. Oregon isn’t far behind, either. The Ducks hit 62 in their 48 games to rank inside the top 30.

The double-elimination tournament will conclude on Sunday. For more information, check here.

No. 1 seed - Arkansas

Arkansas Razorbacks outfielder Linnie Malkin (22) celebrates with her teammates after hitting a home run against the Ole Miss Rebels at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, May 12, 2022. [Gabriella Whisler/Special to the Sun]
Ncaa Softball Arkansas Razorbacks Vs Ole Miss Rebels

Record: 44-9 (19-5 SEC)

Conference Finish: SEC champions in regular and postseason

Key players: Outfielder KB Sides – .395/.510/.722, 12 HR, 39 RBI, First base Danielle Gibson – .442/.492/.848, 18 HR, 63 RBI, Pitcher Chenise Delce – 17-2, 2.19 ERA, .216 BA against, 161 K, 33 BB in 128 IP

No. 2 seed - Oregon

Oregon’s Terra McGowan (11) during an NCAA softball game against Cal State Northridge on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Northridge, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Record: 31-17 (10-4)

Conference Finish: Fifth in PAC-12

Key players: Catcher Terra McGowan – .400/.444/.587, Utility Hanna Delgado – .372/.471/.503, Pitcher Stevie Hansen – 13-8, 3.10 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 120 K, 28 BB in 115 1/3 IP

No. 3 seed - Wichita State

Wichita State batter Addison Barnard (30) runs to first base against Illinois during an NCAA softball game on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)

Record: 33-16 (14-4)

Conference Finish: Second in AAC, semifinals in AAC postseason

Key players: Outfielder Addison Barnard – .409/.484/1.057, 32 HR, 82 RBI, INfielder Sydney McKinney – .511/.557/.858, 13 HR, 38 RBI, Pitcher Erin McDonald – 10-8, 4.01 ERA, .238 BA against, 85 K, 59 BB in 103 IP

No. 4 seed - Princeton

Princeton pitcher Molly Chambers throws against Dartmouth during an NCAA softball game on Saturday, April 2, 2022, in Princeton, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Record: 27-15-2 (17-4)

Conference Finish: Won Ivy League regular season and postseason

Key players: Catcher Adrienne Chang – .368/.429/.547, 11 XBH, 18 RBI,  Pitcher Alexis Laudenslager – 11-7, 1.93 ERA, .181 BA against, 138 K, 55 BB in 109 IP, Pitcher Ali Blanchard – 10-3, 2.65 ERA, .201 BA against, 151 K, 52 BB in 105 2/3 IP

Weekend schedule

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Courtney Deifel accepts the SEC Softball Tournament trophy after playing the Missouri Tigers at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, May 14, 2022. [Gabriella Whisler/Special to the Sun]
Ncaa Softball Arkansas Razorbacks Vs Ole Miss Rebels

Friday, May 20

Game 1: Arkansas vs. Princeton — 5 p.m. CT, SEC Network

Game 2: Oregon vs. Wichita State — 7:30 p.m. CT, SECN+

Saturday, May 21

Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 — 1 p.m. CT, TBA

Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 — 3:30 p.m. CT, TBA (elimination game)

Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 3 — 6 p.m. CT, TBA (elimination game)

Sunday, May 22

Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 — 1 p.m. CT, TBA

Game 7: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 — 3:30 p.m. CT, TBA (if necessary — if Game 3 winner loses Game 6)

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