NCAA softball super regionals: Scores, times, TV, what to watch in 2023 tournament
Following an exciting and surprising weekend of regionals that featured incredible comebacks, first-time winners, a perfect game and a shocking upset, the NCAA softball tournament moved into super regionals with trips to Women’s College World Series on the line.
Sixteen teams took the field beginning Thursday and Friday in eight best-of-three matchups to determine the eight teams that will compete for the 2023 national championship in Oklahoma City.
Of the 16 teams that advanced to super regionals this weekend, four hailed from the Pac-12; the SEC, ACC and Big 12 each had three teams advance; and the Big Ten, Mountain West and Sun Belt each had one representative. The Pac-12, SEC, ACC and Big 12 each had two hosts schools.
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Here is everything you need to know for softball super regionals this weekend – two series began on Thursday, while the other six started Friday (all game times are ET):
No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 16 Clemson
At Norman, Oklahoma
Oklahoma advances to Women's College World Series
Game 1: Oklahoma 9, Clemson 2
Game 2: Oklahoma 8, Clemson 7 (9 innings)
How Oklahoma advanced to super regionals: The Sooners swept through their regional with three run-rule wins, beating Hofstra 11-0 (5 innings), Missouri 11-0 (6 inn.) and California 16-3 (5 inn.) to run their winning streak to 46 games – the second-longest in NCAA softball history. Arizona holds the record with 47 consecutive wins in 1996-97.
How Clemson advanced to super regionals: The Tigers scored easy wins on Friday (17-2 over UNC-Greensboro) and Saturday (7-0 over Auburn), but Clemson fell to Auburn 5-2 in the first game Sunday, forcing a winner-take-all-game between the two schools that Clemson won 5-1.
Oklahoma player to watch: Literally everyone. The Sooners, who can overpower with their offense and shut teams down with their pitching and defense, lead the nation in batting average, runs scored and ERA.
Clemson player to watch: Valerie Cagle. The two-way star can pitch (25-6, 1.20 ERA) and hit (.467 batting average, 19 home runs), and is one of three finalists for national player of the year.
No. 8 Duke vs. No. 9 Stanford
At Durham, North Carolina
Stanford advances to Womens' College World Series
Game 1: Stanford 3, Duke 1
Game 2: Stanford 7, Duke 2
How Duke advanced to super regionals: The Blue Devils swept their regional, beating George Mason 2-1 on Friday, Charlotte 5-0 on Saturday and Charlotte again on Sunday, 4-2, and will now host their first ever super regional.
How Stanford advanced to super regionals: The Cardinal beat Long Beach State in a 1-0 squeaker on Friday then bulldozed perennial power Florida 8-0 on Saturday and 11-2 on Sunday to advance to their seventh super regional.
Duke player to watch: Deja Davis. The All American infielder and graduate student is the leader of the Blue Devils on and off the field. Davis leads the team in doubles (15) and is second in batting average (.380).
Stanford player to watch: NiJaree Canady. The dyanmic freshman pitcher leads the nation in both ERA at 0.46 and strikeouts per 7 innings with 11.8.
No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Northwestern
At Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Alabama advances to Womens' College World Series
Game 1: Northwestern 3, Alabama 1
Game 2: Alabama 2, Northwestern 1
Game 3: Alabama 3, Northwestern 2
How Alabama advanced to super regionals: The Crimson Tide beat Long Island University 5-0 on Friday and Middle Tennessee 12-5 on Saturday, but Middle Tennessee won the Sunday opener 5-1, forcing the teams into a winner-take-all game later that day. Alabama won the pitcher's duel 1-0 to advance to its 18th super regional and 13th as a host.
How Northwestern advanced to super regionals: The Wildcats swept their regional, but all three games were close. Northwestern beat Eastern Illinois 2-0 on Friday, rallied to beat Kentucky 10-8 on Saturday and held off Miami (Ohio) 5-4 on Sunday to reach its seventh super regional.
Alabama player to watch: Montana Fouts. The graduate student and Alabama's undisputed leader and ace pitcher injured her leg in the SEC Tournament on May 11 and hasn't played since. Will the 2021 NFCA Pitcher of the Year be ready for the supers?
Nothwestern player to watch: Jordyn Rudd. The graduate student ranks second on the team in OPS (1.014), hits (52) and home runs (9), and as the longtime starting catcher, effortlessly manages the Wildcats pitching staff.
No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 13 Texas
At Knoxville, Tennessee
Tennessee advances to Womens' College World Series
Game 1: Tennessee 5, Texas 2
Game 2: Tennessee 9, Texas 0
How Tennessee advanced to super regionals: The Lady Vols swept their regional, beating Northern Kentucky 12-0 on Friday, Indiana 9-1 in 5 innings on Saturday and then knocking out the Hoosiers with a 7-3 win on Sunday to advance to super regionals for the first time since 2019.
How Texas advanced to super regionals: The Longhorns beat Seton Hall 8-0 in 5 innings on Friday, squeaked past Texas A&M 2-1 on Saturday before finishing off the Aggies with an 11-5 win on Sunday to advance to super regionals for the third consecutive season.
Tennessee player to watch: Kiki Milloy. The senior outfielder leads the nation in home runs with 25 and runs per game with 1.47, while leading the Lady Vols in nearly every offensive category.
Texas player to watch: Mia Scott. The engine of the Longhorns offense, the sophomore leads the team in hits and runs, while playing stellar defense at third base.
No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 14 Georgia
At Tallahassee, Florida
Florida State advances to Women's College World Series
Game 1: Florida State 8, Georgia 1
Game 2: Florida State 4, Georgia 2
How Florida State advanced to super regionals: The Seminoles beat Marist 9-0 on Friday and Central Florida 5-1 on Saturday before being shut out by South Carolina 4-0 in the first game Sunday. In the winner-take-all game that followed, Kathryn Sandercock threw her first career pefect game as FSU downed South Carolina 1-0 to advance to its 10th super regional.
How Georgia advanced to super regionals: The Bulldogs swept their regional, beating North Carolina Central 12-0 in 5 innings on Friday, Virginia Tech 8-3 on Saturday and the Hokies again on Sunday 12-3 in six innings to reach their 12th super regional.
Florida State player to watch: Katherine Sandercock. The ace of the pitching staff, the senior leads the Seminoles with a 25-3 record and 1.10 ERA while tossing eight complete games, including the perfect game to clinch regionals.
Georgia player to watch: Sara Mosley. The All-American senior infielder leads the Bulldogs in hits (63) and doubles (14), while slugging 17 home runs to rank second for Georgia this season.
No. 6 Oklahoma State vs. Oregon
At Stillwater, Oklahoma
Oklahoma State advances to Women's College World Series
Game 1: Oklahoma State 8, Oregon 1
Game 2: Oklahoma State 9, Oregon 0
How Oklahoma State advanced to super regionals: The Cowgirls swept their regional, beating Maryland-Baltimore County 9-0 on Friday, Wichita State 6-0 on Saturday and rallying past Nebraska 5-2 on Sunday to advance to their fourth consecutive super regional.
How Oregon advanced regionals: The Ducks knocked out No. 11 seed and host Arkansas from its own regional. Oregon beat Notre Dame 5-4 on Friday then earned 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 player to watch: Rachel Becker. Following four outstanding seasons at Purdue where she earned All American honors, the infielder transferred to Oklahoma State as a graduate student and leads the Cowgirls in batting average (.453), hits (77) and runs (58).
Oregon player to watch: Allee Bunker. The fifth-year senior infielder is the Ducks' leader on and off the field, pacing the team in batting average (.391), hits (68) and RBI (54), while ranking second in home runs with 10.
No. 7 Washington vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
At Seattle
Washington advances to Women's College World Series
Game 1: Washington 8, Louisiana-Lafayette 0
Game 2: Washington 2, Louisiana-Lafayette 0
How Washington advanced to super regionals: The Huskies beat Northern Colorado 10-2 in six innings Friday and edged McNeese State 3-1 on Saturday before things got interesting on Sunday. McNeese earned a 1-0 shutout to force a winner-take-all game and took a 6-0 lead into the seventh before Washington scored seven runs in the top of the frame in a historic NCAA tournament rally for the 7-6 win to advance to its 15th super regional.
How Louisiana advanced to super regionals: 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 before routing Omaha in the nightcap 9-0 (5 inn.) to earn a Sunday rematch with their Bayou state rivals. The Ragin' Cajuns forced a winner-take-all game with LSU after winning 7-4 and took an early 6-0 lead in the clincher before having to rally with two runs in the top of the seventh to beat the hosts 9-8 on LSU's home field.
Washington player to watch: Baylee Klingler. Named one of three finalists for national player of the year last season, the All-American fifth-year senior can dazzle with her bat (.391 average, 12 home runs), her plate awareness (31 walks to only five strikeouts in 174 at-bats) and her stellar defense (only two errors all season) in the infield.
Louisiana player to watch: Karly Heath. The two-way star has a 5-1 record as a pitcher, but the senior mostly makes her mark in the outfield and at the plate (.358 batting average), hitting a team-high 16 home runs and 47 RBI.
No. 15 Utah vs. San Diego State
At Salt Lake City
Utah advances to Women's College World Series
Game 1: San Diego State 4, Utah 3
Game 2: Utah 10, San Diego State 1 (5 innings)
Game 3: Utah 7, San Diego State 2
How Utah advanced to super regionals: The Utes swept their regional, beating Southern Illinois 11-9 on Friday, Mississippi 7-1 on Saturday and Ole Miss again on Sunday 4-1. With the upset of No. 2 seed UCLA, Utah will now host its first super regional in team history.
How San Diego State advanced to super regionals: The Aztecs won three games in the Los Angeles regional and didn't have to play the host Bruins, who were eliminated in two games. SDSU beat Liberty 7-0 on Friday, Grand Canyon 6-0 on Saturday and Liberty again, 6-3 on Sunday to advance to its first ever super regional.
Utah player to watch: Ellessa Bonstrom. One of the undisputed leaders of the Utes as a graduate student, the All-American utility player, who spent most of the season at first base, leads the team with 52 RBI and ranks second in home runs with 10.
San Diego State player to watch: Mac Barbara. The redshirt sophomore picked up where she left off last season, when she was named NFCA Third Team All-American. This season, the utility player leads the Aztecs in home runs (13) and total bases (104).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA softball super regionals 2023: Scores, schedule, times, TV, teams
