What a wild week it was in the Top 25 DI rankings this week!
Using the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, only three teams in the Top 25—#7 Arizona, #13 Kentucky and #14 Oklahoma State—didn’t lose a game this week and the two previous unbeatens, #1 UCLA and #10 Oregon, both tasted defeat (the Ducks twice).
So who will be #1 this week?
We think there are three candidates…
#3 Texas (20-3) looked ready to move to the top of the ratings after beating three Top 10 teams in four days.
The Longhorns split a pair of games with #9 Louisiana (14-5) last Tuesday—both one run games—as the Longhorns lost 3-2 to the Ragin’ Cajuns and then pulled out a 2-1 victory.
Two days later, the Big 12 team went to #1 UCLA’s home turf and pulled off the extra inning win, 6-4, in eight innings behind a pair of solo home runs in the top of the 8th to knock UCLA (19-1) from the ranks of the undefeated.
Heading from Westwood to Fullerton, California to play at the Judi Garman Classic hosted by Cal State Fullerton, Texas then defeated #2 Washington (19-2) of Friday—the Huskies only loss of the week—but then fell to Fresno State, 4-3, on Saturday before coming back later that day to top #11 Michigan 1-0.
Texas looks strong behind the outstanding pitching of Miranda Elish (9-3 record, 1.50 ERA, 82 K’s in 70 innings), Shealyn O’Leary (5-0. 2.30 ERA) and Courtney Day (4-0 record, 1.18 ERA) and that depth should help Texas go a long way this year… and help launch Coach White towards his next 500 wins:
CONGRATULATIONS to @TexasCoachWhite for reaching the 5⃣0⃣0⃣-career win plateau!
We're so happy to have you leading our program! Here's to 500 more! #OneTeamOneTexas pic.twitter.com/5Cu8qRKJoh
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) March 1, 2020
For UCLA, Megan Faraimo is the clear ace this year with Rachel Garcia competing for Team USA on the Stand Beside Her Tour and the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer. Faraimo, a sophomore, is 11-1 with 125 K’s in 76.1 innings and a 1.01 ERA. A strong #2 in the pitching corps is Holly Azevedo, who is 6-0 with a 1.89 ERA.
Washington was certainly happy to have Sis Bates return to the lineup as the All-American passed her concussion protocols and brings back her outstanding glove and .500 batting average, but the Huskies have been able to withstand the loss of Bates at the St. Pete/Clearwater and Mary Nutter tourneys because of the outstanding bats of infielders Baylee Klingler, the transfer from Texas A&M, and Taryn Atlee who are both hitting .438 to lead the team.
Pretty nice weekend, @bayleekling.#MightyAreTheWomen pic.twitter.com/15rUzHXAue
— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) March 2, 2020
And Washington too has great depth in pitchers with Aussie Gabbie Plain carrying the load with 60 innings—twice as many as any other pitcher—while going 9-2 with a 3.03 ERA and 81 K’s in 60 innings. Super Freshman Kelley Lynch, who has been the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week the last two weeks is 3-0 with a 3.50 ERA and 30 K’s in 30 innings while also leading the team with 7 home runs and is 2nd with 25 RBIs.
Either of those three teams could be #1 when the polls come out on Tuesday, but you’d think UCLA, having lost to the #3 team will remain on top as Texas has 3 loses for the season and the Bruins just the 1.
#1 UCLA traveled South about two hours (depending on 405 to 5 freeway traffic!) to take four games at the San Diego Classic, beating Mount St. Mary’s, Weber State, San Diego State and San Diego and rolling up 29 runs to allowing just 5, with three of the wins being shutouts.
RECAP: Three Pitchers Combine on Six-Hit Shutout of San Diegohttps://t.co/2uceyZuBrH#GoBruins
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) March 2, 2020
#2 Washington, despite the 8-6 loss to #3 Texas, did beat #4 LSU 3-1 and #11 Michigan 10-2 in 5 innings as well as Fresno State 8-0 in 5 innings right after the Bulldogs had topped Texas earlier on Saturday.
This week, UCLA hosts St. John’s on Tuesday and then stays at home for the UCLA/Long Beach State Invitational with 5 games including two against Big Ten teams #11 Michigan and #19 Minnesota.
Washington doesn’t play until this weekend (Friday), with 5 games in the Silicon Valley Classic in Santa Clara, California.
The Longhorns will host the Longhorn Invitational including a pair of games against Liberty.
*****
Elsewhere…
#4 LSU (16-3) was shocked by Loyola Marymount 1-0 at Garman on Thursday, making it the highest-ranked team the Lions from L.A. have ever toppled (LMU also beat #11 Michigan at Garman). LSU also lost to Washington, 3-1, on Friday in Fullerton despite having a late lead and a fine pitching performance by Shelby Wickerham, who took the loss even though she didn’t give up an earned run in the game.
The sophomore now has a 4-1 record for the Tigers and a 0.25 ERA and is one of four talented hurlers for the Tigers who give the group a collective record of 16-3 with a 0.95 ERA: Ali Kiponen (4-1, 0.29 ERA), Maribeth Gorsuch (3-1, 1.14 ERA and the perfect game against Belmont) and Shelbi Sunseri (5-0, 1.35 ERA).
TIGERS WIN!
LSU wraps up the Judi Garman with a win over CSU! #TakeTheLead pic.twitter.com/fH1vugaZn7
— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) February 29, 2020
#5 Oklahoma (15-4) hosted the Courtyard Marriot Tournament and was upset on Friday, 4-3, in eight innings by North Texas before coming back later in the day to beat the Mean Green 15-8. The sooners did beat Northwestern twice in its own tourney.
#6 Florida (17-4) played three against #9 Louisiana and Gerry Glasco’s (14-5) team took two of the three.
Moving Up…
#7 Arizona (17-3) should move up after going 5-0 at the Easton Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala, taking a pair of games against #12 Alabama as well as McNeese State and beating Texas-Arlington.
Also don’t be surprised #9 Louisiana (14-5) to move up with the split against Texas and the pair of wins over Florida along with #13 Kentucky, which scored in double digits in four of its five wins at The Spring Games in North Orlando, Florida, and #14 Oklahoma State, which defeated #10 Oregon 5-4 and topped Louisville twice at the OSU/Tulsa Invitational.
Moving Down?
Expect #11 Michigan, which lost three times during the week and #24 Texas Tech, which lost four times at Mary Nutter, to drop, the Red Raiders probably out of the Top 25.
Teams that could/should move into the Top 25:
- Mississippi State (18-3), which won six games including five at the Snowman (Alex Wilcox Memorial);
- Duke (15-4) which lost 2-of-3 to Notre Dame, although one of the defeats was 1-0;
- North Texas (16-4) which had the big win over Oklahoma;
- Fresno State (16-4), which went 3-1 at Garman with the loss to #2 Washington but the win over #3 Texas;
- Notre Dame (12-6), with the aforementioned wins over Duke;
*****
Top 25 Results
Here’s the Top 25 Weekly Roundup courtesy of USA Softball…
1. UCLA (19-1)
2/27 No. 3 Texas L, 4-6 (8)
@ San Diego Classic in San Diego, Calif.
2/28 Mount St. Mary’s W, 10-0 (5)
2/29 Weber State W, 10-5
RV San Diego State W, 5-0
3/1 San Diego W, 4-0
2. Washington (19-2)
@ Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
2/28 No. 4 LSU W, 3-1
No. 3 Texas L, 6-8
2/29 RV Fresno State W, 8-0 (5)
3/1 No. 11 Michigan W, 10-2 (5)
Cal State Fullerton W, 7-2
3. Texas (20-3)
2/25 No. 9 Louisiana L, 2-3
No. 9 Louisiana W, 2-1
2/27 @ No. 1 UCLA W, 6-4 (8)
@ Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
2/28 No. 2 Washington W, 8-6
2/29 RV Fresno State L, 3-4
No. 11 Michigan W, 1-0
3/1 Boise State W, 6-2
4. LSU (16-3)
@ Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
2/27 Loyola Marymount L, 0-1
No. 24 Texas Tech W, 6-5
2/28 Cal W, 5-1
No. 2 Washington L, 1-3
2/29 Colorado State W, 6-2
5. Oklahoma (15-4)
Host of Courtyard Marriott Tournament
2/28 RV Northwestern W, 8-3
Abilene Christian W, 4-2
2/29 RV North Texas L, 3-4 (8)
RV North Texas W, 15-8
3/1 RV Northwestern W, 5-1
6. Florida (17-4)
2/28 No. 9 Louisiana W, 6-0
2/29 No. 9 Louisiana L, 5-7
3/1 No. 9 Louisiana L, 6-7
7. Arizona (17-3)
@ Easton Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
2/28 McNeese State W, 7-2
No. 12 Alabama W, 2-1
2/29 No. 12 Alabama W, 6-5
McNeese State W, 2-0
3/1 Texas-Arlington W, 9-1 (6)
8. Florida State (10-6)
2/26 RV UCF Cancelled
@ Wooo Pig Classic in Fayetteville, Ark.
2/28 No. 19 Baylor L, 1-2
Kent State W, 11-1
2/29 No. 19 Baylor W, 5-3
No. 21 Arkansas W, 2-1
3/1 Villanova L, 6-9
9. Louisiana (14-5)
2/25 @ No. 3 Texas W, 3-2
@ No. 3 Texas L, 1-2
2/28 @ No. 6 Florida L, 0-6
2/29 @ No. 6 Florida W, 7-5
3/1 @ No. 6 Florida W, 7-6
10. Oregon (17-2)
@ OSU/Tulsa Invitational in Stillwater/Tulsa, Okla.
2/28 Drake W, 12-1 (5)
Tulsa W, 3-2
2/29 Louisville L, 3-4
No. 14 Oklahoma State L, 4-5 (9)
3/1 UIC W, 2-0
11. Michigan (12-6)
@ Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
2/28 Loyola Marymount L, 1-2
2/29 No. 3 Texas L, 0-1
No. 24 Texas Tech W, 8-2
3/1 No. 2 Washington L, 2-10 (5)
Colorado State W, 1-0
12. Alabama (12-7)
Host of Easton Crimson Classic
2/28 UT Arlington W, 11-3 (5)
No. 7 Arizona L, 1-2
2/29 UT Arlington W, 3-2
No. 7 Arizona L, 5-6
3/1 McNeese State W, 4-0
13. Kentucky (17-3)
@ The Spring Games in North Orlando, Fla.
2/28 Loyola Chicago W, 10-2 (6)
FIU W, 17-1
2/29 Western Michigan W, 13-0 (5)
Detroit Mercy W, 22-0 (5)
3/1 Dartmouth W, 4-0
14. Oklahoma State (13-5)
Host of OSU/Tulsa Invitational
2/28 UIC W, 8-0 (5)
Louisville W, 3-0
2/29 Louisville W, 2-1 (8)
No. 10 Oregon W, 5-4
3/1 Drake W, 5-0
15. Georgia (20-4)
2/25 Alabama State W, 9-1 (6)
2/26 @ Clemson L, 1-4
Host of Bulldog Classic
2/28 Eastern Illinois W, 4-0
Boston College W, 6-2
2/29 Boston College W, 4-0
Western Carolina W, 7-2
3/1 Western Carolina W, 8-0 (5)
16. Arizona State (16-6)
Host of Sun Devil Classic
2/28 Maryland W, 8-0 (5)
RV Wisconsin W, 3-1
2/29 Southern Utah W, 12-0 (5)
RV Wisconsin L, 1-10 (5)
3/1 Maryland W, 16-2
17. South Carolina (14-4)
2/26 Georgia Southern W, 5-3
Host of Black & Garnet Challenge
2/29 Troy L, 1-2
Charlotte W, 10-0 (5)
3/1 Charlotte W, 10-7
Troy W, 5-2
18. Minnesota (12-7)
@ Auburn Tournament in Auburn, Ala.
2/28 Binghamton W, 11-0 (6)
Auburn W, 5-4
2/29 Georgia Southern W, 14-3 (6)
Auburn L, 1-5
3/1 Binghamton W, 11-2 (5)
19. Baylor (17-4)
2/25 Louisiana Tech W, 2-1
@ Wooo Pig Classic in Fayetteville, Ark.
2/27 No. 21 Arkansas W, 3-2
2/28 No. 8 Florida State W, 2-1
Villanova L, 3-7
2/29 No. 8 Florida State L, 3-5
Kent State W, 5-2
20. Virginia Tech (16-4)
2/26 @ Radford Postponed
@JU/UNF Spring Break Challenge in Jacksonville, Fla.
2/28 Purdue W, 4-0
North Florida L, 2-3
2/29 Purdue W, 2-0
Jacksonville W, 6-0
3/1 Stony Brook W, 6-1
21. Arkansas (16-4)
Host of Wooo Pig Classic
2/27 No. 19 Baylor L, 2-3
2/28 Villanova W, 11-1 (5)
Kent State W, 9-5
2/29 No. 8 Florida State L, 2-1
Villanova W, 12-4 (5)
3/1 Kent State W, 8-0 (5)
22. Tennessee (9-7)
2/25 UT Martin W, 3-2
@ETSU Tournament in Johnson City, Tenn.
2/29 Bowling Green Cancelled
Tennessee Tech Cancelled
3/1 ETSU L, 3-4
Bowling Green W, 9-3
23. Missouri (15-6)
Host of Mizzou Tournament
2/29 Wichita State W, 7-3
Nebraska W, 7-1
3/1 Nebraska L, 2-10 (5)
Wichita State W, 5-4
24. Texas Tech (11-9)
@ Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
2/27 No. 4 LSU L, 5-6
Cal State Fullerton L, 0-1
2/28 BYU L, 5-7
2/29 No. 11 Michigan L, 2-8
Grand Canyon W, 6-2
25. James Madison (9-4)
@ NC State Invitational in Raleigh, N.C.
2/29 Lehigh L, 2-6
NC State W, 13-5
3/1 Lehigh W, 15-3 (5)
NC A&T W, 13-0 (5)
