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There’s always something newsworthy going on in the NCAA Div. I Regionals and, so far, heading into Sunday’s finale, there has been the wide range of emotions as expected—from the jaw-dropping impressive to the hold-your-breath scary.
Here are some of the highlights so far from what we’ve seen… if you’d like to submit your favorite play or social media item, e-mail it to [email protected] and we’ll update as we go through the weekend.
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Florida State has record-setting power explosion against South Florida
Think FSU wanted to send a message to instate rivals South Florida today? The Seminoles run-rule 12-1 in five innings today in the Tallahassee Regional and had six home runs total.
This was the first time in NCAA tournament history that any team has ever hit four straight home runs.
FSU players who went yard: Cali Harrod, Carsyn Gordon, Sydney Sherrill, Makinzy Herzog (grand slam), Leslie Farris and Zoe Casas.
As noted by the FSU softball page: “Due to this impressive display of power the Noles now lead the nation in home runs.”
The Noles play Sunday at noon and with a win will advance to the Super Regionals (also to be played in Tallahassee) against the winner of the Stillwater Regional. If FSU loses, the defending national champs will play a winner take all elimination game 30 minutes after the first game on Sunday.
Here’s the video:
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK 🔥🔥🔥🔥#NCAASoftball #SCtop10 | @FSU_Softball pic.twitter.com/zheOslq9W7
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) May 18, 2019
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Razorback star pitcher Mary Haff missed Regionals with torn ACL
Arkansas star pitcher Mary Haff has a torn ACL, Razorbacks head coach Courtney Deifel revealed on Friday which was reported earlier today by our college correspondent Justin McLeod.
In a mid-game interview during the ESPN broadcast of her team’s game against BYU, Deifel said, “We’ve been holding our cards pretty close, but Mary tore her ACL this week.”
The Hogs started Autumn Storms in back-to-back games, in what would be their only two games of the NCAA tournament, which prompted a question from color commentator Cheri Kempf in the interview about the reasoning therefore. At that time, Deifel revealed the injury.
In two starts in the tournament, Storms threw 13.0 innings, giving up thirteen hits and eleven runs, but just four of them were earned. She collected eight strikeouts and gave up just one walk.
Haff finished the season with a 1.88 ERA and eighteen wins on the year, with a team-leading 180 strikeouts in 160.1 innings of work. As a freshman during the 2018 season, Haff posted a 29-7 record in a breakout campaign, with a 1.51 ERA, 249 strikeouts, and a .157 opponent’s batting average.
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Oops… Forgot the Cameras Are On Me!
The “Potty Mouth Award” goes to Boston University pitcher Ali Dubois who struck out legendary Florida senior Amanda Lorenz and, perhaps forgetting that 3,000 ESPN cameras are focused on the field, turned and mouthed what we certainly wouldn’t say at the dinner table (warning: if foul language offends, you may not want to watch):
https://twitter.com/Gatorschomp1019/status/1129483517346238464
She was impressive but the Gators were too tough as they won 3-0. And the Terriers lost 13-2 today to Stanford to be eliminated.
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Tough Weekend for A&M
Tough year for Texas A&M… 0-2 sweep and out go the Aggies, but making it worse, long-time instate rival Texas did the honors in extras, 3-2.
It was the first time in 19 seasons A&M was swept and they didn’t score an earned run in either loss.
Hard to fault them today when Miranda Elish had double-digit strikeouts to stymie the Texas A&M offense…
Count 'em up. @elish_miranda threw 10 strike outs against rival Texas A&M to keep the Horns in the hunt 🤘#HookEm | #ANewEra pic.twitter.com/SDyV9hCae7
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) May 19, 2019
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Anyone Want to Play Two?
How about the amazing 13-inning thriller that saw LSU beat Texas Tech?!? That’s almost like playing a double-header!
Let’s see what LSU has left in the tank as they play in the Regional final…
TIGERS WIN IN THE 13TH! pic.twitter.com/S7RYEY0k7l
— espnW (@espnW) May 18, 2019
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The Game’s Only Run Comes on a Michigan Walk-off
Speaking of walkoffs… Maize & Blue wins it 1-0 in the bottom of the 12th against James Madison to advance to Sunday’s final in the Ann Arbor Regional:
It doesn't get much better than a 12th-inning walk off 🤩 #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/f2R72Jgowz
— espnW (@espnW) May 18, 2019
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Auburn’s Ashlee Swindle
Back to Friday action, if you didn’t see the horrific scene where Ashlee Swindle of Auburn was hit in the face by a line drive from a Colorado State hitter, we’re happy to report it looks like she’ll be ok.
As we said on our Facebook page: “We’re posting this to highlight one thing. Look at the reaction of CSU’s team: they unite in prayer for the fallen pitcher. Class act, Rams!!!”
Here’s the clip and be warned—it’s scary to watch:
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Sooners Hurlers Are Almost Perfect
There was a reason Oklahoma was the top-rated seed and it’s been seen this weekend: great pitching!
The Sooners had a combined perfect game by Giselle Juarez, Maria Lopez and Shannon Saile in a 12-0 rule-rule win over Maryland-Baltimore County Friday and then saw Juarez pitch a no-hitter on Saturday to beat Wisconsin 4-0 as “G” had a season-high 16 K’s.
Wow.
The Sooners will be very, very tough to beat Sunday twice (by either Wisconsin or Notre Dame as we write this) in the Normal Regional:
RECAP (via @RohdeOK) | Oklahoma advances to the NCAA Norman Regional final behind @ggotgame45's no-hitter: https://t.co/STxUck797h
#ChampionshipMindset pic.twitter.com/gJ7mhRc5iJ— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) May 19, 2019
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“T” Time helps Wildcats advance
Senior Tamara “T” Statman of Arizona has a big blow to help the Wildcats advance to Sunday play… here’s her 4th inning two-run single that proved to be the difference in the 2-1 win.
The host Cats will play Sunday in the Tucson Regional:
Survive and advance. 😼
Tamara Statman led @ArizonaSoftball to victory against Auburn with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Up next: #NCAASoftball Regional Final. pic.twitter.com/m8V1sfckY5
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) May 19, 2019