Featured Five – April 13-17
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Throughout the 2017 softball season, the NFCA will feature some of the sport’s highest-profile contests in our “Featured Five” Games of the Week.
Each weekly installment will be released on Thursday, providing live stat links, game notes, team info, social media accounts and any available broadcast links in hopes of becoming another reason for fans to visit us during the season for information on some of collegiate softball’s best games.
As the year continues, we will attempt to expand our focus to include matchups throughout as many divisions as possible. This week’s featured games come from the NCAA Division I, II and III.
Make sure you follow the NFCA on our social media (NFCAorg) through Twitter, (Periscope), Instagram and on Facebook and let us know what you think of our “Featured Five” segment.
DI
No. 9 Alabama (36-7, 10-5 SEC) at No. 16 Tennessee (37-5, 9-3 SEC)
April 15-17 – 6 p.m. / 7 p.m. / 2 p.m. EST | Sherri Parker Lee Stadium | Knoxville, Tenn.
Follow: Live Stats (G1 / G2 / Tennessee) | Watch (G1 / G2 / G3 | Listen (Alabama / UT [G1 / G2 / G3])
On Twitter: @AlabamaSB | @Vol_Softball
Stats: Alabama | Tennessee
Alabama (Preview / Notes): Alabama moved back into the top 10 following a SEC series win over then-No. 8 LSU, taking games one and three… The Crimson Tide sit in fourth in the league heading into the weekend… They picked up an 8-0 mid-week win over UAB… On Wednesday, Alexis Osorio was named a finalist for USA Softball’s Collegiate Softball Player of the Year… Osorio is 18-4 with a 1.12 ERA, seven shutouts and 217 strikeouts in 125 innings of work, while holding opponents to a .119 average… Sydney Littlejohn tops the staff with a 0.93 ERA… She is 14-2 with 148 strikeouts to just 25 walks in 121 innings… Offensively, Demi Turn is hitting .387 with 43 hits, four doubles and 28 runs scored… Peyton Grantham leads the team with nine doubles, seven homers and 39 RBI.
Tennessee (Preview / Notes): The Volunteers enter the series riding a 16-game winning streak, the second longest active streak in Division I behind No. 2 Arizona (25 games)… It’s their longest streak since 2013 when they won 19 straight… Meghan Gregg was named a finalist for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year… Gregg and Brooke Vines have been one of the most productive pairs in college softball this season… The duo ranks first and second in the SEC in RBI with 62 and 45, respectively. Gregg’s 62 runs driven in lead the entire country as well… Vines and Gregg are also tied for the team lead and rank 15th nationally in hits with 55 apiece… Gregg is batting .470 with a team-high 18 doubles, nine homers, .872 slugging percentage and .578 OBP… In the circle, Matty Moss is 19-1 with a 1.35 ERA, four shutouts and 126 strikeouts in 124 innings, while Caylan Arnold is 16-4 with a 1.64 ERA, and 109 strikeouts in 110.2 innings… Moss and Arnold are limiting their opponents to .185 and .180 batting averages, respectively.
No. 2 Arizona (40-1, 12-0 Pac-12) at No. 14 Utah (26-7, 8-2 Pac-12)
April 13-15 / 7 p.m. / 4 p.m. / Noon MST | Dumke Family Softball Stadium | Salt Lake City, Utah
Follow: Live Stats | Watch (G1 / G2 / G3) | Listen (Utah)
On Twitter: @UA_Softball | @Utah_Softball
Stats: Arizona | Ohio State
Arizona (Preview / Notes): The Wildcats are riding the longest active winning streak in Division I at 25 games… Arizona became the NCAA’s first 40-game winner and is just one of two NCAA programs (Angelo State/DII) to reach the 40-win plateau so far this season… The winning streak is their longest since 2004… Arizona jumped to first in the last NCAA RPI… The Wildcats had a NCAA-best five players- Katiyana Mauga, Taylor McQuillin, Mo Mercado, Danielle O’Toole and Mandie Perez- named finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year… Mauga, named Pac-12 Player of the Week the last two weeks, has six home runs in her last 20 at-bats, while hitting .550 with 14 RBI in those seven games…. She leads the Pac-12 with 16 home runs and is tied for seventh in NCAA history with 83 in her career… Arizona has the top two pitchers (by ERA) in the Pac-12… Taylor McQuillin (13-0) leads the way with a 0.66 ERA and O’Toole (21-1) is right behind her at 0.75… As a staff hold their opponents to a .164 batting average.
Utah (Preview / Notes): The Utes have won five straight, all in Pac-12 play, after taking two games from California (game three was canceled)… Hannah Flippen was just named a finalist for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and Senior CLASS Award, respectively… Utah ranks 12th nationally with a team batting average of .332… It also places 14th in scoring (6.3 runs per game) and 21st in on-base percentage (.408)… Flippen currently sits second in batting average (.446) and runs batted in (36) among Pac-12 players… She is also third in on-base percentage (.525), fourth in slugging percentage (.782), seventh in runs scored (32) and doubles (9)… Utah currently ranks 19th in the nation with a combined team ERA of 1.71… All three pitchers rank among the top 11 in the Pac-12 in ERA… Katie Donovan has 13 wins with a 2.21 ERA, two saves and 86 strikeouts in 101.1 innings, while Kiera Viramontes is 10-1 with a 1.25 ERA, two shutouts and 45 strikeouts to just six walks in 67.1 innings.
No. 17 Louisiana (30-5, 12-0 Sun Belt) at Texas State (30-8, 11-3 Sun Belt)
April 14-15 – 5 p.m. (DH) / 2 p.m. CDT | Bobcat Stadium | San Marcos, Texas
Follow: Live Stats (G1 | G2 | G3) | Watch ($) | Listen (Louisiana / LSU)
On Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunsSB | @TXStateSoftball
Stats: Louisiana | Texas State
Series: The series features two of the three teams in the Sun Belt (Georgia State also included) in the race for the regular season championship… Louisiana has the Sun Belt’s top-ranked offense (.339 avg/60 HR) while Texas State counters with the top-ranked pitching staff (1.22 ERA/273 K)… Louisiana leads 27-3.
Louisiana (Preview / Notes): The Ragin Cajuns come in having won 13 straight games, 12 in Sun Belt play… In their last league series, they toppled Troy at home, outscoring Trojans, 25-1 which included a pair of 11-0 wins after a close 3-1 triumph in game one… DJ Sanders, a finalist of USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, is the nation’s leader in home runs (20) and slugging percentage (1.047)… Of her 42 hits, a total of 29 have gone for extra bases (9 doubles, 20 homers)… She is hitting .396 and owns a .511 OBP… Louisiana owns the second best ERA in the Sun Belt at 1.87… Alex Stewart is at 1.77 with a 14-3 record and 77 strikeouts in 71.1 innings, while Alyssa Denham is 12-1 with a 1.82 ERA, two shutouts and 62 punchouts in 96 innings.
Texas State (Preview / Notes): The Bobcats are coming of an upset walk-off win over No. 13 Baylor on Wednesday, … Reigning Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week Randi Rupp continued her dominate streak, twirling a three-hit shutout, her third consective and eighth of the season… Rupp is 20-5 with a 0.95 ERA and 204 strikeouts to just 38 walks in 161.1 innings, while holding opponents to a .186 batting average… She is part of a staff that own the best ERA in the Sun Belt at 1.22… Ariel Ortiz leads the offensive charge, batting .356 with 42 hits, 11 doubles, two triples, 12 homers, 41 RBI and 23 runs, all team bests.
Other Notable DI Games (All Times Eastern)
April 13
7 p.m. – No. 12 Washington at No. 4 Oregon – Live Stats | Watch | Listen
April 14
3 p.m. (DH) – No. 11 LSU at No. 24 Ole Miss | Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Watch (G1 / G2) | Listen (LSU)
6 p.m. – No. 3 Florida at No. 21 Kentucky – Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Florida)
6 p.m. – No. 5 Texas A&M at No. 25 Arkansas – | Watch | Listen (A&M)
7 p.m. – RV Missouri at No. 7 Auburn – Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Auburn)
10 p.m. – No. 12 Washington at No. 4 Oregon – Live Stats | Watch | Listen
April 15
2 p.m. – No. 5 Texas A&M at No. 25 Arkansas – | Listen (A&M)
3 p.m. – No. 3 Florida at No. 21 Kentucky – Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Florida)
3 p.m. – No. 12 Washington at No. 4 Oregon – Live Stats | Watch | Listen
4 p.m. – No. 11 LSU at No. 24 Ole Miss | Live Stats | Watch | Listen (LSU)
6 p.m. – No. 1 Florida State at RV South Carolina – Live Stats | Watch | Listen
7 p.m. – RV Missouri at No. 7 Auburn – Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Auburn)
April 16
1 p.m. – No. 1 Florida State at RV South Carolina – Live Stats | Watch | Listen
1 p.m. – No. 3 Florida at No. 21 Kentucky – Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Florida)
2 p.m. – No. 5 Texas A&M at No. 25 Arkansas – Watch | Listen (A&M)
3 p.m. – RV Missouri at No. 7 Auburn – Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Auburn)
DII
No. 7 Southern Arkansas (35-7, 25-5 GAC) at No. 3 Harding (38-4, 28-2 GAC)
April 14-15 | 2 p.m. (DH) / Noon (DH) CT | Cougar Field | Searcy, Ark.
Follow: Live Stats (G1 / G2 / G3 / G4) | Watch
On Twitter: @sausoftball | @Hardin_sb
Stats: Southern Arkansas | Harding
Southern Arkansas: The Lady Muleriders are coming off a Great American Conference series win at Henderson State, taking the first three before dropping the finale… Maddie Dow paces an offense that is hitting .331 as a team and has three players hitting over .400… She is at .448 with 52 hits, nine doubles, a NCAA-best 20 home runs, 50 RBI and a 1.060 slugging percentage… Jill Roye is hitting .417 with a team-best 58 hits, along with eight doubles, nine homers, 51 runs and 52 RBI, while Brooke Goad is hitting .405 with a team-best 14 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 52 runs scored… In the circle, Kaylee Garner, the reighning GAC Pitcher of the Week, is 16-0 iwth a 1.70 ERA, 80 strikeouts and a .209 batting average against in 98.2 innings… Victoria Taylor is 15-4 with a 1.93 ERA and has struck out 132 in 127 innings… Both pitcher have tossed five shutouts.
Harding: The Bison have won three straight and 28 of their last 29 games, following a GAC series win at East Central… Harding bounced back from a game-one defeat to top the Tigers in the final three games… The Bison are hitting .330 as a squad and own a 1.54 ERA… Peyton Mills is batting a team-best .432 with 60 hits, 12 doubles, five homers, 42 RBI and 39 runs scored, while Alexus Lawellin is hitting .423 with 52 hits, 10 doubles, 33 runs scored and 26 RBI… Five players have swiped 10-plus bases as the Bison have stolen 70 bases this season… In the circle, Hannah Johnson (18-2, 1.32) and Humes (19-1, 1.57) lead the way, posting a combined 17 shutouts and holding opponents to a .203 batting average… Johnson has shut out eight opponents, whiel striking out 74… Humes has 180 punchouts, nine shutouts and held her opposition to a .185 batting average in 142.1 innings.
Other notable DII Games (All times ET)
April 13
5 p.m. (DH) – No. 25 Tampa at No. 4 Saint Leo – Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Watch
DIII
No. 12 Central (Iowa) (24-4. 6-0 IIAC) at No. 11 Coe (24-5, 6-2 IIAC)
April 15 | 2 p.m. CT (DH) | Clark Field | Cedar Rapid Iowa
Follow: Watch | Listen | Live Stats (G1/G2)
On Twitter: @CoeSoftball | @CentralSB1
Stats: Central (Iowa) | Coe
Central (Iowa): The Dutch have won seven straight after Wednesday’s home Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference sweep of Buena Vista. Senior Abbie Voas’ fifth-inning homer broke a scoreless tie and Central added another run in the sixth on junior Paige Dickel’s two-out hit for a 2-0 win, followed a 10-5 triumph in the nightcap, a game in which the Dutch trailed twice, and was in danger of falling behind again in the sixth, until senior ace Karly Olson entered in relief to induce a popup and two strikeouts to escape a bases-loaded, no-outs jam. … On offense, Olson (.407, nine doubles, one homer, 26 RBI) is one of three players in the lineup batting over .400, led by freshman Sara Tallman (.457, 31 runs, five doubles, 10 RBI) and including sophomore Emily Wilson (.438, 21 runs, eight doubles, two triples, four homers, 30 RBI). … In the circle, Olson is 10-2 with a 2.25 ERA, four shutouts and 62 strikeouts in 81 innings, while sophomore Mariah Fritz (8-2, 1.21 ERA) and junior Annie DeVries (6-0, 3.16 ERA) have split the other half of the innings.
Coe: The Kohawks are also coming off a Wednesday conference sweep, 7-1 and 6-0 over Nebraska Wesleyan. In the doubleheader, Coe allowed a total of five hits, with sophomore Alyssa Olson (one-hitter, no walks, nine strikeouts) taking a perfect game into the seventh inning of the second contest. In the opener, senior Maliah Fligg allowed just four hits and Nebraska Wesleyan’s lone run came on a two-out, bases loaded walk in the first inning. … Fligg is the team’s second-leading hitter, with a .357 average, three homers and 17 RBI. Sophomores Maddy Ryan (.375, 18 runs, three doubles, 19 RBI), Allie O’Brien (.333, 19 runs, seven extra-base hits, 16 RBI) and Haley Jones (.329, 20 runs, seven doubles, six homers, 24 RBI) help fuel a balanced offense. … Both Fligg (1.36 ERA, 13-1, .201 opponent average) and Olson (1.60, 9-4, 4-to-1 strikeout-walk ratio) boast ERAs under two in the circle.
Other notable DIII Games (All times ET)
April 13
7 p.m. — No. 2 Texas-Tyler at Louisiana College- Live stats
April 14
2 p.m. (DH) — No. 2 Texas-Tyler at Louisiana College – Live stats
4 p.m. (DH) — Milsaps at No. 3 Berry – Live stats | Live video
April 15
1 p.m. (DH) — New Jersey City University at No. 5 Rowan — Live stats |Live audio | Live video
1:30 p.m. (DH) — No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan at Lynchburg — Live stats | Live video
2 p.m. — University of Dubuque at No. 4 Luther — Live video