Friday
There were some big series this weekend.
Biggest News, Stanford, who's been struggling recently after being in the top 20 RPI not long ago, beat UCLA at home, 2-1. UCLA did not start Garcia.
And the previously 1st place Pac12 team, Arizona, lost at home to Washington 2-1. Both Stanford and Washington scored early, then got good pitching to hold on. Gabbie Plain shut out Zona for six plus, but they got a run and had the tying and winning run on base in B7 with one out, but their number two came in and put out the fire.
At Baton Rouge, Alabama got a solo home run off the foul pole with two outs in T1 and it stayed 1-0 til the 7th. Then LSU's defense showed their true colors. They made crucial mistakes early, but kicked it around two or three times in T7 leading to six more runs in a 7-0. So in the two biggest series, the road teams won. And the biggest upset was likely the visiting team, UCLA that got beat at Stanford 2-1.
In the big matchup of the two best teams in the Big Ten, first place Northwestern, won 1-0 at Minnesota. Minnesota allowed only two hits. But a walk a double and a wild pitch in T7 led to the only run of the game. Northwestern allowed only one hit.
Florida lost at home to Mississippi St.
Saturday
Arizona lost for the second straight day to Washington. UDub won 2-1 Friday. They got a two run single from Sami Reynolds in the 5th to break a 1-1 tie. Reynolds score UDub's first run after a two out double in the 1st. Washington seems to be proving they are the second best team in the Pac 12. And they have almost surely assured themselves of a regional host and a Super if they win their regiional. Arizona in pretty good shape there, too, though they have lost three of their last five.
UCLA came back to beat Stanford 7-4 after losing Friday. Rachel Garcia, for whatever reason is pitching game two. They did that earlier in the conference schedule and also lost game one with Rachel playing first. UCLA regains the lead in the conference standings. Arizona had been undefeated in league game before last weekend's loss at Cal.
In the SEC, LSU finally scored on Bama pitching, but it came after the CT was up 4-0. They won 4-3 clinching the SEC regular season title. It's Bama's first series win in Baton Rouge since the days of two game conference series over a decade ago.
Florida lost their second straight game to Mississippi State, 4-2. Kelly Barnhill the Gator ace, was pulled after two official innings Friday, so she could pitch Saturday. They had a double header Saturday. So Barnhill lost two games this weekend. Then Florida sent their number three pitcher out their for game two of the double header, game three of the series, and Elizabeth Hightower got her fourth win of the year, shutting out MSU on six hits. Florida ends the regular season 40-15, but only 12-12 in the conference. Somehow, they are 9th in RPI before this weekend.
In the Big Ten, Northwestern won Friday 1-0 on a one hitter, and a wild pitch in T7, but got run-ruled at Minnesota Saturday, 8-0 in 5. Northwestern started their game one starter in game two, and she allowed more hits in the first inning than in the whole game yesterday. It was 3-0 after 1, 6-0 after four and the Gophers number two pitcher shut out the WIldcats. Because in a conference with a Big Three, Michigan plays neither of the other two, this set up a situation where the Wolverines only have to win their third straight at Maryland Sunday to be the number one seed in the conference. If both Northwestern, who was undefeated in the conference entering the weekend, and Michigan win Sunday, the they tie for first place, but despite the weak Wolverine conference schedule, they are the top seed. They are also third in the RPI of the three.
In the ACC, Virginia Tech has already clinched the number one seed in the post season tournament. They are 20-4 in the conference with no games this weekend. Florida State who beat OU early and was number one in the country for a couple of months, has run ruled Syracuse two days in a row and is 18-5 with one game left in the regular season. But they are way higher in RPI and likely to get a top eight seed. VaTech will likely not even host a regional. Only ten of 12 conference teams make the CCT. Either four or five ACC teams will make the post season. Va Tech and FSU are in. North Carolina is very very likely in as is Notre Dame. Louisville is likely a bubble team. They are only 12-11 in the conference, but have two wins over Florida State. And they are 33-18.
Louisiana is 47-4 and undefeated in the Sun Belt. Their losses are to Baylor, North Texas, a run rule in Norman to OU, and to McNeese. They had their regular season end Saturday losing a double header to rain at Louisiana Monroe. They were in the top eight RPI until their schedule strength weakness caught up with them. They will likely host a regional, though it's not a certainty. They had dropped to 18th in the last RPI.
Sunday
Michigan won the Big Ten, despite having the lowest RPI of the conference's big three, and having to play neither of the other two. That's because Minnesota shut out Northwestern 4-0 Sunday, meaning that Minnesota took two of three in the end of reg season series. But since Michigan finished with the last place team in the conference, Maryland, and swept them, they ended up with only one conference loss. Bot Northwestern, who entered the last series undefeated in the Big Ten, and Minnesota who entered with one loss, finished with two conference losses, one behind Michigan, who will be seeded first in the BIG CCT.
In the ACC, the top two were Virginia Tech who didn't have a game this weekend, and Florida State who beat Syracuse in all three games by 8 or more. Sundays's 12-3 win still went 7 innings. Va Tech is the top seed CCT seed.
In the SEC, Bama swept LSU, winning Sunday 5-1 to end the regular season 50-6 and assuring a top eight seed. LSU who got swept, and Florida who lost two of three are both at risk as far as a Super, but both will host a regional. Florida ended up in a four way tie for 6th at 12-12 in the conference. It is even possible both will host a regional. Some politics will likely be involved. Maybe the CCT will decide. LSU ended up in a three way tie for 2nd at 14-10. Ole Miss is between the two clumps, finishing 5th a half game behind the 2nd place teams, having a lost a game to weather. They were 13-10.
In Pac 12, UCLA regained first place in the conference beating Stanford 4-0 to take two of three. But they passed Arizona who got swept at home by Stanford. Sunday it was 7-4. It is very possible that the Wildcats lose their last six, since they go to UCLA next weekend. The Pac 12 has no CCT. Now 2nd UDub hosts Stanford next weekend. They got swept at home by UCLA in the first week of conference play. But they are 17-1 in the conference since. Both the Huskies and Wildcats are 17-4. But Washington has the advantage of the road sweep and a better overall record. 42-7, 17-4.
The Big XII is interesting. Texas Tech is under .500 in conference play. But they have been close to the top 16 all year. They beat Kentucky, tied for 2nd in the SEC twice this weekend. Kentucky is absolutely in consideration for a regional. OU, Texas and OSU are all very likely to get to host a regional. OSU might be a bubble. Their two wins over Kentucky ought to count for something.
They have a win over Texas and two over Kentucky. In the non conference schedule. Tech shut out tournament teams from Drake and Arizona State (run rule). They beat Auburn will be in the tournament, and Oregon who won't, but gave UCLA on of their three losses. Their only non conference loss was to Washington 4-1. But Big XII was a good league this year. The best four are in, and all have a chance to host a regional. They deserve to host over Louisiana (used to be Lafayette.) who has only four losses, but has a pretty poor SOS.
There were some big series this weekend.
Biggest News, Stanford, who's been struggling recently after being in the top 20 RPI not long ago, beat UCLA at home, 2-1. UCLA did not start Garcia.
And the previously 1st place Pac12 team, Arizona, lost at home to Washington 2-1. Both Stanford and Washington scored early, then got good pitching to hold on. Gabbie Plain shut out Zona for six plus, but they got a run and had the tying and winning run on base in B7 with one out, but their number two came in and put out the fire.
At Baton Rouge, Alabama got a solo home run off the foul pole with two outs in T1 and it stayed 1-0 til the 7th. Then LSU's defense showed their true colors. They made crucial mistakes early, but kicked it around two or three times in T7 leading to six more runs in a 7-0. So in the two biggest series, the road teams won. And the biggest upset was likely the visiting team, UCLA that got beat at Stanford 2-1.
In the big matchup of the two best teams in the Big Ten, first place Northwestern, won 1-0 at Minnesota. Minnesota allowed only two hits. But a walk a double and a wild pitch in T7 led to the only run of the game. Northwestern allowed only one hit.
Florida lost at home to Mississippi St.
Saturday
Arizona lost for the second straight day to Washington. UDub won 2-1 Friday. They got a two run single from Sami Reynolds in the 5th to break a 1-1 tie. Reynolds score UDub's first run after a two out double in the 1st. Washington seems to be proving they are the second best team in the Pac 12. And they have almost surely assured themselves of a regional host and a Super if they win their regiional. Arizona in pretty good shape there, too, though they have lost three of their last five.
UCLA came back to beat Stanford 7-4 after losing Friday. Rachel Garcia, for whatever reason is pitching game two. They did that earlier in the conference schedule and also lost game one with Rachel playing first. UCLA regains the lead in the conference standings. Arizona had been undefeated in league game before last weekend's loss at Cal.
In the SEC, LSU finally scored on Bama pitching, but it came after the CT was up 4-0. They won 4-3 clinching the SEC regular season title. It's Bama's first series win in Baton Rouge since the days of two game conference series over a decade ago.
Florida lost their second straight game to Mississippi State, 4-2. Kelly Barnhill the Gator ace, was pulled after two official innings Friday, so she could pitch Saturday. They had a double header Saturday. So Barnhill lost two games this weekend. Then Florida sent their number three pitcher out their for game two of the double header, game three of the series, and Elizabeth Hightower got her fourth win of the year, shutting out MSU on six hits. Florida ends the regular season 40-15, but only 12-12 in the conference. Somehow, they are 9th in RPI before this weekend.
In the Big Ten, Northwestern won Friday 1-0 on a one hitter, and a wild pitch in T7, but got run-ruled at Minnesota Saturday, 8-0 in 5. Northwestern started their game one starter in game two, and she allowed more hits in the first inning than in the whole game yesterday. It was 3-0 after 1, 6-0 after four and the Gophers number two pitcher shut out the WIldcats. Because in a conference with a Big Three, Michigan plays neither of the other two, this set up a situation where the Wolverines only have to win their third straight at Maryland Sunday to be the number one seed in the conference. If both Northwestern, who was undefeated in the conference entering the weekend, and Michigan win Sunday, the they tie for first place, but despite the weak Wolverine conference schedule, they are the top seed. They are also third in the RPI of the three.
In the ACC, Virginia Tech has already clinched the number one seed in the post season tournament. They are 20-4 in the conference with no games this weekend. Florida State who beat OU early and was number one in the country for a couple of months, has run ruled Syracuse two days in a row and is 18-5 with one game left in the regular season. But they are way higher in RPI and likely to get a top eight seed. VaTech will likely not even host a regional. Only ten of 12 conference teams make the CCT. Either four or five ACC teams will make the post season. Va Tech and FSU are in. North Carolina is very very likely in as is Notre Dame. Louisville is likely a bubble team. They are only 12-11 in the conference, but have two wins over Florida State. And they are 33-18.
Louisiana is 47-4 and undefeated in the Sun Belt. Their losses are to Baylor, North Texas, a run rule in Norman to OU, and to McNeese. They had their regular season end Saturday losing a double header to rain at Louisiana Monroe. They were in the top eight RPI until their schedule strength weakness caught up with them. They will likely host a regional, though it's not a certainty. They had dropped to 18th in the last RPI.
Sunday
Michigan won the Big Ten, despite having the lowest RPI of the conference's big three, and having to play neither of the other two. That's because Minnesota shut out Northwestern 4-0 Sunday, meaning that Minnesota took two of three in the end of reg season series. But since Michigan finished with the last place team in the conference, Maryland, and swept them, they ended up with only one conference loss. Bot Northwestern, who entered the last series undefeated in the Big Ten, and Minnesota who entered with one loss, finished with two conference losses, one behind Michigan, who will be seeded first in the BIG CCT.
In the ACC, the top two were Virginia Tech who didn't have a game this weekend, and Florida State who beat Syracuse in all three games by 8 or more. Sundays's 12-3 win still went 7 innings. Va Tech is the top seed CCT seed.
In the SEC, Bama swept LSU, winning Sunday 5-1 to end the regular season 50-6 and assuring a top eight seed. LSU who got swept, and Florida who lost two of three are both at risk as far as a Super, but both will host a regional. Florida ended up in a four way tie for 6th at 12-12 in the conference. It is even possible both will host a regional. Some politics will likely be involved. Maybe the CCT will decide. LSU ended up in a three way tie for 2nd at 14-10. Ole Miss is between the two clumps, finishing 5th a half game behind the 2nd place teams, having a lost a game to weather. They were 13-10.
In Pac 12, UCLA regained first place in the conference beating Stanford 4-0 to take two of three. But they passed Arizona who got swept at home by Stanford. Sunday it was 7-4. It is very possible that the Wildcats lose their last six, since they go to UCLA next weekend. The Pac 12 has no CCT. Now 2nd UDub hosts Stanford next weekend. They got swept at home by UCLA in the first week of conference play. But they are 17-1 in the conference since. Both the Huskies and Wildcats are 17-4. But Washington has the advantage of the road sweep and a better overall record. 42-7, 17-4.
The Big XII is interesting. Texas Tech is under .500 in conference play. But they have been close to the top 16 all year. They beat Kentucky, tied for 2nd in the SEC twice this weekend. Kentucky is absolutely in consideration for a regional. OU, Texas and OSU are all very likely to get to host a regional. OSU might be a bubble. Their two wins over Kentucky ought to count for something.
They have a win over Texas and two over Kentucky. In the non conference schedule. Tech shut out tournament teams from Drake and Arizona State (run rule). They beat Auburn will be in the tournament, and Oregon who won't, but gave UCLA on of their three losses. Their only non conference loss was to Washington 4-1. But Big XII was a good league this year. The best four are in, and all have a chance to host a regional. They deserve to host over Louisiana (used to be Lafayette.) who has only four losses, but has a pretty poor SOS.
