NCAA Softball Tournament regional and Women's College World Series predictions
USA TODAY Sports NetworkThe road to Oklahoma City begins this weekend with the start of NCAA Softball Tournament play.
Sixteen sites will host double-elimination regionals Friday through Sunday, narrowing the field of 64 to 16 regional winners. The teams that advance will pair off in best-of-three super regionals, with those eight winners moving on to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City to play for the national championship.
Five experts from the USA TODAY Sports Network have picked the regional winners and projected their WCWS champion. Here are their projections:
Norman (Okla.) Regional
Oklahoma: The Sooners return virtually all of their lineup from last season’s title team, and added a pitching staff fronted by freshman Jordy Bahl and North Texas transfer Hope Trautwein. As long as Bahl is healthy – she missed the Big 12 Tournament – Oklahoma is the odds-on favorite. — Ryan Aber, The OklahomanOklahoma: The Sooners might not give up a run this weekend. Oklahoma is coming off just its second loss of the season and will come out angry. — Brett Greenberg, The Tuscaloosa News
Oklahoma: The reigning champion hit a hiccup in the Big 12 championship, but that’ll only add fuel to the fire. There are very few teams that can beat the No. 1 Sooners, and they’re going to make it out of this regional. — Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel
Oklahoma: The three other teams joining the Sooners in Norman don’t have the firepower to upset the host, which is likely feeling like poked bear after losing the Big 12 championship game. — Ainslie Lee, Gainesville Sun
Oklahoma: The Sooners have the best lineup and best pitching staff in the land. No one in this regional has the firepower to touch them. — Scott Wright, The Oklahoman
Tallahassee (Fla.) Regional
Florida State: The Seminoles are one of the hottest teams around, winning their last 14 games. Florida State also has one of the top defenses in the country, committing just 29 errors. — Ryan AberFlorida State: The Seminoles are 19-2 against teams in the NCAA Tournament field and have 14 wins over the national seeds. Florida State is primed for a run. — Brett Greenberg
Florida State: The No. 2 seed Seminoles have two veteran pitchers and consistent hitters to get them out of the home regional. — Cora Hall
Florida State: Georgina Corrick and South Florida could scare the Seminoles, but as we’ve learned time and time again, Florida State doesn’t flinch. — Ainslie Lee
Florida State: One of the hotter teams around with 14 straight wins, eight of which were over teams hosting NCAA Regionals this week, Florida State will cruise through the Tallahassee bracket. — Scott Wright
Blacksburg (Va.) Regional
Virginia Tech: The Hokies made history by earning a regional hosting spot for the first time in program history. Kentucky especially offers a stiff challenge, but Virginia Tech uses its home-field advantage to avoid an upset. — Ryan AberVirginia Tech: The Hokies might have the best pitcher in the country in Keely Rochard. Virginia Tech will survive a scare from Kentucky and advance. — Brett Greenberg
Virginia Tech: The Hokies have two excellent pitchers in Keely Rochard and Emma Lemley, who will give every team in the regional a nightmare weekend at the plate. Virginia Tech will win the first home regional in school history. — Cora Hall
Virginia Tech: As if hosting their first-ever regional wasn’t enough, Virginia Tech will give the Hokies more to celebrate as it runs the region with ease. — Ainslie Lee
Virginia Tech: The Hokies will ride the arms of Keely Rochard and Emma Lemley to the super regional. — Scott Wright
Fayetteville (Ark.) Regional
Arkansas: The Razorbacks earned their best seeding in program history, and SEC Player of the Year KB Sides is one of the top run producers in the country, hitting .395 with 61 runs scored and 28 stolen bases. Sides has plenty of help in the lineup, and the Razorbacks get through a tough regional. — Ryan AberArkansas: The Razorbacks won the SEC regular-season and tournament titles. KB Sides will continue to lead an explosive offense. — Brett Greenberg
Arkansas: The Razorbacks are rolling, and not many teams will be able to stop them. Between the explosive offense that has set a program home run record and the two different looks with former and current SEC Pitchers of the Year Mary Haff and Chenise Delce in the circle, Arkansas is going deep in the tournament. — Cora Hall
Arkansas: The Razorbacks’ final two games of the SEC Tournament showed that the long ball isn’t the only thing teams need to worry about. Arkansas’ small ball and ace pitcher, Chenise Delce, lead the Hogs to supers. — Ainslie Lee
Arkansas: Despite snagging the No. 4 seed, Arkansas was dealt one of the tougher regional fields. Oregon and Wichita State can both offer a challenge, but the Hogs will pull through. — Scott Wright
Los Angeles Regional
UCLA: The Bruins’ excellent pitching — their 1.41 ERA is No. 2 nationally — gives them a chance against anyone in the field. That pitching should be able to overwhelm the rest of the field in their regional. — Ryan AberUCLA: The Bruins have the most NCAA championships in history. Maya Brady will continue to make noise as the best Brady in the family (sorry Tom). — Brett Greenberg
UCLA: Ole Miss might give UCLA a run for its money, but the Bruins are battle-tested and will survive and advance to their home super regional. — Cora Hall
UCLA: Don’t be surprised if Ole Miss applies pressure against UCLA. But the Bruins will escape the regional on the back of their bullpen. — Ainslie Lee
UCLA: A dominant pitching rotation has hit a few speedbumps lately, allowing 27 runs in the last seven games. But the staff is too deep and too talented to not survive regional weekend. — Scott Wright
Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Regional
Alabama: The Crimson Tide weren’t overpowering down the stretch, but any team with Montana Fouts in the circle is dangerous. Fouts figures to bear more of the workload in the postseason and she’s shown she can handle the pressure. — Ryan AberAlabama: The Crimson Tide has lost five of its last eight and has struggled at the plate. Another week of preparation and unfamiliar opponents pave way to a dominant weekend from Montana Fouts. — Brett Greenberg
Alabama: With the early exit from the SEC Tournament in the quarterfinals, Alabama has had plenty of time to prepare for the regional and get out of its slump. The Crimson Tide will have things together and make it out of the regional. — Cora Hall
Alabama: If played anywhere else, Alana Vawter and Stanford might shock Alabama. But the Crimson Tide is too hard to beat at home. — Ainslie Lee
Alabama: With veterans like Montana Fouts in the circle and Ally Shipman at the plate, Alabama will bounce back strong from the upset loss to Missouri in the SEC Tournament last week. — Scott Wright
Stillwater (Okla.) Regional
Oklahoma State: The Cowgirls’ momentum was lagging after finishing the regular season against Florida State and Oklahoma, the top two teams nationally. But a win over the rival Sooners in the Big 12 Tournament gives Oklahoma State some momentum. If Miranda Elish isn’t available in the circle, it could limit the Cowgirls’ ceiling, but they’ll escape the regional either way. — Ryan AberOklahoma State: The Cowgirls handed Oklahoma its second loss of the season for the Big 12 conference championship. Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will see each other again. — Brett Greenberg
Oklahoma State: The Cowgirls are rolling after beating the No. 1 Sooners in the Big 12 championship. OSU will carry that momentum and make it out of its home regional. — Cora Hall
Oklahoma State: After the win in the Bedlam Battle, the Cowgirls have to be feeling like they can do just about anything – including win their regional. — Ainslie Lee
Oklahoma State: With Morgan Day emerging as a strong second pitcher behind ace Kelly Maxwell, and injured Miranda Elish potentially nearing a return, the Cowgirls’ pitching staff is too deep for the regional field to handle. — Scott Wright
