NCAA D1 Softball Update--April 30, 2012

[sluggers]

#1 California swept #15 UCLA.
#2 Florida lost two of three to Kentucky. (Florida was my pick to win the CWS...now what?)
#3 Arizona State won all three from #11 Washington.
#4 Alabama lost one of a three game series to Arkansas.
#5 Oklahoma got lost in a rain storm and ended up Conway, Arkansas. They beat Central Arkansas(?).
#6 Louisiana-Lafayette swept Western Kentucky.
#7 Tennessee swept Ole Miss.
#8 Texas won two of three from #18 Texas A&M.
#9 Louisville swept Georgetown. Louisville plays Tennessee on Wednesday.
#10 Missouri took all three from Iowa State.
#11 Washington was humiliated by Arizona State.
#12 Georgia won two of three from LSU.
#13 Arizona lost twice to #16 Oregon. Arizona's star continues to fade.
#14 Hawaii took three from Fresno State.
#15 UCLA lost all three to California.
#16 Oregon won two from Arizona.
#17 South Florida swept Villanova.
#18 Texas A&M lost twice to Texas.
#19 Stanford did not play.
#20 North Carolina lost to Charlotte, but then won two games from Radford.

 

[sluggers]

I thought this would be the year that the SEC won the CWS. But, it is looking more and more like Arizona State and California are the two best teams in the country.

A big question mark is Louisiana-Lafayette. They play in the Sun Belt conference, so it is hard to tell if they are good. A couple of years ago, they made it to the CWS. They tend to be better than their RPI indicates.

 

[JAD]

I have not been following the CWS very long, but it seems to me like it is a little like 'March Madness'. Teams just need to make sure they get invited to the dance, then hope they 'peak' while they are there. Losing a game or two during the regular season while getting some new players (especially pitchers) some game experience may be better than trying to go undefeated.

 

[quincy]

Shocker, no Big 10 teams in the top 20 anymore.

 

[shockcoach]

Ugh...my Dawgs have fallen from grace since they started to play Pac-12 competition. They have been exposed! I'm pulling for Mizzou from here on out.

 

[sluggers]

Arizona State and California are sweeping really good teams...Washington and UCLA.

While Alabama loses to Arkansas (really? Arkansas?) and Florida loses a series to Kentucky? Of course, perhaps the SEC is just so much stronger than it appears.

 

[Sweet Lou]

#2 Florida lost two of three to Kentucky. (Florida was my pick to win the CWS...now what?)

See #1.

They really are very, very good. I'm sure there are a number of teams with pitchers as good as Henderson & Arioto, but does any other team out there have 2 pitchers that good? The answer may be yes, but I'd be a bit surprised if that was the case.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I think there is alot of player talent in the SEC area. Problem is the coaching has not caught up to the west yet. Just in my DD's playing time I have seen colleges of all sizes recruiting more locally ( region and state wise ). I'll use maxpreps to see the up and coming stars and stat leaders. Look at how many SEC state "HS players" are in the top #20 in the nation.

National Softball ERA Leaders - MaxPreps


National Softball Strikeouts Leaders - MaxPreps


National Softball Stolen Base Leaders - MaxPreps


National Softball Fielding Leaders - MaxPreps

 

[sluggers]

A lot of very good softball players don't play HS softball in SoCal.

 

[PEPPERS]

The SEC has been beating up on each other, FL and AL may run out of pitching to get deep in the finals. TN has 2 good pitchers, and their offence seems to have come around IMO they seems to have the momentum. GA is hot and cold it depends which one they are at during the playoffs. LSU a great pitcher with little offence.

AL and FL play this comming weekend should be an interesting series.


It may come down to who is hot at the correct time.