The first-year slugger belted her 31^st home run of the season Saturday night – a new NCAA record for a freshman – as the Sooners downed No. 4 Texas 4-3 to earn an SEC series victory in Austin.

Wells’ homer, a three-run blast in the fifth, broke a three-way tie for the previous NCAA freshman single-season home run record – which was shared with Oklahoma legends Lauren Chamberlain and Jocelyn Alo as well as Hawaii’s Kelly Majam. The NCAA record for single-season home runs is 37, set by Arizona’s Lauren Espinoza in 1995.

Oklahoma (40-3 overall, 13-1 SEC) can sweep the series Sunday (2 pm ET, ESPN). Texas (32-6, 9-5) has now lost four straight games.

Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!

The Longhorns went up 1-0 in the first inning via a Viviana Martinez RBI single, but the Sooners tied it back up in the second when Gabbie Garcia homered to left field. Texas retook a one-run advantage in the fourth on Jaycie Nichols’ infield single.

Following Wells’ record-breaking blast in the fifth, Texas narrowed the margin to 4-3 on a Leighann Goode RBI single.

Miali Guachino (12-0) earned the victory for Oklahoma, scattering seven hits over six innings with six strikeouts. Audrey Lowry pitched the seventh inning to earn her second save. Citaly Gutierrez (5-1) took the loss.

Prediction Markets

College Baseball D1 Champion?

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

UCLA

14%

Georgia Tech

12%

Texas

11%

North Carolina

6%

Georgia

6%

Mississippi St.

5%

Arkansas

4%

Auburn

4%

LSU

3%

Tennessee

2%

Predict

The post Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells sets freshman HR record with dramatic blast vs. Texas appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Volunteers softball legend added to that legend in Knoxville on Saturday by tossing her 4th career no-hitter in a 5-0 blanking of Kentucky in Lexington. Making Pickens’ latest SEC softball heroics that much more special is that the senior has now managed to throw a no-no during every season of her brilliant career.

Pickens has spoiled Volunteer softball fans since she arrived in 2023, and now she’s officially made a no-hitter an annual rite of spring at Tennessee. This time, it happened on the road, where she stifled Kentucky batters all afternoon. Pickens helped the ninth-ranked Vols improve to 35-6 overall and 10-6 in the SEC, and she did it by throwing less than 100 pitches.

Tossing 99 pitches, 65 of them for strikes, Pickens walked 1 batter and hit another. But she didn’t give up a hit in the shutout of Kentucky, which fell to 24-20 overall and 1-15 in the SEC. Pickens struck out 12 Wildcat batters in her latest show of greatness on the mound.

The North Carolina native’s list of honors at Tennessee read like a long roll call. She was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2023, setting the tone for her incredible run in Knoxville. She’s a 2-time All-SEC First Team selection, with those coming in 2024 and 2025. Pickens was also named SEC Pitcher of the Year after the previous 2 seasons.

The 2-time Consensus First Team All-American has become a national star, too, and Pickens still has a few more months to do a few more great things in a Tennessee uniform.

Pickens added yet another chapter to her personal portfolio on Saturday against Kentucky.

Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!

The post Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens tosses no-hitter vs. Kentucky appeared first on Saturday Down South.

For Rothrock, it was the third no-hitter of her career. It was her first time no-hitting an SEC opponent. No. 7 Florida topped No. 24 South Carolina 5-0 in Columbia.

NO HITTER!!! KEAGAN ROTHROCK!!!

SEC Network pic.twitter.com/qmDtS5kdre

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 11, 2026

The Gators and Gamecocks found themselves in a tight game much of the night. Florida broke the scoring ice in the top of the 2nd, but it was a 1-0 game through the 5th inning.

RELATED: SDS is your guide to the best Florida sports betting apps!

In the top of the 6th inning, the Gators gave Rothrock a bigger cushion, adding 2 runs on a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly. Townsen Thomas delivered more insurance runs in the top of the 7th, hitting a 2-run homer that plated Kenleigh Cahalan and extended the lead to 5-0, the game’s final score.

outta hereeeee @TownsenThomas44

SEC Network pic.twitter.com/R6oU4Akuta

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 10, 2026

Florida improves to 38-5 on the year and 12-4 in SEC play. The Gators will try for the series on Saturday. Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET, airing on the SEC Network. Sunday’s series finale is set for 1 p.m. ET, streaming via SEC Network+.

The post Florida softball’s Keagan Rothrock tosses 3rd career no-hitter in win at South Carolina appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Artemis II crew launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning a 10-day journey to the moon.

As the spaceship made its way to the moon, softball players at nearby Patricia Wilson Field took notice. The game between Stetson and Florida was briefly paused as participants and spectators marveled at the shuttle.

Here’s a clip of the moment:

The NASA flight is expected to arrive at the moon on April 11. Per CNN, this would be he first time astronauts have reached the “vicinity of the moon” in more than 50 years.

As for the softball game, Florida prevailed 8-2 over Stetson to move to 34-4 on the season. Star catcher Jocelyn Erickson also crossed a milestone, recording her 200th career RBI since joining the Gators.

Florida is one of several SEC teams with Women’s College World Series aspirations this year. The Gators will face Mississippi State in a weekend series next.

The post NASA space flight interrupts Florida softball game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The No. 20 LSU Tigers got out to a very strong start over the first month of the season, and they may have just put the conference and country on notice by picking up their biggest win of the entire season on Saturday afternoon against the No. 3-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners entered Saturday’s contest riding a 22-game win streak and were coming off a 3-2 win against LSU on Friday night, but the Bayou Bengals bounced back in the second leg of the series to snap Oklahoma’s win streak and pick up their first win against the Sooners in 11 years.

Oklahoma has been the gold standard in college softball over the past 15 years, collecting 7 national championships in that span, including a 4-peat from 2021-2024. They’ve run roughshod over just about every opponent they’ve faced over the past several years, and that included the Tigers.

LSU can finally put that losing streak to rest, though, as they finally got the proverbial monkey off their back with the 3-1 win on Saturday, and they will have a chance to extend that streak in the rubber match on Sunday.

The post LSU softball knocks off No. 3 Oklahoma, scores first win over Sooners in 11 years appeared first on Saturday Down South.

But there will also be a very weird moment to cherish when the Noles look back on things in a few months, and it happened on Sunday afternoon during an ACC battle against Syracuse in Tallahassee. Florida State won the game itself, earning an 11-6 victory to complete a weekend sweep and boost its overall record to 25-4.

It was also a really nice way for the 10th-ranked Seminoles to start their ACC slate, as they were able to get off to a 3-0 start in conference play. But all those wonderfully gaudy numbers aside, there was that particular play that everyone will be talking about who was at the game or who watched it on ACC Network.

It came early on Sunday, in the bottom of the first inning that would see the Noles score 6 runs to take control of the game right away. Long before the fruitful inning was complete, with FSU already leading 2-0 with runners on first and second and still nobody out, Syracuse senior pitcher Julianna Verni unleashed a pitch that could barely be recognized as a pitch. It was instead a “bowling ball” type of deal, as the announcer said, after Verni appeared to hit her right leg when delivering the pitch.

So, instead of a normal pitch sailing toward the FSU batter, it rolled all the way to freshman catcher Anna Hinde, who patiently waited for the rolling ball to arrive at home plate. She let the ball hit her and calmly took first base on a hit by pitch as if there was nothing unusual about it.

The ACC Network announcer thought it might have been an illegal pitch, but there was Hinde, standing on first base, and the FSU softball social media account made light of the absurd play, applauding Hinde for hanging in there, so to speak: “Way to wear that one Anna,” was the headline with the post, with 4 laughing emojis along with it, of course.

Here is what will surely go down as one of the weirdest plays of the 2026 softball season:

The post Florida State softball player takes her base after most unusual hit by pitch appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Pickens had to leave early against the Bruins on Tuesday night after striking out 2 of her 3 first batters faced. She attempted to give it another go but was unsuccessful.

Tennessee went on to win that game against Belmont, 1-0. With that, the Volunteers are still perfect on the season, sitting at 20-0 through the first month of the year.

And you have to give Belmont a tip of the cap for keeping it as close as it was, because Tennessee softball has been annihilating opponents all season. The Lady Vols already boast wins over No. 11 Nebraska, No. 5 Oregon, No. 21 Liberty, No. 6 UCLA, No. 7 Florida State and No. 23 FAU. We kid you not, the Lady Vols won those games mentioned by a combined score of 39-3. Only Liberty, Nebraska and Florida State managed to get a run on the Lady Vols.

Only 1 opponent, App State, has scored 2 runs on the Lady Vols so far in 2026.

Pickens is responsible for much of that dominance. She leads the Lady Vols in inning pitched and has struck out 68 batters while allowing 16 hits and only 4 earned runs. Her .060 ERA remains one of the best in NCAA Softball.

The post Karlyn Pickens avoids major injury following exit vs. Belmont appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Pickens was already off to a blazing start to the 2026 season. She entered Tuesday’s game with a 6-0 mark and a stellar 0.62 ERA. In eight games (six starts) and 45.1 innings pitched, she has allowed just four earned runs, 16 hits, and 20 walks while striking out 66.

Tennessee, the No. 1 team in the country in all four major softball polls, brought a 19-0 record into Tuesday’s game in Knoxville. The Lady Volunteers are coming off a Women’s College World Series appearance, their second in the last three seasons and ninth in program history.

In 2025, Pickens went 25-11 with a 1.17 ERA and 306 strikeouts, claiming her second straight SEC Pitcher of the Year award. She had the two fastest pitches in softball history during the season.

She pitched to a 22.7 record and a 1.12 ERA in 2024 while striking out 225. In 2023, she was the conference’s freshman of the year after a 9-7 record.

The post Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens leaves game vs. Belmont with apparent shoulder injury appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A year later, the Volunteers continue to show those national title dreams from 2025 are very much in play for 2026. Tennessee improved to 10-0 on the young season on Sunday afternoon with a 9-1 victory over Florida State at the Clearwater Invitational in Florida. It was already the 4th win over a top-10 team for the Vols this year, as No. 3 Tennessee dominated the 7th-ranked Seminoles to stay perfect through 10 games.

Florida State fell to 8-2 as the latest ranked victim of Tennessee’s early season push to get back to Oklahoma City for a shot at the national championship again. Texas went on to win it all last spring after eliminating Tennessee, and now the Volunteers look determined to go the distance this time around. They are certainly off to a flying start in that direction, with pitcher Karlyn Pickens improving to 3-0 already this season by earning Sunday’s win.

The senior Pickens relieved Sage Mardjetko with 2 outs in the 2nd inning, getting out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout. The Volunteers ace finished with 4 strikeouts, walking 2 while only allowing 1 hit in 5.1 innings of work.

Pickens got plenty of support from Tennessee’s high-octane offense, which was ignited by a 3-run homer from Ella Dodge in the first inning. The Vols never looked back in the beatdown of the Noles, serving notice early in the season that they want to go just a little further in 2026 than they did last season.

Tennessee won 5 games in all in Clearwater, outscoring its opponents by a combined 43-2.

The Vols also piled up 46 hits and belted 7 home runs over the dominant weekend in Florida.

They’ll look to keep their early season roll going on Friday against Missouri State.

The post Tennessee softball improves to 10-0 with 4th win over top-10 team appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Friday, head coach Patty Gasso and company added an elite piece for the roster heading into 2026, landing a former LSU player in the process. That player is ace hurler Sydney Berzon, a rising senior who has been an All-SEC performer all 3 seasons with the Tigers, including a first-team honor in 2024.

“Norman, here I come! I am beyond grateful and excited for this opportunity,” Berzon wrote on social media.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Syd (@syd_berzon)

LSU reached the NCAA Tournament all 3 seasons with Berzon on the roster, including a trip to the Super Regionals in 2024. Unfortunately, the Tigers lost to Stanford in a thrilling 3-game series.

Overall, Berzon has 100 career appearances, including 61 starts and 50 complete games. This past season, Berzon went 18-8 in 30 appearances (22 starts) and registered a 2.46 ERA with 104 strikeouts.

Needless to say, adding a pitcher like Berzon to the kind of roster the Sooners maintain in Norman is a massive boost for OU. Oklahoma will be searching for a 10th straight trip to the WCWS next summer.

The post Oklahoma softball lands former LSU ace via transfer portal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, ESPN announced that Friday’s Game 3 of the WCWS is the most-watched game in NCAA college softball history. Texas’s win over Texas Tech delivered 2.4 million viewers, peaking at 2.7 million.

Game 3 of the 2025 #WCWS Champ Series was the MOST-WATCHED @NCAASoftball game EVER

Complete '25 WCWS viewership coming Tuesday pic.twitter.com/T8vwOGJ18D

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) June 9, 2025

It was the 8th appearance in the WCWS for the Longhorns. After missing out on a national title the first 7 times, Texas got it done on Friday, defeating Texas Tech 10-4 to take the best-of-3 series in Oklahoma City.

Teagan Kavan pitched a complete game for the Longhorns and was named the Most Outstanding Player. Mia Scott, playing on a torn ACL, led the way at the plate, collecting 4 RBIs on a grand slam to open up the lead to 10-0.

THEN MIA SCOTT HIT A GRAND SLAM

ESPN/ESPN+ https://t.co/fxJ7dBRVXp pic.twitter.com/seicGRY8Wc

— ESPN (@espn) June 7, 2025

Texas finished the year with a 56-12 record. In Oklahoma City, the Longhorns picked up wins over Florida, Oklahoma and Tennessee to reach the championship series. They defeated Texas Tech 2-1 in Game 1 and recovered from a 4-3 Game 2 loss to win the national championship.

The post Texas’s national championship win now most-watched NCAA college softball game ever appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Entering this year’s 2025 Women’s College World Series, Texas was tied for the third-most appearances in Oklahoma City without winning a national title. In 2022 and then again in 2024, the Longhorns were denied at the finish line by their Red River rival. Texas beat OU last Saturday, 4-2, to inch closer to the final and put the Sooners on life support in their own backyard. On Wednesday, in the opening game of the championship series, the Longhorns beat Texas Tech to move within 1 win of their first-ever title.

On Friday night, thanks to a fourth-inning grand slam from Mia Scott, the Longhorns beat Texas Tech 10-4 to take the best-of-3 series.

In their eighth appearance at the WCWS, the Longhorns are finally the final team standing.

The win capped a 56-12 season for the Longhorns, officially setting a new program record for victories in a single season. Teagan Kavan pitched a complete game for the Longhorns, striking out 3 while allowing 8 hits and 4 unearned runs.

Kavan was named the Most Outstanding Player after setting a new WCWS record by going 31.2 innings without allowing a single earned run.

Kayden Henry went 3-for-4 at the plate for Texas. Scott’s 4 RBI led all batters. The Longhorns finished with 12 hits in total.

Texas scored 5 runs in the bottom of the first to explode out of the gates and ensure Texas Tech star pitcher NiJaree Canady would have a short stint in the circle.

Reese Atwood hit an RBI single for the first run. Katie Stewart followed that up with another RBI single for a second. Leighann Goode then cranked a 2-out home run to left center to score 3 and cap the inning with a bang. Scott’s grand slam in the bottom of the fourth put the Longhorns up 10-0 going into the fifth and officially put a run-rule on the table.

Kavan didn’t give up a run until the top of the fifth. Texas Tech scored 4, but none of them were earned. To their credit, the Red Raiders battled right to the end. But Texas was too much.

And now, the Longhorns stand alone.

The post Texas blasts Texas Tech to win WCWS, capture first national championship appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On3’s Pete Nakos shared that news on Friday afternoon, hours before Canady and the Red Raiders will take on Texas in a decisive Game 3 of the Women’s College World Series final. Canady has arguably been the nation’s most dominant pitcher all year long and has brought Texas Tech to the cusp of a championship in her first year with the Red Raiders.

Per Nakos, Canady will earn at least $1.2 million in 2026. Nakos’ report cites confirmation from Texas Tech NIL collective The Matador Club:

Canady’s deal with Texas Tech for the 2025 season paid her $1,050,024, per multiple reports. She pitched at Stanford for 2 seasons before entering the transfer portal last offseason.

Canady has been sensational this season with a 0.97 ERA and 317 strikeouts on the year. She’s also been remarkably consistent during the postseason. Canady has pitched every inning of the WCWS so far for Texas Tech. In 34 frames since arriving in Oklahoma City, Canady has allowed just 7 earned runs.

Four of those runs have come against Texas. Canady took the loss on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Champ Series but Texas Tech bounced back with a 4-3 victory in Game 2 to force a winner-take-all matchup on Friday night.

Both Texas Tech and Texas are seeking their first-ever Women’s College World Series titles.

The post Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady inks another million-dollar NIL deal, per report appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Longhorns are now 1 game away from their first-ever softball National Championship. All-America catcher Reese Atwood delivered the big hit in the bottom of the 6th inning. Texas Tech was attempting to intentionally walk Atwood with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd.

But NiJaree Canady’s 3-0 pitch caught too much of the middle of the plate and Atwood made her pay, driving a 2-run single into left field. That proved to be the decisive play for the Longhorns in Game 1:

While most of the attention has been on Canady’s dominance this postseason, Texas ace Teagan Kavan threw a gem of her own on Wednesday night. Kavan didn’t allow an earned run over 7 innings, permitting just a handful of base-runners to get on all night long. Kavan conceded just 3 hits and 1 walk against the Red Raiders.

Texas was also limited to just 4 hits on the night as this was a true pitcher’s duel. Canady also struck out 7 batters in her 6 innings of work.

Game 2 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. If Texas Tech wins, a decisive Game 3 will be played on Friday night in Oklahoma City.

The post Texas takes Game 1 of Women’s College World Series in dramatic fashion appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Williams hit .335 with 19 home runs and 44 RBI for the Gators this season, helping them make it to Oklahoma City before falling to SEC rival Tennessee at the WCWS.

Now, though, it seems the daughter of former NBA star Jason Williams is going to explore her options in the transfer portal. It was reported by Pete Nakos on Wednesday night that Williams had entered the portal:

Obviously, replacing someone like Williams would be very tough for the Gators. But in this era of NIL and the portal, it’s not uncommon to see players entering the portal just to see what else is out there.

Is that what Williams is doing? Only time will tell. But it’s probably safe to say Florida will put together its most compelling offer to try to get the star second baseman to stay in Gainesville.

Williams was a second-team All-SEC selection this season, among other honors, and will have 2 years of eligibility remaining wherever she ends up, whether that’s at Florida or another school in 2026 and beyond.

The post Mia Williams, Florida star and daughter of former NBA standout, reportedly enters transfer portal appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Texas Tech is led by star pitcher NiJaree Canady, who is seeking her first WCWS title despite years of dominance in Oklahoma City. Texas’ lineup is headlined by All-America catcher Reese Atwood, who is hitting .398 with 21 home runs so far this season.

Both Texas Tech and Texas are undefeated since arriving in Oklahoma City. Both of these teams also defeated 4-time defending champion Oklahoma en route to the Champ Series.

Women’s softball finals schedule

The Champ Series will feature a best-of-3 format to determine college softball’s national champion.

Women’s College World Series schedule

Here’s the full schedule including first-pitch times and TV information:

• Game 1: Wednesday, June 4 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Game 2: Thursday, June 5 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Game 3 (if necessary): Friday, June 6 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN

Women’s College World Series pitching matchups

For Texas Tech, Canady is expected to be in the circle for every competitive pitch this weekend against the Longhorns. She’s the only Texas Tech pitcher to have thrown so far in Oklahoma City and she’s been lights out. In 21 innings since arriving in OKC, Canady has allowed just 11 hits and 3 earned runs.

Texas has a few more options at its disposal, but Teagan Kavan is likely to be in the circle to start Game 1. Kavan pitched Texas’s most important game of the year last week when she threw 7 innings in a win over Oklahoma. Kavan also pitched 3 innings in UT’s semifinal win over Tennessee a couple days later and likely would have started the winner-take-all semifinal contest had the Vols forced another game. Kavan struggled down the stretch of the regular season, but is seemingly back on track. She’s allowed just 5 earned runs over her last 26.1 innings.

Betting on the Women’s College World Series

Entering the NCAA Tournament, Texas Tech was a long-shot to make it this far. The Red Raiders were listed at +2200 to win the title at the start of the postseason, but Canady has been dominant enough to get the Red Raiders into this position.

Now facing one of the nation’s best teams in Texas, the betting markets have caught up to just how dangerous Texas Tech is. So much so that Texas Tech and Texas are equal on the money line for Game 1 over at bet365, with each side being priced at -120. The total for Game 1 has been set at 6.5 (-120 both ways).

BET365 SPORTSBOOK

Offer

T&Cs

Bet $10 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose!

Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns.  New Customers only. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. States: NJ, PA, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KY, NJ, LA, MO, MD, OH, TN, VA. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (CO/KY/LA/NJ/OH/VA) and 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA) 21+ (CO/IA/NJ/OH/VA) and 18+ (KY)

GET THE APP

CODE: SDS365

CODE: SDS365

SIGNUP BONUS

BET $10
GET $200

WIN OR LOSE!

BET NOW

The post Women’s College World Series final: Full schedule, TV info for Texas vs. Texas Tech appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The World Wide Leader says this is now the most-watched pre-Finals WCWS on record. With the Champ Series still to be played, the WCWS is averaging 1.1 million viewers across ESPN platforms. That mark is up 25% year-over-year, according to a release.

This year’s WCWS has also produced 2 of the 3 most-watched pre-finals WCWS games on record, ESPN says. Over 2 million viewers tuned in on Sunday to watch UCLA battle Tennessee on ABC. On Saturday, 1.7 million viewers watched Texas defeat rival Oklahoma in a crucial winner’s bracket matchup.

In the semifinals, 1.6 million people watched NiJaree Canady and Texas Tech dethrone Oklahoma. The Sooners had won the last 4 National Championships prior to losing on Monday. Prior to ESPN, it’s the 2nd-largest audience ever for non-finals weekday game at the Women’s College World Series.

Here’s the full breakdown of the viewership data from ESPN:

Texas Tech will battle Texas in a 3-game series to determine this year’s Women’s College World Series champion. Game 1 begins on Wednesday, June 4 at 8 p.m. ET.

The post Women’s College World Series smashes previous ratings records for ESPN, ABC appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Monday, the two sides faced off in the semifinals in Oklahoma City. The Longhorns reached the semifinals with consecutive wins over Florida and Oklahoma, while the Lady Vols took the long route there through the loser’s bracket. That gave Texas 2 chances to win and advance, but it would only take 1.

Monday’s game quickly became a low-scoring pitcher’s duel with Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens and Texas’s Mac Morgan going back and forth. The game was at a scoreless tie entering the bottom of the 4th inning, but Katie Stewart had something to say about it.

She caught up to a high pitch and was able to lift a deep fly ball to left field. Initially, it looked like the ball was going to be caught on the warning track, but there was enough carry to leave the yard, giving the Longhorns a 1-0 lead.

RELATED: Fans in the Lone Star State: Don’t sleep on the fact that Underdog Fantasy is legal in Texas. Grab the Underdog Fantasy promo code to get started!

Texas would score another run, this time on a Tennessee error, but it was more than enough offense this time around. Teagan Kavan came out of the bullpen for the final 3 innings and was nearly perfect with just 1 walk allowed.

She set the Lady Vols down in order at the top of the 7th, including a game-ending strikeout to send Texas on:

The combination of Morgan and Kavan in the circle was brilliant for the Longhorns, keeping Tennessee’s bats off-balance all game long. Six of the 7 strikeouts for Texas’s pitching staff came against the top 5 batters in Tennessee’s lineup. Those 5 batters also finished the game 2-for-15 in Monday’s elimination game.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow for the Lady Vols in another brilliant outing from Pickens. She covered all 6 innings with 9 strikeouts and just 1 earned run allowed despite taking the loss.

Now, the Longhorns head back to the WCWS Championship Series for the 3rd time in the past 4 seasons and for a 2nd straight season. Last year, Texas lost to Oklahoma in consecutive games.

The Longhorns will face the winner of the Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma semifinals when the Championship Series begins on Wednesday.

The post Texas shuts out Tennessee, advances to WCWS Championship Series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The semifinals start with 2 teams looking to win and advance to the WCWS Finals. Those teams are Texas and Texas Tech, with both programs needing just one win to move on after taking down Oklahoma and Tennessee up against elimination.

The Sooners are trying to continue their reign of dominance in college softball, but were pushed to the loser’s bracket after falling to Texas. Oklahoma rebounded by knocking Oregon out of the WCWS on Sunday, setting up Monday’s game vs. Texas Tech.

The Lady Vols are in the semifinals after fighting their way through the loser’s bracket after an early loss to Oklahoma. Tennessee has since knocked off Florida and UCLA in elimination games to reach Monday’s semifinals.

Women’s College World Series first-pitch times

Here’s a look at the schedule for June 2, which will set up the Championship Series:

Women’s College World Series Schedule for Monday, June 2

• Game 11: No. 6 Texas vs. No. 7 Tennessee — 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Game 12: No. 7 Tennessee vs. No. 6 Texas — 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN (If necessary)
• Game 13: No. 12 Texas Tech vs. No. 2 Oklahoma — 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Game 14: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 12 Texas Tech — 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN (If necessary)

The best-of-3 Championship Series will begin on Wednesday, June 4.

The post Women’s College World Series: Softball schedule, TV info for Monday, June 2 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

UT nearly ended the game in regulation. Tennessee led 4-2 after 6 innings. As the home team, the Lady Vols were 3 outs away in the top of the 7th.

UCLA was down to its final out when Megan Grant hit a 2-run home run, tying it 4-4. Replay, however, showed that Grant did not step on home plate before celebrating with teammates. The game was stopped for a lengthy review, only for the crew to say that the play was not reviewable due to Appendix G in the rulebook.

With that, the game moved into the bottom of the 7th, 4-4. Still knotted up after 7, it went into extra innings.

In the bottom of the 9th, Taylor Pannell led off with a double off the wall. With 1 out, UCLA chose to load the bases for a force out at every base, including home. It did not matter, as Laura Mealer singled to left field to end it.

TENNESSEE WALKS IT OFF TO SEMIS #WCWS x ABC / @Vol_Softball pic.twitter.com/rPXfERAdnN

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 1, 2025

Karlyn Pickens pitched all 9 innings for Tennessee, improving her record to 25-10 on the year. She threw 148 pitches, including 91 for strikes, allowing 4 earned runs on 11 hits and 4 walks with 7 strikeouts.

Tennessee’s win means at least 1 SEC team will play in the Women’s College World Series Finals. The Lady Volunteers will take on Texas in the semifinals. The Longhorns need just 1 win to advance to the championship series, while Tennessee would need to win twice.

The post Tennessee walks off UCLA in extra innings of WCWS elimination game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Replay showed that Grant did not touch home plate before celebrating with her teammates. It prompted a review and a lengthy delay of the game.

GAME-TYING HOMER FROM MEGAN GRANT AFTER BEING DOWN TO OUR FINAL OUT OF THE SEASON!!#GoBruins | @ChefMeganCookin pic.twitter.com/bYOiGU6A6a

— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) June 1, 2025

oh my lord megan grant hits a game tying 2 run home run in the 7th and misses the plate, but it is upheld because it's not reviewable!?!?!?

wooooooow. MASSIVE break for ucla. #wcws pic.twitter.com/Wa3xvgpO2g

— Logan (@loganstephens24) June 1, 2025

After a long delay, officials acknowledged that Grant missed the plate and then received assistance. According to the crew, however, the play was not reviewable per “Appendix G” in the rulebook. The run was upheld, keeping it a 4-4 game. Had the call been overturned, Grant would have been ruled out, and Tennessee would have won the elimination game 4-3.

Omg. Appendix G folks. #WCWS https://t.co/xsKQQL6qBt pic.twitter.com/k9AsAnJrZ0

— Kaitlin Urka (@kaitlinurka) June 1, 2025

It remains a 4-4 game entering the bottom of the 8th inning. The game is airing on ABC.

The post WCWS review controversy: UCLA game-tying home run counts after runner misses home plate appeared first on Saturday Down South.

So far, the WCWS field has already been whittled from 8 to 6. Florida and Ole Miss went 2-and-barbecue. Two more teams will join the Gators and Rebels with a trip back home following Sunday’s slate of contests.

Oklahoma is 1 of 4 teams on the brink of elimination. The Sooners fell to Texas on Saturday evening, putting their streak of 4 consecutive WCWS titles in serious jeopardy. For Oklahoma to make it to the Champ Series, the Sooners will have to beat Oregon on Sunday and then best Texas Tech twice.

The Red Raiders appear to be in great position to reach the college softball championship series despite being seeded at just No. 12 entering this tournament. Texas Tech is led by ace pitcher NiJaree Canady, who has allowed just 2 earned runs in her last 28 innings since the start of the Super Regional round.

On the other side of the bracket, Tennessee and UCLA will face off in an elimination game on Sunday afternoon. The winner will have the tall task of beating Texas twice in order to reach the championship round. The Longhorns have one of the best offenses in the country and have seemingly rebounded from a late-season slump. Texas has won 7 of its last 8 games since the start of the postseason.

Women’s College World Series first-pitch times

Here’s a look at the schedule for June 1 and June 2, which will set up the Champ Series for next week:

Women’s College World Series schedule for Sunday, June 1

• Game 9: No. 7 Tennessee vs. No. 9 UCLA — 3 p.m. ET | ABC
• Game 10: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 16 Oregon — 7 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Women’s College World Series Schedule for Monday, June 2

• Game 11: No. 6 Texas vs. Winner of Game 9 — 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Game 12: Winner of Game 11 vs. No. 6 Texas — 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN (If necessary)
• Game 13: No. 12 Texas Tech vs. Winner of Game 10 — 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Game 14: Winner of Game 13 vs. No. 12 Texas Tech — 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN (If necessary)

The Championship Series will begin on Wednesday, June 4.

The post Women’s College World Series: Softball schedule, TV info for Sunday, June 1 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Offensively, the two sides traded runs in the 5th inning. Texas Tech speedster Makalya Garcia started things off with a brilliant delayed steal of home plate, catching the Bruins sleeping for the first run of the game.

However, UCLA struck quickly in the bottom half of the 5th inning. Kaniya Bragg caught up to a high rise ball, drilling a line drive opposite field home run to tie things up.

RELATED: Fans of the Bruins can take advantage of DFS action because Underdog Fantasy is legal in California.

Unfortunately, that would be the end of the scoring for the Bruins. Hailey Toney broke the tie with a 2-out home run in the top of the 6th, taking a 3-2 pitch out to right center field.

The Red Raiders would tack on another run in the top of the 7th, but it would be more than enough for the 3-1 win:

To little surprise, the story of the game once again proved to be the work of Canady with the ace hurler pushing Texas Tech to within a win of the WCWS Finals. She went the distance yet again on Saturday with 7 innings of 1-run softball.

Canady struck out 7 batters while limiting the damage to 2 walks and 4 hits. The only real mistake she made all night was the blast by Bragg, and even that pitch appeared to be pretty well located. At the WCWS, Canady has now covered 14 innings in 2 complete games with just 1 run allowed and 17 strikeouts.

With the win, Texas Tech will advance to face the winner of Oklahoma vs. Oregon on Monday night. The Red Raiders will have 2 chances to win 1 game to advance to the final series.

Meanwhile, the Bruins drop into a Sunday elimination game with their backs against the wall. UCLA will face Tennessee at 3 pm ET on Sunday, with the winner advancing to face Texas on Monday afternoon.

The post Texas Tech beats UCLA at WCWS behind NiJaree Canady’s latest mastery appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Texas outlasted the rival Sooners at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City with a 4-2 victory. They couldn’t have done it without the stoic Kavan, who escaped some late threats by mighty Oklahoma, including in the 7th inning when the Sooners had the tying runs at 1st and 2nd base.

That’s when Kavan showed her poise on a day when she was hurting emotionally. Kavan gathered herself and struck out the next 2 batters swinging to end the threat, the game and a day she will never forget.

“My grandma, she’s got the best seat in the house. This is where she wants me, and she’s rooting for all of us all the way. This is where she wants us,” said an emotionally drained Kavan afterward.

Kavan allowed 1 earned run on 7 hits in the courageous performance, walking 2 and striking out 8 in a 130-pitch outing. She went the distance on Saturday, literally and figuratively, considering what the challenge was with her grandmother’s passing and facing a powerhouse program that doesn’t lose much at the WCWS.

How exactly did she find the strength to do it all?

“Through her, my teammates. They all had my back, all 22 of us. My coaches, it was all for her,” said Kavan. “I don’t know, it’s just beyond me, honestly. Just relying on them and getting confidence from them.”

Kavan has a special relationship with her grandmother, who is the reason why she wears No. 17. Her grandmother was born on Nov. 17, 1928, and Kavan honors her by wearing the number. On Saturday, she honored her memory with a performance her grandmother would’ve been proud of.

Here is Kavan’s story about wearing No. 17:

Texas got a huge win on Saturday, mostly because of Kavan. Now, the ace and the Longhorns advance to Monday’s semifinals, needing just 1 win in 2 tries to advance to the Championship Series.

The post Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan lost her grandmother hours before WCWS start vs. Oklahoma appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Both programs advanced into the winner’s bracket with opening-round wins, with the Sooners walking off Tennessee and the Longhorns shutting out Florida. It set up a rematch of last year’s WCWS Finals, where Oklahoma beat Texas in consecutive games to hoist the title.

With both teams entering Saturday at 1-0 in Oklahoma City, elimination was not on the table. However, the winner would move to within a win of reaching the finals yet again, and the drama lived up to the hype.

The Longhorns struck first this time around, scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. The Sooners would answer right back with 2 of their own in the top of the 2nd to knot the score.

That is where the score stood at the bottom of the 5th when Texas center fielder Kayden Henry stepped to the plate. She jumped all over the first pitch she saw, blasting a line drive home run out of right field to break the 2-all tie.

The solo blast was just Henry’s 4th home run of the season, but is the biggest to date:

After Texas escaped a scoring threat in the top of the 6th inning, Joley Mitchell was able to add on. She drove a clean solo home run deep into the left field bleachers for a crucial insurance run to make it 4-2.

RELATED: DFS fans in the Lone Star State are in luck with the fact that Underdog Fantasy is legal in Texas!

Teagan Kavan was also masterful for Texas inside the circle. She surrendered just 2 runs (1 earned) in a complete game with 8 strikeouts. Her wizardry also included some late-game escape work.

In the top of the 6th, Oklahoma had the tying run on 3rd base with 1 out, but Kavan was able to get a strikeout and a foul out to end the frame. In the 7th, OU put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out, but Kavan buckled down again, striking out Gabbie Garcia and Hannah Coor to secure the 4-2 win.

The Longhorns entered this game 0-5 vs. Oklahoma in their last 2 trips to the WCWS in 2022 and 2024, but Texas was 9-0 in its WCWS games against non-OU opponents since 2022. Texas had also not beaten the Sooners within the state of Oklahoma in 14 years.

With the win, Texas will now await its opponent in the WCWS semifinals, with that game set to be played on Monday at 12 pm ET. Meanwhile, Oklahoma will play in the rare loser’s bracket for the Sooners, facing Oregon on Sunday night in a do-or-die elimination game.

The post Texas rides late home runs to WCWS win over Oklahoma appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Following a 3-0 pitch in the top of the ninth, Cox immediately keeled over, rubbing her face. She walked toward the circle, took her helmet off, and continued to rub her eye.

The pitch from Lyndsey Grein connected mid-flight with a clump of dirt, causing that clump of dirt to explode into tiny pieces and fly toward Cox. And how, might you ask, was that clump of dirt flying through the air? It came off Grein’s cleat.

Give those viral trick-shot creators on social media 100 tries and they couldn’t recreate what randomly happened on the fly during Friday night’s game.

Cox was eventually fine and remained in the game. Oregon went on to win with a 10th-inning walk-off walk to eliminate the Rebels and stay alive in the WCWS. The Ducks will play either Oklahoma or Texas on Sunday.

Oregon is making its first appearance in the WCWS since 2018. From 2014-18, the Ducks made 4 trips to Oklahoma City under former coach and current Texas head coach Mike White. Should Oklahoma beat Texas on Saturday, the Ducks will have to face White’s Longhorns in another elimination game.

The post Oregon softball pitcher kicks up a clump of dirt, obliterates it in mid-air appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the end, it was the Ducks who emerged with a victory, walking off the Rebels in the 10th inning for a 6-5 victory. The loss officially ended the season for Ole Miss, which finished 42-21.

“Incredible, hard-fought game,” Ole Miss coach Jamie Trachsel said afterward. “Obviously, you don’t want to be on this side of it, especially in the World Series. But to our team, just super proud of them. Proud of the season. It was special, the run that we had, the growth that we made throughout the entire year.”

The Rebels beat Arizona to win the Tucson Regional, then beat Arkansas 2 games to 1 to win the Fayetteville Super Regional and earn the program’s first-ever trip to the WCWS.

Against Oregon on Friday night, the Rebels struck first on an RBI single from Persy Llamas with 2 away in the top of the first, but Oregon scored twice in the bottom of the inning to go up 2-1.

That lead held until the top of the fifth, when Llamas cracked another RBI single to tie the game at 2-all. Again, Oregon answered with runs of its own in the bottom of the inning to go back on top. The Ducks hit 2 singles and a double to score 3 runs in the frame.

Ole Miss rallied in the top of the seventh. The Rebels led off the inning with a single from Lair Beautae, a double from Aliyah Binford, and then a 4-pitch walk for Llamas. Lexie Brady scored 1 run with a single and then, down to its final out, Jamie Mackay singled to left field to score 2 runs and tie the game at 5-all.

Binford forced 3 groundouts from the Ducks in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extras. Binford struck out 2 more Ducks in the eighth and another in the ninth, but Ole Miss managed only 1 hit itself across the frames.

In the 10th, Ole Miss hit back-to-back 2-out singles through the left side to place runners on first and second, but Oregon’s Lyndsey Grein was able to strand them both and escape the inning without any damage. The bottom of the frame then began with a single and a throwing error that put runners on second and third for the Ducks.

Ole Miss caught the runner out at third on the next plate appearance, but another single from Oregon’s Kai Luschar loaded the bases with just 1 away. A walk-off walk to Kedre Luschar, Kai’s sister, officially ended the game and sent the Rebels home.

Grein earned her 30th win of the season for Oregon after pitching 9.1 innings with 7 strikeouts and 8 hits allowed. Binford picked up the loss, her fifth, after allowing 6 hits and the winning run. She struck out 7 batters in 5 innings of work after replacing Brianna Lopez.

The post Oregon knocks Ole Miss out of WCWS in 10-inning thriller appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Thanks to a 7-run opening inning, Tennessee (46-16) blasted Florida 11-3 to stay alive in Oklahoma City. The run-rule victory also sent Florida (48-17) home.

Tennessee notched a program-record 12 hits in the victory. They had a 7-0 lead after the first inning and stretched that to a 10-0 advantage going into the fourth. Florida got on the board in the top of the fourth but just couldn’t keep the Vols’ hitters off balance at any point in the game.

Every Tennessee batter recorded at least 1 hit. Florida struck out just 3 all game. Sophia Nugent, Laura Mealer, and Alannah Leach all had multiple hits. Leach led the way with 4 runs batted in. Her bases-clearing double in the bottom of the first scored 3 UT runs. Nugent and McKenna Gibson hit solo home runs in consecutive plate appearances in the second.

Karlyn Pickens got the start in the circle for Tennessee, but a 7-0 lead allowed for an early change to begin the second and some much-needed rest. Sage Mardjetko lasted 2 innings before being replaced by Erin Nuwer. Mardjetko gave up 2 hits and 3 earned runs. Pickens and Nuwer combined to allow just 1 hit with 4 strikeouts. Nuwer was credited with the victory.

Kara Hammock faced just 4 batters before Florida replaced her. She gave up a leadoff triple on the second pitch of the game, then allowed a single down the left field line on the very next pitch. The loss was just her second of the year.

Reagan Walsh and Korbe Otis homered on back-to-back plate appearances in the fourth to score Florida’s only runs of the game.

The Lady Vols will face the loser of Texas Tech and UCLA on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. 

The post Tennessee run-rules Florida to stay alive in the WCWS appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Down 3-1 with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th inning, Ella Parker stepped to the plate for her 4th at-bat of the game against All-American Karlyn Pickens. The first at-bat of the game resulted in a solo home run. The next two ended with Parker walking back to the dugout after strike three.

But in the game’s decisive at-bat, it was Parker who won the battle again, blasting a walk-off home run well over the centerfield wall to give the Sooners a 4-3 victory. Here’s a clip of the moment from Oklahoma City:

The Sooners are the highest-seeded team remaining in the field and are in pursuit of a 5th consecutive National Championship.

Pickens was dominant in the circle until the very last at-bat of the game. She pitched 6.2 innings, scattering just 5 hits on the day (2 in the final frame) while striking out 8.

Offensively, Tennessee had plenty of traffic on the base paths and were able to take advantage of a lackluster defensive effort by Oklahoma. Two of the three runs Tennessee scored were unearned. Tennessee strung together 8 hits overall, with 3 coming from Taylor Pannell alone. Oklahoma ace Sam Landry was solid overall as she was charged with just 1 earned run on the day.

Oklahoma will now advance to the winner’s bracket and will Texas in the next round on Saturday. The Vols will face Florida in an elimination game on Friday.

The post Oklahoma softball walks off Tennessee in stunning fashion to open WCWS appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Joley Mitchell broke the scoring ice in the top of the 2nd inning with a solo home run off of UF pitcher Keegan Rothrock.

FIRST HOME RUN OF WCWS @marie_joley #WCWS x ESPN / @TexasSoftball pic.twitter.com/f1D3IodKFx

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 29, 2025

It was the first of 2 solo blasts for Mitchell. She extended the lead to 2-0 with another home run, again off Rothrock, in the top of the 6th. Mitchell became the first Texas softball to hit multiple homers in a Women’s College World Series game.

"No one has done what @marie_joley has done!"

Joley Mitchell is the first ever @TexasSoftball player to hit multiple HRs in a WCWS game #WCWS x ESPN pic.twitter.com/VX8KsSHfVu

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 29, 2025

Rothrock was chased when Katie Stewart made it back-to-back homers and extended the Longhorn lead to 3-0 in the 6th.

BACK-TO-BACK #WCWS x ESPN / @TexasSoftball pic.twitter.com/oRyfGQpzuv

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 29, 2025

Rothrock finished with a line of 5+ innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 2 over 105 pitches (64 strikes). Florida coach Tim Walton used 4 pitchers in the game.

Texas coach Mike White only needed 1 pitcher. Teagan Kavan went the distance, tossing a complete game shutout. Kavan held the Gators to just 2 hits on the day, with neither going for extra bases. Over 98 pitches, she threw 62 strikes, issuing 2 walks and striking out 1 over 24 batters faced.

The victory places Texas in the winner’s bracket. The Longhorns will next play on Saturday against either No. 7 seed Tennessee or No. 2 seed Oklahoma.

Florida, meanwhile, will try to fight its way out of the loser’s bracket. The Gators will play on Friday at 7 p.m. ET against the Tennessee-Oklahoma loser.

The post Texas blanks Florida, uses long ball to win WCWS opener appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The field of 8 features No. 2 seed Oklahoma, No. 3 seed Florida, No. 6 seed Texas, No. 7 seed Tennessee, No. 9 seed UCLA, No. 12 seed Texas Tech, No. 16 seed Oregon and Ole Miss.

All 8 teams are in action on Thursday. Here’s the 2025 Women’s College World Series schedule:

All times ET

Thursday, May 29

• Game 1 | No. 6 Texas vs. No. 3 Florida | 12 p.m. | ESPN
• Game 2 | No. 7 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Oklahoma | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
• Game 3 | Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Texas Tech | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
• Game 4 | No. 16 Oregon vs. No. 9 UCLA | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Friday, May 30

• Game 5 | Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
• Game 6| Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Saturday, May 31

• Game 7 | Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 | 3 p.m. | ABC
• Game 8 | Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 | 7 p.m. | ESPN

Sunday, June 1

• Game 9 | Winner of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 8 | 3 p.m. | ABC
• Game 10 | Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 7 | 12 p.m. | ESPNU

Monday, June 2

• Game 11 | Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 12 p.m. | ESPN
• Game 12 (if necessary) | Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of 9 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
• Game 13 | Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 10 | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
• Game 14 (if necessary) | Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 10 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Wednesday, June 4

• Final 1 | 8 p.m. | ESPN

Thursday, June 5

• Final 2 | 8 p.m. | ESPN

Friday, June 6

• Final 3 (if necessary) | 8 p.m. | ESPN

Updated 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket

The post Women’s College World Series: Schedule, Bracket and TV info for Thursday, May 29 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Coming out of the Super Regionals, the SEC is sending 5 teams to Oklahoma City to play for the national title. No. 2 overall seed Oklahoma, playing in its 9th straight WCWS and winners of the last 4 titles, is undeniably the favorite, but McCleney is starting to believe in one program that was overlooked to start the postseason.

That squad is Ole Miss, which is rolling into the WCWS after taking 2 out of 3 from Arkansas to advance to its first-ever WCWS appearance. Ole Miss has since taken down 2 host programs in Arizona and Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament, and the Rebels will now face No. 12 overall seed Texas Tech to open the bracket.

According to McCleney, there’s a shot Ole Miss pulls off another upset with how everything is clicking:

“Let’s not take out Ole Miss from this, either, because we have doubted Ole Miss for the entirety of the postseason, I feel like, and they have continued to show up and show out,” said McCleney. “I could very well see Ole Miss potentially beating Texas Tech. All bets are off with how this offense is clicking right now and how well this team fights late in games.”

Things will not come easily for Ole Miss in the first matchup against Texas Tech. Two-way star Nijaree Canady has been red-hot from the circle for the Red Raiders, throwing 24 innings in the NCAA Tournament with just 5 earned runs allowed. She was downright unhittable in the Super Regional, covering all 14 innings with just 1 earned run allowed against Florida State.

The first game for Ole Miss at the WCWS is set for Thursday, May 29 at 7 pm ET on ESPN2.

The post SEC softball analyst Haylie McCleney names SEC program to keep an eye on at WCWS appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The SEC leads the way with 5 teams in Oklahoma City. No. 2 overall seed Oklahoma continues to defend its title. The Sooners are joined by conference foes No. 3 Florida, No. 6 Texas, No. 7 Tennessee and Ole Miss. The Rebels are the only unseeded team to reach the final 8.

Outside the SEC, UCLA, Oregon and Texas Tech round out the field. All 8 teams are in action on Thursday, starting with Florida and Texas.

Here’s the current schedule for Thursday and Friday’s double-elimination action:

All times ET

• May 29
  • Game 1: No. 3 Florida vs. No. 6 Texas, noon | ESPN
  • Game 2: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 7 Tennessee, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • Game 3: No. 12 Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss, 7 p.m. | ESPN2 
  • Game 4: No. 9 UCLA vs. No. 16 Oregon, 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2
• May 30
  • Game 5: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 7 p.m.
  • Game 6: Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 9:30 p.m.

Opening day of the #WCWS!

https://t.co/BhKH6gHOdN
https://t.co/JUysk5a8Tu
https://t.co/2QO2igeQwl pic.twitter.com/cTQspR042u

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 26, 2025

The WCWS is set to be played until June 5th or 6th to crown a national champion.

The post 2025 Women’s College World Series: Bracket, schedule revealed appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Rebels will be the only team in Oklahoma City that was a top-16 national seed to open the NCAA Tournament. They took Game 3 from Arkansas 7-4 to win the Fayetteville Super Regional and punch their ticket to Oklahoma City.

Lair Beautae got the scoring started with a solo home run in the 1st inning. Some chaos on the basepaths also helped the Rebels establish an early 4-0 lead.

LETS GOOO LAIRRRR @LairBeautae | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/yU363Q0uad

— Ole Miss Softball (@OleMissSoftball) May 25, 2025

Aliyah Binford slides home to add another run to the board! @AliyahBinford | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/wWidEecPpQ

— Ole Miss Softball (@OleMissSoftball) May 25, 2025

The Razorbacks got 1 run back in the bottom of the 1st and tied it up in the 2nd with a 3-run inning to make it 4-4.

All tied up

Wyck singles to short to bring in the tying run! pic.twitter.com/StlrlJ1TYj

— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) May 25, 2025

From there, though, Ole Miss contained the Arkansas bats for 5 scoreless innings the rest of the game. The Rebels retook the lead in the 4th inning and added insurance runs in the 5th and 7th.

Rebs take the lead with the sac fly from Jaden Pone @Jaden_ponee | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/MqZlJlqRdy

— Ole Miss Softball (@OleMissSoftball) May 25, 2025

WHAT A MOMENT FOR OUR SENIOR @LexieBrady30 | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/b0tjrPRoLp

— Ole Miss Softball (@OleMissSoftball) May 25, 2025

Aliyah Binford was the game’s winning pitcher, going 5.2 innings in relief. She allowed just 1 earned run over 2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 4.

WHY NOT US?#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/2tyu1XMq9a

— Ole Miss Softball (@OleMissSoftball) May 25, 2025

For Arkansas, it’s a disappointing finish to a special season that saw Bri Ellis earn national Player of the Year recognition. On Sunday, Payton Burnham went 3.2 IP, allowing 5 earned runs on 4 hits. Robyn Herron tossed 3.1 IP, allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits.

The post Ole Miss tops Arkansas, earns program’s first trip to Women’s College World Series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the bottom of the 4th inning, weather delayed the action with Florida holding a 1-0 lead. Play resumed about an hour later.

Florida had a 14-hit day with 14 left on base. The Gators did enough at the plate, though, plating 4 of their 5 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning.

Rylee Holtorf made it a 3-0 contest with a 2-run home run to left field.

B5 | SHE'S SO DUEEEE x @ryleeholtorf

Gators 3 | Bulldogs 0

ESPNU | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/nKgfn7m0t6

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) May 25, 2025

Later in the inning, Taylor Shumaker got in on the home run party with a 2-run blast to right extending the lead to 5-0.

T5 | TAY-SHU SHOT

Taylor Shumaker launches No. to tie the single-season school home run record!

Gators 5 | Bulldogs 0

ESPN | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/fsGKX5r2sn

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) May 25, 2025

Georgia did not go quietly. In their final at-bat, the Bulldogs got the bats going. Jaydyn Goodwin hit a 2-run home run to cut it to 5-2 with nobody out. Florida pitcher Keegan Rothrock recovered, though, only allowing a single before securing their final out to seal the 5-2 victory.

SECURED OUR SPOT

ESPN pic.twitter.com/uXiuEoKAkQ

— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) May 25, 2025

Rothrock pitched all 7 innings for Florida. She allowed just 4 hits in the game for 2 runs (1 earned), striking out 5 with 1 walk over 26 batters faced.

The post Florida outlasts Georgia to win Super Regional, return to Women’s College World Series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the top of the 1st inning, UCLA broke the scoring ice when Jordan Woolery hit an RBI single. She picked up another RBI in the 5th.

BRUINS STRIKE FIRST!@jordanwooleryy with the RBI single up the middle! pic.twitter.com/GlAvFCoW3c

— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 25, 2025

Second RBI base knock for @jordanwooleryy!

: ESPN2
: https://t.co/T5Ovxk5ZMY#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/szhE5oGYeo

— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 25, 2025

It remained a 2-0 game entering the 7th inning. The Bruins picked up 3 insurance runs in the fame to open up a comfortable 5-0 lead.

The ball is falling the Bruins' way.

Alexis "Lefty" Ramirez adds another!

: ESPN2
: https://t.co/T5Ovxk5ZMY#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/4pkfUt3SNl

— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 25, 2025

In the bottom of the 7th, Blankenship singled to lead off. South Carolina was unable to further the rally, as Taylor Tinsley retired the next 3 batters to close it out for a 4-out save.

The Bruins punched their ticket to the WCWS for the 33rd time! #GoBruins | #RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/iBeB4jg4Xl

— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 25, 2025

On the mound, Kaitlyn Terry went 5.2 innings for the Bruins, allowing just 2 hits. She struck out 4 and walked 1. Tinsley allowed 2 hits over 1.1 IP, facing 6 South Carolina batters. UCLA outhit South Carolina 12-4 in the decisive Game 3.

South Carolina starter Sam Gress went 4.2 IP, allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits. Jori Heard was tagged for 7 hits over 1.2 IP, allowing 3 runs (2 earned).

The post South Carolina shut out by UCLA in decisive Game 3 of Super Regional appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It was a pitcher’s duel Sunday on Rocky Top. There were only 6 hits combined between the 2 teams, with Ella Dodge’s 1st-inning home run the difference in the game. The ball bounced back into the outfield after going over the wall, so Dodge ran the bases and the Huskers treated it as a live ball, tagging her out at 3rd base. Dodge immediately signaled for review, and the home run was granted.

ELLA DODGE (has indeed) LEFT YARD.

her second HR in as many games gives us an early lead

ESPN
https://t.co/neC92grk5B pic.twitter.com/Q60wEGNfDT

— Tennessee Softball (@Vol_Softball) May 25, 2025

Karlyn Pickens went the distance for Tennessee, allowing just 2 hits with 1 walk over 7 shutout innings, striking out 10 Husker batters. In the loss, superstar Jordy Bahl allowed the 1 earned run on 4 hits over 6 innings with 4 strikeouts and no walks.

In the top of the 7th, Pickens set Nebraska down in order, recording the final 3 outs.

The moment Tennessee punched its ticket to the WCWS pic.twitter.com/hGr1EQMoW4

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 25, 2025

It’s the 9th trip to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City for the Lady Vols. They last made the WCWS in 2023. UT was WCWS runner-up in 2007 and ’13.

The post Tennessee tops Nebraska 1-0 to win Super Regional, advance to Women’s College World Series appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Four teams have already moved on to the WCWS after securing their Super Regional title this weekend: Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and Oregon.

There will be four winner-take-all games on Sunday to decide the other half of the WCWS bracket. Here’s a full look at the Sunday college softball slate:

• Nebraska at No. 7 Tennessee | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN
• No. 9 UCLA at No. 8 South Carolina | 3 p.m. ET | ESPN 2
• Georgia at No. 3 Florida | 4 p.m. ET | ESPN
• Ole Miss at No. 4 Arkansas | 5 p.m. ET | ESPN 2

There have already been multiple significant upsets so far in this tournament. No. 1-seeded Texas A&M failed to win its own regional last week as it fell to Liberty. The Flames were then swept by Oregon in the Super Regional round this weekend. No. 5-seeded Florida State has also already been upset by Nijaree Canady and Texas Tech.

RELATED: Interested in betting on the Women’s College World Series? Several of the best sports betting apps have odds on the WCWS and are currently offering generous sign-up bonuses for new users!

The SEC is guaranteed to have at least 4 teams in the WCWS field, but could get as many as 6 depending on the outcome of Sunday’s matchups.

Tennessee was able to even its series against Jordy Bahl and Nebraska on Saturday with a narrow 3-2 victory. Arkansas, Georgia and UCLA also won on Saturday afternoon to force a decisive Game 3.

The post 2025 softball super regionals: Schedule, TV info for Sunday, May 25 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Ducks entered the postseason as the No. 16 seed in the final field. However, Oregon found itself hosting the Eugene Super Regional after Liberty took out Texas A&M, the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament.

The Flames entered that Super Regional with the same fight and grit they displayed against the Aggies, forcing Game 1 on Friday to go into extra innings. The Ducks eventually captured that game, 3-2, setting up Saturday’s Game 2 as a win-and-advance moment for Oregon.

That game would prove to be all about the Ducks with a solo home run from Paige Sinicki contributing to a 2-run 2nd inning for Oregon, and the team never looked back. A 3-run home run by Emma Cox and a 7-run 7th inning powered Oregon to a 13-1 blowout win over Liberty, eliminating the Flames from the tournament.

Sinicki was the offensive star for Oregon with 3 hits, 2 runs and 4 RBI in the blowout victory, including a bases-clearing triple in the final inning. The 13 runs scored are the most ever for the Ducks in a Super Regional game.

In the circle, Lyndsey Grein went the distance with 10 strikeouts and no walks, scattering just 3 hits and a lone earned run in the win. The Ducks are currently just the 3rd team to punch their ticket to Oklahoma City for the WCWS, joining No. 2 overall seed Oklahoma and No. 12 seed Texas Tech.

The post Oregon demolishes Liberty to reach first WCWS since 2018 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Friday, Tennessee opened the Knoxville Super Regional with a 5-2 defeat to Nebraska. That game featured some lackluster offense from the Vols and included a key miscue in the play that led to 2 unearned runs for the Huskers.

On Saturday, the game opened with some back-and-forth offense in the 1st inning. A hit by pitch for Gabby Leach opened the game for the Vols, and 2 batters later, Ella Dodge gave Tennessee a 2-0 lead with a home run.

Nebraska star Jordy Bahl buckled down after that, getting out of the inning without further damage. Bahl also jump-started the bottom of the frame for the Huskers with an infield single and came around to score in a 2-run inning to knot the score.

After the rocky 1st, Bahl and Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens both locked in from the circle. McKenna Gibson eventually broke the tie with a sacrifice fly in the 3rd inning, and that would be all the offense Tennessee would need.

That’s because Pickens delivered a near-legendary outing in the circle, complete with a record-breaking pitch, snapping her own record for the fastest recorded pitch in college softball history. In fact, she did not allow a single hit by Nebraska between the 2nd and 6th innings.

The Huskers were able to threaten in the bottom of the 7th with the tying and winning runs in scoring position, but Pickens would induce a game-ending flyout to force Game 3:

Though Bahl delivered 7 solid innings, the star of this pitcher’s duel was Pickens. She went all 7 innings with just 2 earned runs allowed on 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 11 and retiring 17 of the 22 batters faced prior to the 7th inning.

Now, the two sides will face off one more time on Sunday in a decisive Game 3 with the winner advancing to Oklahoma City and the WCWS. The start time and broadcast channel for that matchup are still TBD.

The post Tennessee wins dramatic pitcher’s duel vs. Nebraska to force decisive Game 3 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Friday, Pickens took the loss after the Huskers tagged her for 5 runs, though a crucial misplay in the field led to 2 unearned runs against the star pitcher. On Saturday, she gave up a pair of early 1st-inning runs but has since settled in while trying to force a Game 3 on Sunday.

During that 1st inning, Pickens even shattered her own college softball velocity record. She previously set the record for the fastest pitch ever recorded at 78.2 MPH.

Here new record comes in at 79.4 MPH, over a full MPH faster than her previous record. The record has been confirmed as official. Arguably just as impressive, Nebraska 2-way star Jordy Bahl was able to foul off the pitch in a 2-2 count to stay alive.

Here’s the record-breaking pitch for Pickens:

RELATED: Don’t miss any of the top odds and offers related to the Vols all year long! Keep the TN sports betting apps handy for all your gaming needs.

Through 4 innings of Saturday’s game, Pickens has struck out 7 of the 17 batters she has faced. Tennessee needs to win in order to stay alive in the NCAA Tournament.

Pickens is arguably the top pitcher in all of college softball as the 2-time reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year and a 2024 first-team All-American. Now, she’s trying to pitch the Vols into a Game 3 and their first trip to the Women’s College World Series since 2023.

The post Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens shatters her own velocity record during Super Regionals appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Saturday, Oklahoma faced Alabama in Game 2 of the Norman Super Regional after the Sooners won 3-0 on Friday. It would be a clean sweep for Oklahoma on Saturday, though this win was much more emphatic.

In a win-and-advance situation, the Sooners blasted 4 home runs — including 2 by Gabbie Garcia — in a 13-2 run-rule victory that lasted just 5 innings. Garcia was the catalyst with 4 RBI driven in, including a towering moonshot 2-run shot in the 5th inning.

Ella Parker and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas also dropped big-time bombs in the 5th as Oklahoma hit 3 of its home runs and scored 4 runs in the 5th to solidify the run-rule.

Offensively, Alabama would get solo home runs from Kali Heivilin and Marlie Giles, but nothing else at the plate. The major problem, though, was trying to hold back the onslaught of Oklahoma’s offense.

The Crimson Tide used 4 pitchers, and each one surrendered at least 1 earned run. The 3rd inning was especially brutal as Alabama used 3 pitchers in that frame alone as the Sooners scored 8 runs to begin the barrage.

With 1 out, 9 straight Oklahoma batters would reach with 8 runs scored, including Garcia’s first home run of the game. Parker also punctuated the frame with a 2-run double and ended the game with 3 RBI.

With the win, the Sooners head to the WCWS in Oklahoma City, their 9th straight trip to the event. Oklahoma has won 6 national titles in that streak, including the last 4 in a row under head coach Patty Gasso.

The post Oklahoma blasts past Alabama into 9th straight WCWS appearance appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Saturday’s Game 2 was a wild ride, though it did not end the way South Carolina was hoping at all. And that bitter defeat came after the Gamecocks controlled things for much of the afternoon.

In the top of the 1st inning, South Carolina jumped on the board immediately with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. A 2-RBI single by Lexi Winters in the 5th inning made it 3-0, and the Gamecocks got a run right back after the Bruins scored in the bottom of the 5th to make it 4-1 in the 6th.

Winters was the major contributor for South Carolina, with 3 hits and 3 RBI, while lead-off hitter Quincee Lilio went 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored. However, it would not be enough to hold on in the bottom of the 7th.

South Carolina reliever Jori Heard ultimately covered 2.2 innings but could not put things away in the 7th. An RBI triple and a later 2-out RBI single made the score 4-3 with a runner on base and brought UCLA’s Jordan Woolery to the plate.

At that point, the Gamecocks made the call to re-insert starting pitcher Sam Gress back into the circle. On the surface, it looked like a good call after Gress covered 4 shutout innings to start Game 2 and previously twirled 3.1 shutout innings in Game 1.

Woolery was 0-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk against Gress to start the Super Regional, and the star Bruin was 0-for-6 overall across the first 2 games before stepping to the plate in the bottom of the 7th. This time was much different, though, as she connected on a 2-run blast, walking off the matchup and sending the Super Regional into a decisive Game 3:

Now, UCLA and South Carolina will head to a Game 3 on Sunday, with the winner advancing to the WCWS in Oklahoma City.

The post South Carolina collapses late with walk-off loss to UCLA in Super Regional appeared first on Saturday Down South.

It started at the top of the 1st inning with Bahl continuing a scorching hot NCAA Tournament with a clean single through the left side. A steal for Bahl and a 2-out single by Olivia DiNardo drove in Bahl as the game’s first run, and that was just the start.

Bahl would walk in the top of the 3rd inning and come home immediately on an RBI double by Samantha Bland to give the Huskers a 2-1 lead. The 2-way star also proved pivotal in the top of the 4th, though the ball off her bat would ultimately be credited as an error on Tennessee.

With 2 outs and 2 runners on, Bahl was forced into a soft pop-up to shortstop that should have been a safe 3rd out for the Vols. However, a miscommunication between left fielder Saviya Morgan and shortstop Laura Mealer allowed the ball to fall harmlessly to the ground, allowing 2 Huskers to score in the aftermath.

Those runs made it 5-1, in favor of Nebraska, and it was too much for Tennessee to recover from. The Vols would score a lone run in the 5th inning and got another runner on base in the bottom of the 7th, but Bahl slammed the door shut with a game-ending strikeout.

The miscues for Tennessee loomed large in the opening game, with 2 unearned runs allowed in the 3-run defeat. The Vols also never found the big hit they were looking for against the Huskers with Bahl working 7 efficient innings.

While Bahl did allow 2 earned runs, she went the distance by scattering 7 hits and registering 6 strikeouts in the win. She also did not issue a walk with 72 strikes thrown in 96 total pitches.

The win puts Nebraska on the doorstep of its first Women’s College World Series appearance since 2013, while Tennessee enters a do-or-die situation on Saturday. Game 2 from Knoxville is set for 5 pm ET.

The post Jordy Bahl leads Nebraska to Super Regional win over Tennessee appeared first on Saturday Down South.

As the No. 2 overall seed this year, the Sooners are hosting the best of 3 Norman Super Regional against the Crimson Tide, the No. 15 overall seed in the tournament. It set up an epic SEC vs. SEC matchup, and Game 1 was a crucial performance by Oklahoma in both areas of the game.

Offensively, the Sooners jumped out to a 3rd-inning lead with a 2-run home run from Kasidi Pickering. It was a rare mistake made by Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski, and Abigale Dayton would double and score on an RBI hit to make it 3-0 in the 5th inning.

While Briski was otherwise nails for the Tide, it was more than enough offense for the Sooners in this game. That’s because Oklahoma starter Sam Landry was even better in the circle.

Landry would go the distance with 7 innings of shutout ball, surrendering just 4 hits with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts against Alabama. The Crimson Tide were able to keep the deficit at 3-0 entering the top of the 7th, but Landry never let up, setting Alabama down in order to preserve the win.

Landry’s shutout is the first for an Oklahoma pitcher in the Super Regionals since 2018. The victory also puts the Sooners on the doorstep of Oklahoma City.

The win is a remarkable 17th straight for the Sooners in a Super Regionals competition. Oklahoma has made 8 straight trips to the WCWS, including winning each of the last 4 national titles, and one more win will send the Sooners past Alabama to yet another WCWS.

Game 2 is set for Saturday at 3 pm ET with Alabama needing a win to force a decisive Game 3 on Sunday.

The post Oklahoma shuts out Alabama in Super Regional opener appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Despite hosting the best 2 out of 3 series as the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, FSU dropped the opening game of the Super Regional on Thursday. The Seminoles managed just 2 hits in the opener as Texas Tech’s Nijaree Canady went the distance in the 3-0 win.

Down to an elimination game on Friday, FSU was similarly stifled with just 2 hits and 0 walks across the first 6 innings of the game. On the flip side, Texas Tech was able to scrape across 2 runs with a 1st inning sacrifice fly and a 5th inning RBI single.

That left Texas Tech clinging to a 2-0 lead in the top of the 7th. The Seminoles would get a walk and double to start the inning and get the tying run in scoring position, but Canady locked down after that.

The Red Raiders’ ace would allow one run on an RBI groundout, but the final 2 batters for FSU fouled out to end the game. The 2-1 win sends Texas Tech to its first-ever Women’s College World Series appearance, and the Red Raiders become the first team to punch its ticket this year.

Here’s how the final out played out:

The star in both games was undeniably Canady, the 2-way star for Texas Tech. She was 1-for-2 at the plate in Game 1, scoring a run and driving in another in the 3-0 win.

However, the true magic for Canady came in the circle, where she twirled 14 innings in 2 complete-game gems for the Red Raiders. In total, Canady held FSU to a 5-for-47 mark across both games, a .106 batting average for the Seminoles.

Now, Texas Tech awaits the rest of the country in the WCWS, set to begin on May 29.

The post Texas Tech knocks off Florida State in Super Regionals to reach WCWS appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Friday’s Game 1 in Fayetteville did not disappoint in what became a slugfest and back-and-forth showdown. Both teams scored in the 1st inning, but it was a 3-run home run for Arkansas, delivered by Kailey Wyckoff, that gave the Razorbacks a 3-1 lead early. However, Ole Miss came right back with 8 runs scored across the 2nd-4th innings, staking the Rebels to a 9-5 lead after 4.

Ashton Lansdell delivered the big blow in that stretch for the Rebels with a 2-run blast. After that, Ole Miss tried to hang on against the offense of the Razorbacks, though it would not come easily.

Arkansas was able to get the score to 9-6 in the 5th inning, and a dramatic finish to the top of the 7th kept the score right there. The Rebels were threatening to score throughout the inning, but Reagan Johnson ended the scoring threat with a hard grab up against the wall in center field.

That grab by Johnson gave Arkansas a chance in the bottom half of the 7th, and it looked like the Razorbacks might put together a rally to tie things up. The Razorbacks put the first 2 batters on base, bringing the tying run to the plate, and that potential tying run would be superstar slugger Bri Ellis with 1 out.

It looked like a picturesque moment for more magic from Ellis, but Ole Miss had other plans. Aliyah Binford caught Ellis looking for a massive 2nd out.

A walk and a passed ball eventually made it 9-7 and put the tying run on 2nd base and brought Wyckoff back to the plate. She would send a blast deep to right field, but not deep end, ending the game on a flyout.

While the game was a high-scoring affair, the ultimate X factor proved to be Ole Miss’s ability to handle Ellis at the plate. Ellis ended the game 0-for-3 with just one walk, and it will be important for the Rebels to keep that success if they have hopes of advancing to the WCWS.

The win for Ole Miss goes down as the first Super Regional victory in program history. The Rebels were previously 0-4 in their 2 previous trips to the Super Regionals.

Game 2 in Fayetteville is set for Saturday evening at 9 pm ET. The Razorbacks must win to force a decisive Game 3 while a win by the Rebels would send Ole Miss to its first-ever WCWS appearance.

The post Ole Miss hangs on, wins Super Regional opener vs. Arkansas in dramatic conclusion appeared first on Saturday Down South.

On Tuesday, Softball America named Ellis its Player of the Year for the season.

America's Best @briellis1 | @SoftbalAmerica pic.twitter.com/JevbFh5wnG

— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) May 20, 2025

A senior, Ellis has put together one of the sport’s all-time great individual seasons. The first baseman is slashing .457/.646/1.142 with an eye-popping OPS of 1.788. Ellis already has Arkansas’ single-season records for home runs (26) and RBI (72). She’s on track to finish with the program’s best single-season batting average (currently .457) and on-base percentage (currently .646). Ellis also owns 145 total bases, 64 walks and 64 runs scored.

Softball America began naming a national Player of the Year in 2019. Ellis is the first honoree representing the SEC. Players from Texas (Miranda Ellis, Reese Atwood) and Oklahoma (Joceylyn Alo) won the award as members of the Big 12.

In addition to Ellis, Softball America also recognized pitcher Robyn Herron as a second-team All-American and named third baseman Ella McDowell and pitcher Payton Burnham Freshman All-Americans. They have led the Razorbacks to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals. Arkansas and Ole Miss will play a best-of-3 series beginning Friday for a spot in the Women’s College World Series.

The post Arkansas softball standout Bri Ellis earns national Player of the Year honor appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The major news from the regional round involves Texas A&M, the No. 1 seed in the entire tournament, falling to Liberty. The Aggies became the first No. 1 seed to fail to reach the Super Regionals, and they were also the only team in the top 8 seeds this season to fail to advance.

That means the SEC still has 8 teams standing, including 7 of the host sites for the Super Regionals. No. 16 seed Oregon will host Liberty in the Eugene Super Regional after the Flames ousted Texas A&M.

Oklahoma, winner of the last 4 Women’s College World Series, leads the teams still standing as the No. 2 overall seed. The schedule for the Super Regionals begins on Thursday, May 22, and will run through Sunday, May 25, if needed.

Here are the matchups with host teams in bold:

• Oklahoma vs. Alabama — Norman Super Regional
• Florida vs. Georgia — Gainesville Super Regional
• Arkansas vs. Ole Miss — Fayetteville Super Regional
• Florida State vs. Texas Tech — Tallahassee Super Regional
• Texas vs. Clemson — Austin Super Regional
• Tennessee vs. Nebraska — Knoxville Super Regional
• South Carolina vs. UCLA — Columbia Super Regional
• Oregon vs. Liberty — Eugene Super Regional

The Super Regional round will be best 2 out of 3 at each site. The teams to win will advance to the Wommen’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

The post Women’s NCAA Tournament 2025: Super Regional matchups, schedule set appeared first on Saturday Down South.

In the regional round, Texas A&M found itself fighting for its life in the loser’s bracket. After an 18-0 opening win vs. Saint Francis, the Aggies lost their second game to Liberty, 8-5.

A&M was able to fight into Sunday’s regional championship with a 17-4 win over Marist, and the Aggies forced the do-or-die “if necessary” Game 7 after a 14-11 roller coaster win over Liberty. The Sunday evening nightcap also looked like things were in heavy favor of Texas A&M advancing to the Super Regionals for a 2nd straight season.

Unfortunately, the Aggies unraveled down the stretch after carrying a 3-0 lead into the 5th inning. That’s when Rachel Roupe got Liberty on the board with a solo shot in the 5th, but it was just the start of the fireworks for the Flames.

The devastating blow in the game came in the top of the 6th when Liberty scored 5 runs. A 2-run home run tied the score at 3-all, and Roupe stepped back to the plate with 2 runners on and 2 outs.

She broke the tie with a go-ahead HR, her 2nd of the day, and eventual game-winner for the Flames:

Texas A&M would get its chances, including a 2-run bottom of the 6th inning to make it a 6-5 game. The Aggies also put the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the 7th, but the Flames slammed the door shut.

In the process, Texas A&M becomes the only No. 1 seed in the history of the NCAA Tournament to fail to reach the Super Regional round. Seeding for the NCAA Tournament began in 2005. The Aggies are also the only top-8 seed to fail to advance this year.

After what was a magnificent regular season, it’s an epic disaster to end the year for the Aggies.

The post Texas A&M sets unfortunate history with regional round loss to Liberty appeared first on Saturday Down South.