LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Throughout the 2015 softball season, those of us at the NFCA will feature some of the sport’s highest-profile contests in our “Featured Five” Games of the Week segment.
Each weekly installment will be released on Thursday, providing live stat links, game notes, returnee info, Twitter accounts and any available broadcast links in hopes of becoming another source for fans to visit during the season for information on some of collegiate softball’s best games.
As the year continues, we will attempt to expand our focus to include match-ups throughout as many divisions as possible. This week’s featured games come from NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II.
We may not be able to highlight every division or big game each week, but our hope is to provide a spotlight for as many different teams and games as possible throughout 2015.
Make sure you follow the NFCA on social media through Twitter (@NFCAorg) and on Facebook (NFCA) and let us know what you think of our new “Featured Five” segment.
————————————————————————————————————————————
#6 Kentucky at #5 Florida State
Site: Renegade Classic (Tournament Site), JoAnne Graf Field, Tallahassee, Fla.
Date/ Game Time: Sat. Feb. 7 (12:00 p.m.) & Sun., Feb. 8 (12:30 p.m.)
Coverage: Live Stats
Twitter: @FSU_Softball | @UKsoftball
What Kentucky Returns: Kentucky is coming off the school’s best runs in two of the most prestigious tournaments in college softball. The Wildcats rolled to the Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship Game and earned a national seed in the NCAA Tournament. After winning the NCAA Lexington Regional for the second consecutive season, UK headed to No. 3 UCLA where it upset the Bruins and advanced to the school’s first-ever Women’s College World Series. Kentucky finished 2014 with a 50-19 record – the most wins in program history – a No. 6 final ranking – the highest in program history. 13 letterwinners return for 2015, including six starters and three pitchers. Senior catcher Griffin Joiner, who enters the season having started 184 consecutive games at catcher, hit .309 last season with 11 doubles, 10 homers, 39 RBI and 26 runs scored. Junior Kelsey Nunley had the best season in program history last spring, winning 30 games with a 1.88 ERA a 219 strikeouts, while guiding Kentucky to the World Series.
What Florida State Returns: The Seminoles return 12 players from a squad that went 55-9 and reached the 2014 Women’s College World Series. Two of those players include seniors Lacey Waldrop and Maddie O’Brien, both named to the 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year “Watch List.” Waldrop, the 2014 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, ACC Pitcher of the Year and NFCA First-Team All-American, led the nation with 38 wins and finished with a 1.13 ERA. Waldrop recorded eight shutouts and struck out 287 batters in 266.1 innings. O’Brien is coming off one of the best offensive years in program history in which she led the NCAA with 83 RBI and was second in the NCAA with 24 home runs and a .942 slugging percentage. Batting .424 with 17 doubles and 62 runs scored, she earned ACC Player of the Year, NFCA First-Team All-American honors and was a top-3 finalist for the 2014 Honda Award.
Some Additional Major Division I Games This Weekend:
#4 Oklahoma vs. #25 DePaul (Thurs., Feb. 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET – Honolulu, Hawaii) Live Stats
#24 Texas A&M at #7 UCLA (Fri., Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. ET – Los Angeles, Calif.) Live Stats | Audio
#22 Notre Dame at #7 UCLA (Fri., Feb. 6 at 9 p.m. ET – Los Angeles, Calif.) Live Stats | Audio
#11 Washington vs. #15 Minnesota (Fri., Feb. 6 at 4:30 ET – Las Vegas, Nev.) Live Stats
#24 Texas A&M at #7 UCLA (Fri., Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. ET – Los Angeles, Calif.) Live Stats | Audio
———————————————————————————————————————————–
#1 Florida vs. #8 Michigan
Site: USF Softball Classic (Tournament Central), USF Softball Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Date/ Game Time: Sat., Feb. 7 (1:30 p.m.)
Coverage: WGGG AM (Florida Radio) | Live Stats
Follow them on Twitter: @GatorZoneSBall | @umichsoftball
Michigan Game Notes
What Florida Returns: The defending champs return 14 letterwinners from a squad that won its first national championship in 2014. Tim Walton’s Gators racked up 55 wins and return two players in Lauren Haeger and Kelsey Stewart that were named to the USA Softball Player of the Year “Watch List.” A two-way threat, Haeger has earned NFCA All-Southeast Region First Team honors each of her first three years. The 2013 All-American stands tied for third on the Gators’ career home run list with 52, and also ranks among the all-time UF leaders in RBI (fourth, 189) and ERA (eighth, 2.01). The Peoria, Ariz., native ranked sixth in the country with a career-best 20 home runs in 2014, and also placed among the Southeastern Conference leaders in opponent’s batting average (second, .189) and ERA (fourth, 1.79). Stewart enjoyed a record-setting campaign in 2014, when she earned First Team All-America honors. The two-time USA Softball Women’s national team member led the SEC with a school-record 102 hits as a sophomore, while also leading her team in average (.438), runs scored (68), doubles (T-1st, 14), triples (six), stolen bases (36) and assists (114).
What Michigan Returns: Michigan (47-15) is coming off its seventh straight Big Ten Championship and a trip to the Super Regionals in which it fell to Florida State in three games. Head coach Carol Hutchins begins her 31st season and is the third winniniest coach in the NCAA (1,372). Junior shortstop Sierra Romero returns after a record-setting season in which she set single-season programs with a .491 batting average and 74 runs scored to go along with 11 doubles, 18 home runs and 72 RBI. The Wolverines return 100 percent of their inning pitched from last season. Senior Haylie Wagner is coming off an All-American season when she posted a record of 24-5 with a 1.82 ERA and six shutouts. Sophomore Megan Betsa, a top-10 finalist for NFCA Freshman of the Year, went 18-4 with a 2.15 ERA, five shutouts and 150 strikeouts in 130.1 innings, while holding opponents to a .190 batting average. Rounding out the staff is Sara Driesenga who is looking to rebound after an uncharacteristic junior season after posting 31 wins in 2013.
————————————————————————————————————————————
#3 Alabama at #23 South Alabama
Site: Jaguar Field, Mobile, Ala.
Date/ Game Time: Thursday, Feb. 5 (5:30 p.m. ET)
Coverage: Live Video
Follow them on Twitter: @AlabamaSB | @USAJaguarSports
Alabama Game Notes
What Alabama Returns: The Crimson Tide is coming off its ninth Women’s College World Series appearance in 2014, making it all the way to the championship game before falling to conference rival Florida. In addition, Alabama won its fifth SEC regular season championship in 2014. This year, Alabama returns 13 players from last year and welcomes five newcomers. Two-time All-American Haylie McCleney (.444, 12 2b, 4 3b, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 70 R, 34-37 SB) is back for her junior season after spending last summer playing for Team USA. She was named to the 2015 USA Softball Top 50 Player of the Year “Watch List” after finishing as a Top 10 finalist last season. Senior Jadyn Spencer was an All-Region honoree last season after slugging a team-leading 13 home runs. She batted .339 with 50 RBI and 37 runs scored. Sophomore Sydney Littlejohn led the SEC with a 1.49 ERA in 2014. She went 11-2 with three saves and held opponents to a .197 average.
What South Alabama Returns: The Jaguars return 11 letterwinners, including eight starters, from a squad that finished 42-14 overall and 15-6 in the Sunbelt. South Alabama reached the NCAA Regional Final for the third time in as many years, falling to their opponent and national runner-up Alabama. Of those eight starters, senior pitcher Farish Beard, who was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year “Watch List”, returns after finishing sixth in the NCAA with a 1.23 ERA. She went 22-7 struck out 224 in 164.2 innings and held opponents to a .141 batting average. Part of a balanced offense, sophomore Chloe Rathburn led the Jaguars with 34 RBI and tied for a team-best seven home runs. Stephanie Pinkington is the top returing hitter, batting .292 with 54 hits, 11 doubles and scored 30 runs, while Blair Johnson scored 32 runs with six doubles and 26 RBI.
————————————————————————————————————————————
#9 North Georgia at No. 12 Alabama-Huntsville (Charger Chillout)
Site: Tournament Central / Huntsville, Ala.
Date/ Game Time: Sun., Feb. 8, 2:00 p.m. ET
Coverage: N/A
Follow them on Twitter: @UNGSoftball | @uahchargers
What North Georgia Returns: North Georgia finished the 2014 campaign with a 47-11 ledger and No. 10 national ranking. Junior pitcher Courtney Poole returns after a 23-9 campaign in which she recorded nine shutouts, one save in a staff-best 217 innings She struck out 150 and held batters to a .210 batting average. She chipped in at the plate batting .351, recording 26 hits in 74 at bats with 13 RBI. At the plate, Kim McMillan is the Nighthawks’ top offensive player returning. She batted .366 with 63 hits, 15 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 51 RBI and 42 runs. Megan May added a .333 average with 28 runs, five doubles and was a perfect 14-for-14 in stolen bases.
What Alabama Huntsville Returns: UAH is coming off a 48-12 campaign in which it finished 12th in the final NFCA Poll after reaching the NCAA Super Regionals. Senior Victoria Frith and sophomores Kaitlyn Bannister and Tyler Harrison are the Chargers’ top returning offensive threats. Frith batted 394 with 76 hits, 58 runs and a .473 on base percentage, while swiping 39 bases. Bannister batted .388with 17 doubles, eight home runs, 60 RBI and 40 runs. Harrison posted a .364 average with 12 doubles, 50 RBI and 28 runs. In the circle, Kimberly Jack went 10-2 with a 1.49 ERA and eight saves in a relief role (39 app/3 starts) for the Chargers.
Some Additional Major Division II Games This Weekend:
UAH Charger Chillout (Feb 6-8, Huntsville, Ala.)
#9 North Georgia vs. #21 Indianapolis (Sat., Feb. 7 at 3:00 p.m. ET)
#21 Indianapolis at #12 Alabama-Huntsville (Sat., Feb 7 at 5:00 p.m. ET)
#5 Wayne State vs. #21 Indianapolis (Sun., Feb. 8 at 12:00 p.m. ET)
#16 St. Mary’s vs. New Haven (RV) (Leadoff Classic – Fri., Feb. 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET) Live Stats | Audio
————————————————————————————————————————————
#1 West Texas A&M (0-0) vs. #23 California Baptist (2-0) (NFCA Leadoff Classic)
Site: (Tournament Central), Lincoln Park, Tucson, Ariz.
Date/ Game Time: Fri., Feb. 6, 9:30 pm ET
Coverage: Live Stats
Follow them on Twitter: @WTSoftball | @CBUSoftball
What West Texas A&M Returns: The 2014 NCAA Division II National Champion Lady Buffs will look to carry-over the momentum of last season that saw the team claim the program’s first ever National Title as they finished the campaign with an overall record of 60-7 with a 23-4 mark in the Lone Star Conference, WT became just the fourth team in DII history to win 60 games in a season and claim the national title. NFCA DII National Coach of the Year Kevin Blaskowski enters his 10th season at WT, and his Lady Buffs return 13 letterwinners including six positional starters and all three pitchers from 2014. The Lady Buffs boast three players on the Schutt Sports/NFCA National Player of the Year Watch List, Renee Erwin, Allie Cranfill and Rita Hokianga. Erwin anchored a powerful WT offense (.349, 554 runs, 133 doubles, 105 HR), leading the team with a .459 averages with 20 doubles, 6 triples and 18 homeruns, 75 RBI and a 81 runs. Cranfill batted .361 with 18 doubles, a team-best 19 home runs and 79 RBI. In the circle, Hokianga was an All-American, who went 29-3 with a 2.11 ERA, eight shutouts and 283 strikeouts in 212.1 innings of work, while holding opponents to a .195 batting average.
What California Baptist Returns: The Lancers opened 2015 with a sweep of Cal State San Bernardino by the scores of 2-0 and 6-2. Transfer Loie Kesterson tossed a three-hit shutout in game one, while Kailey Willingham went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run in the nightcap.
The defending PacWest champions and super regional participants return 12 players from a season ago. Preseason PacWest Pitcher of the Year Belinda Renne is coming off a 2014 campaign in which she won 29 games with a career-low 2.70 ERA with 122 strikeouts, 31 complete games and 223 innings pitched. At the plate, Krista Mann, as a rookie, paced the offense with a team-high .434 average, 82 hits, 15 doubles, three triples, 61 runs and 54 RBI. Savannah Miller batted .398 with 68 hits, 17 doubles, three triples and four long balls, while scoring 51 runs and knocking in 47.