Invoice ConnellyApr 16, 2025, 07:35 AM ET
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- Invoice Connelly is a author for ESPN. He covers faculty soccer, football and tennis. He has been at ESPN since 2019.
The 2025 faculty softball season has been rolling for over two months, and we’ve got observed numerous anticipated (the SEC is otherworldly) and sudden plot strains (Oklahoma is susceptible? Oregon is a contender?) to this point.
In case you are a one-season-at-a-time particular person, on the other hand, then with faculty hoops wrapping up final week, it’s possible you’ll most effective now be dipping your toe into the diamond sports activities waters. We are about 4 weeks from picks for the NCAA event and 6 weeks from the Ladies’s School Global Sequence. If you have not already, now’s as just right a time to throw your self into the 2025 softball season. So listed here are 5 number one plot strains that can assist you to your quest:
Bounce to:
OU-Texas rematch? | Severe contenders
Surprises | Mid-major spoilers
Absolute best pitchers
1. Are we going to finally end up with any other Oklahoma-Texas finale?
Somewhat perhaps! However it is not a given.
It was once simple to method the 2025 season as a protracted run-up to any other Purple River finale. Oklahoma and Texas have met in two of the previous 3 WCWS finals, and Mike White’s whole Texas tenure has principally been outlined by way of A. rampant good fortune and B. dropping to the Sooners. He is 3-19 in opposition to Patty Gasso’s four-time protecting nationwide champions (a zero.136 win proportion) and 258-64-2 in opposition to everybody else (0.799).
The Longhorns and Sooners have been ranked first and 2d, respectively, in final week’s most sensible 25 rating, having began the season a mixed 73-6. However they went 2-4 this previous weekend, and neither are first within the SEC at the moment: That honor recently belongs to Texas A&M (11-3 in convention play). Oklahoma and Texas have dropped sequence to Tennessee — extra particularly, Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens (3-0 with a 1.69 ERA as opposed to the Longhorns and Sooners) — up to now few weeks, and the Sooners misplaced two of 3 to Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
There may be not anything truly unsuitable with both group right here. With regards to pitching and hitting, they have got been amongst the SEC’s easiest — however now not the most productive since it is beautiful exhausting to face out on this convention.
This is the place every SEC group stood referring to OPS created and allowed in convention play via Sunday. (OPS = on-base proportion plus slugging proportion, a not unusual approach of taking a look at an offense’s potency and explosiveness.)
It does not come with Alabama’s Monday night win over Oklahoma.
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Even prior to scoring just one run in 8 innings Monday, Oklahoma ranked simply 6th within the league in OPS — fourth in slugging proportion (and primary in house run fee) however tenth in on-base proportion. It’s been reasonably all or not anything, scoring no less than six runs in six SEC video games but in addition scoring two or fewer 5 instances. In the meantime, the Sooners’ total pitching stats are cast, however they are it seems that now not intended for pitchers’ duels: They have got scored underneath 4 runs seven instances this season, and they are 2-5 in the ones video games.
Even for a group with OU’s energy, occasionally you need to win battles of attrition. The Sooners did, finally, win a 1-0 resolution over UCLA in final 12 months’s WCWS, and so they needed to win two epic pitchers’ duels in opposition to NiJaree Canady and Stanford in 2023. They don’t seem to be doing that this season, no less than now not but.
Texas, in the meantime, is fourth within the league in OPS and primary in OPS allowed. Veteran catcher Reese Atwood nonetheless instructions a frightening offense, and Teagan Kavan headlines a deep pitching group of workers. The Horns averaged over seven runs in SEC play prior to this previous weekend’s seek advice from from Pickens and the Vols, however they scored simply 5 runs in 3 video games. We will see if that was once a crimson flag or only a unhealthy weekend, however after webhosting LSU this coming weekend, they are going to seek advice from Norman for what as soon as gave the look of the most important sequence of the season. Now it is simply any other week in a loaded SEC.
2. Who else is in severe competition?
The SEC boasts 8 of the highest 11 groups (and 13 of the highest 23) within the RPI ratings. Extra particularly, it boasts every other severe name contenders. Listed below are 3:
Texas A&M (37-5, 15-5 vs. RPI most sensible 25): The Aggies are first total in RPI, and because losing two of 3 to Florida in early March, they have got gained 16 of 17, together with a three-game sweep of then-No. 6 LSU this previous weekend. They do not boast reasonably as a lot firepower as a large number of different contenders (they are 73rd in house run fee), however they at all times have baserunners in scoring place. The Aggies are ranked 6th nationally in on-base proportion — Mya Perez and Amari Harper are getting on base over 55% of the time — and so they scored 25 runs on LSU in 3 video games with simply two homers.
Florida (37-9, 10-8 vs. RPI most sensible 25): The Gators took Oklahoma to the threshold in final season’s WCWS, and they’ve the pop that A&M does not: They are ranked 7th nationally in house run fee and eleventh in runs in keeping with recreation. 5 gamers have hit double-digit house runs, led by way of 2d baseman Mia Williams, who hit 3 in a chain win over then-No. 19 Ole Pass over this previous weekend. Their pitching is not as strong as A&M’s — they allowed 42 runs in six SEC losses — however they are able to ruin a softball.
Tennessee (34-9, 10-8 vs. RPI most sensible 25): Tennessee’s offense lacks in comparison to maximum contenders. But when you’ll take 4 of six video games in opposition to OU and Texas, permitting simply 14 overall runs within the procedure, you’ll beat any person at any time. Karlyn Pickens is 17-4 with a zero.94 ERA — it may not take an excessive amount of offense from Taylor Pannell (13 HRs, 49 RBIs) and corporate to take the Vols some distance in Oklahoma Town.
play
2:14
Pickens breaks down two days of brilliance for Girl Vols
After firing a whole recreation for the second one day in a row and placing out 10 in No. 5 Tennessee’s 4-1 win over No. 1 Texas, Karlyn Pickens says all her pitches have been running.
Florida State (40-6, 9-6 vs. RPI most sensible 25): After a cast nonconference run, the Seminoles are 14-1 within the ACC and, this previous weekend, outscored California — a group ranked within the preseason — by way of a mixed 35-7 in a three-game sweep. The Seminoles are within the country’s most sensible 15 in principally the entirety: runs in keeping with recreation (8th), runs allowed (tenth), on-base proportion for (thirteenth) and in opposition to (9th), and so forth. And so they beat Florida 4-0 in early April, too.
UCLA (40-5, 6-4 vs. RPI most sensible 25): Together with fellow newcomer Oregon, Kelly Inouye-Perez’s Bruins are the category in their new convention, having long past 12-1 to begin Large Ten lifestyles. Whilst their nonconference agenda wasn’t reasonably as packed as others, they are nonetheless 6th nationally in OPS and fourth in OPS allowed. Megan Grant has hit 5 house runs in her previous 4 video games (she has 22 total), Jordan Woolery has produced a 1.397 OPS with extra homers (9) than strikeouts (5), and the Bruins can throw 3 distinctive attainable aces at you.
Oregon (38-4, 3-0 vs. RPI most sensible 25): Oregon’s agenda hasn’t given the Geese that many marquee alternatives (their RPI ranks most effective twentieth total), however they’ve overwhelmed all 3 RPI most sensible 25 groups they’ve confronted (Tennessee as soon as, FSU two times), and they’ve a big-time offense (fourth in runs in keeping with recreation) to pair with the dominance of pitcher Lyndsey Grein. They’re going to host UCLA on this weekend’s maximum telling sequence.
Arizona (36-7, 6-2 vs. RPI most sensible 25): The Wildcats cut up extra-inning affairs with Texas (loss) and UCLA (win) in nonconference play, and because an 0-2 get started within the Large 12, they are 13-3. They swept Kansas by way of a mixed 28-4 final weekend. We will see if the pitching holds up, however they are 5th nationally in on-base proportion, and part in their batting lineup has an OPS of no less than 1.181, led by way of Sydney Stewart’s 1.320.
South Carolina (32-10, 15-9 vs. RPI most sensible 25), LSU (35-8, 8-7), Mississippi State (33-11, 8-6) and Arkansas (31-9, 7-9) also are well-positioned to make massive runs from the SEC. Virginia Tech (36-5, 6-4), Duke (30-13, 5-9) and Texas Tech (34-9, 4-7) are different attainable non-SEC contenders.
3. Who’re the happiest surprises to this point?
Of the 9 number one contenders I discussed above, six have been within the most sensible seven within the preseason ratings, and most effective Arizona (seventeenth) and Oregon (twenty third) ranked worse than twelfth. Out of doors of the Wildcats and Geese, listed here are 3 extra groups that experience exceeded expectancies to this point. All have been unranked within the preseason.
Clemson (35-11, 5-6 vs. RPI most sensible 25): The Tigers have been voted 7th within the preseason ACC ballot, however they are recently 3rd within the standings and 31-5 since a 3-6 get started. They have got given up 36 house runs (253rd nationally), however they have got hit 65 of their very own (tied for twelfth) — 25 from the mix of Julia Knowler and Maddie Moore. Tuesday evening’s 2-1 win over South Carolina introduced beautiful cast evidence of thought.
South Carolina (32-11, 15-10 vs. RPI most sensible 25): The Gamecocks were SEC also-rans for reasonably some time, however in Ashley Chastain’s first season in fee, they have got been sturdy. They swept Duke in early March, and in their 8 SEC losses, 5 were by way of only one run, together with Sunday’s 5-4 loss at Arkansas and all 3 defeats in a slim sweep at Oklahoma.
Florida Atlantic (35-9, 2-0 vs. RPI most sensible 25): Recently the highest-ranked mid-major, in keeping with RPI, the Owls beat Ole Pass over and Clemson within the opening week of the season. Whilst the pitching has faltered in a contemporary tough patch — they are simply 3-4 of their previous seven video games — ace Autumn Courtney (18-2, 1.92 ERA) has nonetheless been most commonly superior. Their hitters make consistent touch, and 5 of 9 regulars are batting no less than .331.
4. FAU apart, who’re the possibly mid-major spoilers?
It hasn’t been an overly pleasant 12 months for the mid-majors of the arena in lots of sports activities, with the SEC and Large Ten additional consolidating their cash benefits and gear convention groups occupying all 32 spots within the fresh Candy 16s in males’s and ladies’s basketball.
No mid-majors reached final 12 months’s tremendous regionals both, however 10 nonetheless reached regional finals — amongst others, Southeastern Louisiana eradicated Clemson and Grand Canyon eradicated Virginia Tech — and lots have some famous person energy to supply within the coming weeks. FAU and its energetic bats have been discussed above; listed here are 5 extra attainable Cinderellas to observe when the postseason rolls round.
Liberty (36-9 total, 2-5 vs. RPI most sensible 20, twenty ninth in RPI). The Flames are confirmed entities, having made two directly regional finals and beating Georgia, UCLA and Tennessee during the last 4 NCAA tournaments. They scored a 7-6 win over Alabama early within the season and knocked off Virginia (twenty fifth in RPI) final week, and they’ve a tight ace in Elena Escobar (16-3, 2.23 ERA).
ELENA. ESCOBAR. percent.twitter.com/qdPnNP9qaM
— Liberty Softball (@LibertySB) April 5, 2025
Grand Canyon (34-6 total, 0-3 vs. RPI most sensible 20, thirty fifth in RPI). The Lopes have overwhelmed Virginia Tech and UCLA up to now two NCAA tournaments. They are 34-3 in opposition to groups out of doors the RPI most sensible 25, and so they just about earned massive upsets early within the season, falling 6-4 to Florida and in more innings in opposition to Arizona. They are 3rd nationally in ERA, with the duo of Taryn Batterton and Meghan Golden going a mixed 25-1 with a mixed 1.35 ERA. Batterton close out Arizona State on Tuesday evening.
Coastal Carolina (32-12 total, 1-0 vs. RPI most sensible 20, forty first in RPI). The Chanticleers beat South Carolina in March and are 6-2 in opposition to energy convention fighters. They may be able to outslug simply nearly any person: They are thirteenth nationally in house run fee, led by way of Delaney Keith’s 17 dingers. After a bumpy fresh run — they went 6-8 from March 15 to April 8 — they swept lowly Georgia State to doubtlessly get again on target.
Belmont (30-11, 0-1 vs. RPI most sensible 20, 57th in RPI) and Marist (30-6, 0-0 vs. RPI most sensible 20, one hundred and first in RPI). I am citing those two groups on account of pitching. In Maya Johnson (17-3, 1.07 ERA), Belmont has the most productive strikeout pitcher within the nation (261 Ks in 144⅓ innings, together with 12 in an early-season win over Arizona State). And in Kiley Myers (15-1, 0.71 ERA), Marist has the country’s ERA chief. She’s given up most effective two homers all 12 months, none since Feb. 22.
5. Any individual pitching higher than NiJaree Canady?
Perhaps the most important tale of the offseason was once Stanford’s NiJaree Canady now not most effective shifting to Texas Tech however doing so with a seven-figure NIL deal. Canady was once otherworldly with the Cardinal, going 41-10 with a zero.67 ERA over two seasons. You will not be stunned, then, to be told that she’s been fantastic in Lubbock, too: 17-4 with a zero.72 ERA. And by hook or by crook the ones numbers nearly understate her dominance — of her 127 innings pitched, 113⅓ have come in opposition to energy convention fighters, and 40 got here in opposition to Texas, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Oklahoma State. Her ERA in opposition to the ones 5 contenders is 1.05.
That she’s 2d within the country in total ERA, at the back of Marist’s Myers (0.71), in spite of this energy of agenda speaks volumes. (She’s additionally batting .316 with a 1.151 OPS and 6 house runs in 57 at-bats.)
Tech’s offense has been a little of a subject matter — the Purple Raiders are thirty ninth in runs in keeping with recreation (6.3) and forty fifth in OPS (0.900) and have been held to a complete of 5 runs in six losses to South Carolina (two times), Texas (two times), OSU and MSU. However they are 14-1 in Large 12 play, and anytime Canady is at the mound, Tech has a possibility. “Pitcher” would possibly most effective be 2d to “quarterback” a number of the unmarried maximum essential positions in a group game, and Tech has the most productive one.
If Tech’s bats cannot grasp up its finish of the discount, there are many different pitchers, with doubtlessly more potent supporting casts, who may just change into dominant forces within the WCWS in a couple of extra weeks.
Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee. She struck out 13 in 7⅓ innings in a 1-0 loss to Oregon. She close out Duke in a 1-0 win. And because giving up six runs (3 earned) to Arkansas on March 22, she’s made seven appearances — all in opposition to both Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi State or Arkansas — and has long past 6-0, permitting 5 earned runs and one house run with 38 strikeouts in 35 innings. That is absurd. Like Canady, Pickens would possibly now not finally end up getting the offensive fortify she wishes in Would possibly and June. However she undoubtedly does not want a lot.
Lyndsey Grein, Oregon. The junior and previous Virginia Tech famous person has been the most productive switch west of Lubbock; she’s 22-1 this season with 152 strikeouts in 121 innings, and he or she outdueled Pickens in February and close out Florida State in March. If she quiets UCLA’s bats this weekend, that may ship reasonably the message to the remainder of the rustic about what the Geese are able to this spring.
Kenzie Brown, Arizona State. ASU is a cast however unspectacular 31-14 total and thirty fifth in RPI. However the Solar Devils are 21-6 when Brown pitches (and 10-8 when she does not). She’s 18-4 with a 1.18 ERA and a strikeout fee of 41.9%, higher than Canady’s 41.4% and at the back of most effective that of Belmont’s Johnson (50.5%). Within the postseason, when the pitching rotation shrinks and Brown’s percentage of innings rises, ASU goes to be a very difficult out.
Teagan Kavan, Texas. Texas boasts cast pitching intensity, with 4 righties recording no less than 40 innings and an total No. 3 rating in OPS allowed. However Kavan, a 6-foot sophomore, is the ace. She’s 8th nationally in strikeout fee (34.3%) and 18th in OPS allowed (0.517). Since an up-and-down February, she’s long past 14-2 with a 1.05 ERA. OU will constitute without equal check for her subsequent week: As a freshman, she allowed 8 earned runs and 4 house runs in six innings in opposition to the Sooners.
Sam Landry, Oklahoma. The bespectacled Louisiana switch is 13-3 with a 1.77 ERA. After falling right into a late-March funk — 13 of her 25 earned runs allowed got here in a three-game, five-day pattern in opposition to Wichita State and Tennessee — she’s allowed simply 4 earned runs and 23 baserunners in her previous 23⅔ innings, all in opposition to groups within the RPI most sensible 30 (Alabama, Oklahoma State and UCF).
Taking a look particularly at performances in opposition to energy convention fighters, those 5 were as just right as on the subject of any person … and just about as just right as Canady.
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Let’s give a handy guide a rough shoutout to at least one extra pitcher, Nebraska’s Jordy Bahl. She is 14th nationally with a 1.44 ERA (1.86 in opposition to energy convention fighters) and in addition batting .392 with a 1.241 OPS and 7 house runs in 74 at-bats. In a two-game sweep final weekend in opposition to Northwestern, she gave up one run with 11 strikeouts in 5 innings and went 5-for-7 with two homers and 7 RBIs.
