2017 College Softball Season: Week Thirteen Review

Week thirteen of the 2017 college softball season is over as is the regular season for most of the teams in the country. With conference tournaments starting this week, we take one final day-by-day look at the regular season action on the diamond.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

#1 Florida and #2 Florida State met in Tallahassee with the Seminoles coming out on top in a great 11 inning battle. The Gators scored in the top of the first on Janell Wheaton’s single to left field. FSU tied the game in the bottom of the inning via Jessica Warren’s solo shot. The game remained tied at one until the bottom of the 11th inning when Korina Rosario led off with a triple and Alex Powers hit a two run walk off home run two batters later for 3-1 win. Kelly Barnhill suffered her first loss of the season after pitching 10 1/3 innings where she struck out 21.

ICYMI: The No. 2 Seminoles took down No. 1 Florida last night on a walk-off, two-run home run by Alex Powers! #SPARK pic.twitter.com/QDq7bS43f6

— FSU Softball (@FSU_Softball) May 4, 2017

Texas-San Antonio swept Texas Tech in a doubleheader with 3-2 and 6-3 victories. UTSA got out to a 2-0 lead before Texas Tech came back with solo shots in the fifth and seventh innings from Devon Thomey and Raina O’Neal to tie the game. In the ninth inning, Celeste Loughman delivered her only hit of the game, which brought home the winning run. The Roadrunners won the second game thanks to a two-run shot by Loughman and three RBIs from Bailee Baldwin.

#6 Oklahoma won 3-0 over Oklahoma State to clinch their sixth straight Big 12 title. The Sooners did not score until the fourth inning on Macey Hatfield’s double field and then put up two more runs in the fifth on a single by Fale Aviu. Paige Parker went 5 1/3 innings allowing two walks and four hits with 8 strikeouts while Paige Lowary got her fifth save of the season with 1 2/3 perfect innings.

Ball game!#Sooners continue their historic run by winning their 6th straight Big 12 title with a 3-0 shutout over Oklahoma State! pic.twitter.com/Yy2Hh2jwzg

— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) May 4, 2017

#7 Washington won 3-1 over Seattle as Morganne Flores hit a three-run home run in the third inning. Seattle got one run back in the fourth inning, but Samantha Manti shut the door on them with 3 2/3 perfect innings as she struck out five.

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Florida Gulf Coast split a doubleheader against Lipscomb. Game one was a 10-2 Lipscomb win as Destinee Brewer, Caitlin Plocheck, and Hannah Devault all recorded 2 RBIs. Game two was a 3-2 win for FGCU as they needed extra innings to get there. The Eagles led 2-0, but Chloe Yeager tied the game with a two run shot. Florida Gulf Coast won in the ninth inning on a single to left field from Bri Innamorato.

New Mexico State won 5-4 over Florida Atlantic. FAU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before Nikki Butler hit a two run home run for the Aggies. Florida Atlantic took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth thanks to three runs, but NMSU tied the game in the bottom of the inning on Victoria Castro’s two run home run. Kelsey Horton drove home the eventual game winning run in the bottom of the fifth.

Army posted two big wins over Siena on the road. Katie Ontiveros recorded 3 RBIs as Lacey Swafford and Sam Hartman both had 2 RBIs. Caroline Smith threw five innings of four hit ball in the 10-1 win. Game two saw Kristen West throw a one hitter in an 8-0 win. Alee Rashenskas and Amelia Trotter had 2 RBIs apiece while Gladys Esparza-Gallegos went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.

Furman won a pair of games over Chattanooga to take the series over the Mocs. Game one was a defensive battle with Chattanooga taking a 1-0 lead on Aly Walker’s solo shot. The Paladins came back in the fifth to score two runs on Casey Bingham’s two run single as Lindsey Bert threw a complete game allowing two hits with 11 strikeouts in the 2-1 win. Game two saw Furman take a 4-0 lead with four different batters recording an RBI. Emily Demonte got the win, her 10th of the season, and Bert came on for the save.

Friday, May 5, 2017

South Carolina defeated #18 LSU thanks to a four run fifth inning. LSU took a 3-0 lead in the fourth as Emily Griggs hit a two-run single. Alyssa VanDerveer brought one run home for South Carolina before they put up four in the fifth. Victoria Williams hit a two run double to make it 5-3 before LSU scored a run in the seventh, but it was not enough as South Carolina won 5-4.

#21 Ole Miss had a pair of three run innings as they shut out Missouri 6-0. The Rebels were had just two baserunners in the first four innings, but broke through in the fifth and sixth innings with three runs apiece. Five different hitters recorded an RBI with Courtney Syrett recording two. Kaitlin Lee went the distance allowing one walk and four hits while striking out two.

#9 Auburn and #14 Alabama needed 9 innings to decide a winner with the Tigers coming out on top 3-0. In the ninth inning, Auburn scored on an errant throw and then tripled the lead on Kendall Veach’s two-run double to left field. Kaylee Carlson went all 9 innings allowing three walks and five hits while striking out three. Auburn drew 12 walks led by Kasey Cooper’s three and a total of eight different batters drawing at least one.

Oregon State delivered a shock 5-0 shutout of #10 Utah. Oregon State started the scoring in the second inning on a single by Kayleen Shafer before a 4 run burst in the fifth inning put them well in front. Alysha Everett doubled home two runs and Lovie Lopez also had an RBI double. Taylor Cotton went the distance allowing only one hit and five walks.

#12 UCLA posted a run-rule victory over #3 Arizona. The first two innings were quiet, but they gave way to a lively final three innings. Kylee Perez opened the scoring with an RBI double and Brianna Tautalafua brought home two more runs on a double. A run in the fourth made it 4-0 before Madeline Jelenicki brought home another with a single in the fifth. The game ended with Bubba Nickles hitting a three run home run in the fifth for an 8-0 UCLA victory.

WHOA BUBBA!!!

Bubba Nickles walks it off with a homer for @UCLASoftball and the @OpusBank #12Best Moment! #Pac12SB pic.twitter.com/aoMPvBZpyO

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) May 6, 2017

#4 Minnesota clinched a share of the Big 10 Regular Season title with a crushing 11-1 win over Penn State. The Gophers scored 6 runs in the first two innings and cruised the rest of the way. Both Kendyl Lindaman and Maddie Houlihan recorded 3 RBIs as Sara Groenewegen allowed one hit and two walks with 12 strikeouts over 6 innings.

Fresno State had a strong 5-0 win over New Mexico to keep a few streaks alive. Kierra Willis went 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs with one in both the fourth and fifth innings as Lindsey Willmon had a 2 for 3 day with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Kamalani Dung went seven innings, allowed three hits, and struck out 7 batters. The win gave Fresno State their 30th of the season, which marks their 36th straight season with at least 30 wins. It also kept their Mountain West title hopes alive.

#FresnoState extended its nation-best string of 30-win seasons tonight. The Bulldogs have won 30 or more games for 36 straight years.

— MWC Softball (@MWCsoftball) May 6, 2017

Saturday, May 6, 2017

A day after clinching a share of the Big 10 title, #4 Minnesota won it outright with a 14-1 victory over Penn State. Six first inning runs propelled the Gophers to the victory as Dani Wagner went 3 for 3 with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored. The duo of Sara Groenewegen and Allie Arneson had 2 RBIs and Minnesota reached 50 wins for the first time in program history.

Oh by the way…
That victory also gave the #Gophers 50 wins for the first time in program history! pic.twitter.com/Cuc3XbqZOg

— Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) May 6, 2017

The Big 10’s second place team, #19 Michigan, blew the doors off Rutgers with 6-1 and 19-1 wins. The Wolverines put the 25 runs on 34 hits led by Aidan Falk’s 4 for 7 day with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored and Katie Alexander going 2 for 3 with 5 RBIs and 2 runs scored in the second game. Tera Blanco had 4 RBIs on the day while picking up the win in game two.

Oregon State upset #10 Utah for the second consecutive day. Utah led 1-0 after five following BreOnna Castaneda’s solo home run. The Beavers tied the game in the sixth on an error and then took the lead via a two-run infield single by Shelby Weeks. Taylor Cotton went all seven innings allowing one run on two hits and five walks as Oregon State won 3-1.

#5 Oregon defeated #2 Florida State twice in a doubleheader in Eugene. Game one was an 11-0 win as the Ducks got to Meghan King early and knocked hour in the third inning. Oregon scored five runs apiece in the third and fourth innings with equal production across the lineup with seven different batters recording an RBI.

Game two was much more competitive as FSU took a lead early in the contest on Carsyn Gordon’s RBI single. Jessica Burroughs held Oregon scoreless until the sixth inning when the Ducks scored quickly. Mia Camuso tied the game with a double and Jenna Lilley made it 2-1 on a single. They added a third run and Maggie Balint set the Seminoles down in order in the top of the seventh.

JUST DUCKY.

Here’s how No. 5 @oregonsb outscored No. 2 FSU 14-1 in today’s doubleheader sweep! pic.twitter.com/YAQH93QbaX

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) May 7, 2017

Stanford defeated #7 Washington handily with Kiana Pancino throwing a one-hitter. The Cardinal were led by Whitney Burks 2 for 4 day with 4 RBIs and Kristina Inouye going 4 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

#12 UCLA shut out #3 Arizona for the second straight day. Madeline Jelenicki opened the scoring with a three-run shot in the bottom of the first and Kylee Perez added a two-run shot in the fifth. Jelenicki drove home the fourth run on a sacrifice fly as Selina Ta’amilo improved to 13-0 after allowing 3 hits in 4 1/3 innings.

#9 Auburn took their first series ever in Tuscaloosa as they defeated #14 Alabama 4-1. The game was scoreless until the fifth when Carlee Wallace walked with the bases loaded. Alyssa Rivera cleared the bases with a 3 run double while the Tide were able to only get one back in the sixth.

#6 Oklahoma finished off the regular season in style with a combined no-hitter from Nicole Mendes and Paige Lowary. The Sooners only scored one run, a solo shot by Mendes in the sixth inning. Lowary ended up with the win after pitching 4 1/3 innings of relief to improve to 13-2.

Northern Iowa played two against Illinois State and took both contests to close the gap in the Missouri Valley to one game between the teams. The Panthers outscored the Redbirds 19-3 over the two games with Kennedy Bailey hitting a grand slam and three-run home run in the first game. Macey Wolfe (3 RBIs), Ashley Chesser (2 RBIs), and Sammy Bunch (2 RBIs) led the offense in the second game with multiple RBIs.

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Despite missing out on the Big 10 regular-season title, #19 Michigan ended the regular season with a dominant 20-0 win over Rutgers for the sweep. The offense was on fire getting 19 hits and 7 different batters recording multiple RBIs. The duo of Megan Betsa and Tera Blanco combined to throw a no-hitter with each allowing one walk.

Fordham destroyed La Salle 12-1 in five innings to clinch their fifth straight Atlantic 10 title. The Rams took a 3-0 lead after two innings and led 3-1 after three before their 8 run outburst in the fourth. Chelsea Skrepenak went 2 for 3 with 5 RBIs including a grand slam in the fourth inning.

RAMS WIN!!! Rundlett strikes out two and the Rams win 12-1!!! A-10 REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS!!!!! pic.twitter.com/DQRWsvBJNF

— Fordham Softball (@FordhamSoftball) May 7, 2017

Northern Iowa, needing a sweep of Illinois State on the road to win the Missouri Valley title, won 8-2 over the Redbirds to win their first title since 2012. The Panthers led 3-0 after the top of the second and never looked back. Sammey Bunch had 3 RBIs and Bailey Lange had 2 RBIs. UNI is rewarded with the #1 seed in the MVC Tournament, which will be right back in Normal, Illinois, home of the Illinois State Redbirds.

And congrats to @UNISoftball — Co-Regular Season Champs and the top seed for the #MVCSoftball Championship! UNI also 20-6 in MVC action. pic.twitter.com/f0MNAMirtT

— Missouri Valley (@MVCsports) May 7, 2017

#11 Tennessee won 8-6 over #8 Texas A&M to take the series after falling in game one. The game went back and forth with Tennessee leading 1-0 in the top of the first, the Aggies took a 2-1 lead on Tori Vidales in the bottom of the first, and Meghan Gregg gave it back to the Vols in second on a grand slam.

Vidales hit another home run in the third and the Vols expanded the lead to 8-3 after six. It was Vidales again in the bottom of the seventh that closed the deficit to 8-6 on her third home run of the game, but the Aggies were unable to score again. Vidales went 3 for 4 with 6 RBIs and 3 runs scored and Meghan Gregg went 2 for 4 with 5 RBIs for the Vols.

#14 Alabama defeated #9 Auburn to prevent a sweep in the regular-season finale for both squads. Auburn loaded the bases in both the first and second innings, yet came away with zero to show for it. Haley Fagan broke through for the Tigers with a solo home run in the top of the third before the Tide hit back for three in the bottom half. Gabby Callaway brought a run home on a single and Marisa Runyon doubled home two runs in back-to-back at-bats. Fagan closed the gap to 3-2 with another solo shot in the fifth.

#3 Arizona won 7-2 over #12 UCLA as they clinched the Pac-12 Regular Season title and the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats put up four in the top of the first via Jessie Harper’s grand slam and then added three more in the third. The Bruins were able to scratch up two runs and Danielle O’Toole threw the complete game.

#5 Oregon swept #2 Florida State with a walk-off 2-1 win. The Ducks and Seminoles were tied at one going into the bottom of the ninth where Danica Mercado led off with a double. Two batters later, Gwen Svekis brought Mercado home on a sacrifice fly.