Throughout the 2017 softball season, the NFCA will feature some of the sport’s highest-profile contests in our “Featured Five” Games of the Week.
Each weekly installment will be released on Thursday, providing live stat links, game notes, team info, social media accounts and any available broadcast links in hopes of becoming another reason for fans to visit us 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 matchups throughout as many divisions as possible. This week’s featured games come from the NCAA Division I and III.
Make sure you follow the NFCA on our social media (NFCAorg) through Twitter, (Periscope), Instagram and on Facebook and let us know what you think of our “Featured Five” segment.
DIII
No. 10 Wisconsin-Eau Claire (14-2) at No. 17 Central (17-3) (Iowa)
April 1 – 3 & 5 p.m. ET | Central College Softball Field | Pella, Iowa
Follow: Watch | Live Stats (G1/G2)
On Twitter: @UWECSoftball | @CentralSB1
Stats: Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Central (Iowa)
Wisconsin-Eau Claire: The Blugolds headed into Friday’s doubleheader at Simpson on a five-game win streak and had won 11 of their last 12 games. … On the final day of their spring trip, the freshman tandem of Cheyenne Johnson and Stephanie Wilczynski combined to no-hit Thomas College in a 12-1 five-inning victory. … Wisconsin-Eau Claire went 11-1 in Florida. … Five players in the regular lineup are hitting .350 or better, including senior Sam Noetzelman (.450), junior Carlie Christensen (.389, three doubles), seniors Leah Wolff (.375) and Emily Pomykalski (.353) and sophomore Emma Lehman (.350).
Central (Iowa): The Dutch have won five straight after sweeping Tuesday’s doubleheader at Grinnell. … Central is 2-0 at home this season and went 13-3 on its trip to Arizona. … Five starters are hitting higher than .400 and have scored double figures in runs, led by junior Tabitha Taylor (.460, 18 runs, seven doubles, two triples, 18 RBI) and including sophomore Emily Wilson (.446, 18 runs, five doubles, two triples, three homers, 23 RBI), freshman Sara Tallman (.433, 20 runs), senior Felicia Schulty (.409, 10 runs) and junior Paige Dickel (.404, 16 runs, six doubles, 14 RBI). … Three pitchers are splitting time in the circle, led by senior Karly Olson (51 innings, 6-2 record, two solo shutouts, 41 strikeouts), sophomore Mariah Fritz (6-1, four earned runs over 43 innings, 0.65 ERA) and junior Annie DeVries (5-0, three complete games).
Other notable Division III games (All times ET)
March 30
3 p.m. (DH) — No. 9 Messiah at No. 23 Lebanon Valley — Live stats
4:30 p.m. (DH) — No. 22 Wisconsin-La Crosse at No. 25 St. Thomas (Minn.)
April 1
1 p.m. (DH) — No. 13 Kean at Ramapo —Live stats
3 p.m. (DH) — No. 22 Wisconsin-La Crosse at No. 18 Wisconsin-Whitewater —Live stats
DI
No. 13 UCLA (24-8, 0-3 Pac-12) at No. 8 Washington (26-6, 3-3 Pac-12)
March 31-April 2 / 6 p.m. / 4 p.m. / 5 p.m. PST | Husky Softball Stadium | Seattle, Wash.
Follow: Live Stats | Watch (G1 / G2 / G3)
On Twitter: @uclasoftball | @UWSoftball
Statistics: UCLA | Washington
The Series: The Bruins lead the all-time series with Washington 53-33 and hold a 24-17 record in games in Seattle… UCLA has won three straight series at Washington (2012, 2014, 2015), all by 2-1 counts… Last season at Easton Stadium, the Huskies claimed the series with victories in two of the three games.
UCLA (Preview / Game Notes): The Bruins rebounded from an opening Pac-12 sweep with three non-conference wins, two in a twinbill sweep of No. 25 BYU… Rachel Garcia earned Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Week honors as she recorded a win and a save in the circle with 10 strikeouts in 7 2/3 shutout innings, while adding three hits in nine at-bats… The Bruins recorded the program’s 1,800th victory with their win last Sunday against Dartmouth… UCLA is tied for seventh in the country in home runs (37) and 18th in slugging (.509) entering this week’s play… Eight of UCLA’s 37 homers have been hit on the first pitch of an at-bat.
Washington: The Huskies look to rebound from a Pac-12 series sweep at No. 4 Arizona last week, which snapped their winning streak at 12 games… Washington is 8-0 at home this season… Heading into the week, freshman Sis Bates currently leads the team in batting average (.387), hits (36) and triples (4) and also has scored 22 times and knocked in 23 runs… Casey Stangel is batting .378 with 34 hits, six doubles, six long balls, 26 RBI and 19 runs scored and a .477 OBP… Morganne Flores tops the team with eight home runs and 37 RBI… In the circle, Taran Alvelo is 15-3 with a 2.17 ERA, four shutouts and 98 strikeouts in 103.1 innings of work.
No. 2 Florida (30-2, 7-1 SEC) at No. 23 Arkansas (22-9, 2-7 SEC)
March 31-April 2 – 6 p.m. / 1 p.m. / Noon CST | Bogle Park | Fayetteville, Ark.
Follow: Watch (G1 / G2 / G3) | Listen (UF)
On Twitter: @GatorsSB | @RazorbackSB
Stats: Florida | Arkansas
Florida (Preview): The Gators, who sit on top the SEC after three weekends of play, are coming off SEC series win against Auburn and a mid-week victory over Bethune-Cookman… UF took the first two games (4-3, 7-0) from the Tigers before falling in the finale, 1-0… The Gators head into the weekend riding a 24-game winning streak against the Razorbacks… Florida is one win shy of 1,000 in program history… Amanda Lorenz has reached base safely in all 32 games this season… The Gators lead the nation with a 0.78 ERA and .989 fielding percentage, while ranking fourth in OBP (.455)… Kelly Barnhill is 11-0 with a NCAA-low 0.20 ERA and 138 strikeouts to just 16 walks in 69.2 innings, while Delanie Gourley is 11-2 with a 0.89 ERA and 117 strikeouts to just 17 walks in 78.1 innings… As a staff, the Gators have recorded 20 shutouts and held opponents to a .137 batting average… Lorenz is batting .386 with six doubles, four homers, 21 RBI and team-best 28 runs scored.
Arkanasas (Preview / Game Notes): The Razorbacks look to rebound from a very tough three-game sweep at No. 16 Kentucky last weeked… Arkansas dropped the three games by a combined five runs (1-2, 5-7, 0-2)… They did pick up their first two SEC wins of the season in the prior series against then-No. 14 Tennessee… Nicole Schroeder leads the squad with a .407 average, eight doubles, 12 dingers, 40 RBI, a .975 slugging percentage and .560 OBP… Shelby Hiers is at .347 with a team-best 32 runs and 31 walks, attributing to her .554 OBP… In the circle, Autumn Storms is 10-6 with a 1.53 ERA, two saves, 63 strikeouts and holds batters to a .219 average.
No. 21 Arizona State (23-9, 2-4 Pac-12) at No. 3 Oregon (29-0, 5-0 Pac-12)
March 31-April 2 – 6 p.m. / 2 p.m. / Noon PST | Jane Sanders Stadium | Eugene, Ore.
Follow: Watch
On Twitter: @ASUSoftball | @OregonSB
Stats: ASU | Oregon
Series: ASU leads 56-41-1…
ASU (Preview): The Sun Devils claimed their first Pac-12 series of the season last weekend against Oregon State… ASU opened with a pair of victories, before dropping the finale… Entering the week, Arizona State boasts the nation’s 13th best ERA at 1.43… Breanna Macha (1.51), Dale Ryndak (1.61) and Giselle Juarez (1.62) have combined to pitch all but 19 innings for the Sun Devils… Macha is 9-4 with a two shutouts in 74 innings… Ryndak has posted a 6-2 mark with 52 strikeouts to just five walks in 61 innings, while Juarez (4-3) strikes out almost one batter per inning (56 K / 56.1 IP) and has held opponents to a .208 batting average… Leading the offensive charge is Chelsea Gonzales, batting .380 with 35 hits, nine doubles, eight home runs, 33 RBI, 26 runs scored, a .786 slugging percentage and .464 OBP, all team highs… Sashel Palacios has also homered eight times and knocked in 30 runs.
Oregon: Enter their Thursday night matchup with No. 25 BYU as the only undefeated team in NCAA Division I after taking two Pac-12 games on the road from then-No. 11 Utah… The 29 straight wins is a program record… Oregon’s .372 team batting average and .470 on-base percentage lead the NCAA, while its 7.83 runs per game ranks third… Four Ducks hit .471 or better led by Danica Mecado’s .484 average with 44 hits, seven doubles, and 37 runs scored… Nikki Udria (.471) has launched a team-best seven home runs to go along with a team-high 33 RBI and .770 slugging percentage… The Ducks rank fifth in the NCAA with a 1.08 ERA with Megan Keist posting a 0.87 ERA, 10-0 record and four shutouts… Maggie Balint is 13-0 with a 0.99 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 70.2 innings.
RV Marshall (25-4, 9-0 CUSA) at Southern Mississippi (17-16, 3-6 CUSA)
April 1 (DH) & April 2 – 1 p.m. / Noon CST | Hattiesburg, Miss.
Follow: Live Stats (G1 / G2 / G3) | Listen (Marshall)
On Twitter: @HerdSB |@usmsoftball
Stats: Marshall | Southern Miss
Marshall: One of the hottest teams in Division I softball, the Thundering Herd have won 16 straight, including their first nine in Conference USA play, and have the second-best winning percentage among teams outside the major conferences… Two of their four defeats came on the road at No. 1 Florida State… Aggressive base running has played a big factor in their hot start… Marshall is averaging almost four stolen bases per game (3.83), swiping 111 bags in 126 attempts… Elicia D’Orazio (1.24/game) and Morgan Zerkle (1.00/game) rank first and fifth in the NCAA and have combined for 65 steals… E’Orazio tops the Herd with a .466 average, 48 hits, 34 runs and a .491 OBP, while Zerkle has a team-high four triples to go along with a .458 average, six double, four homers, 25 RBI, 31 runs, a .729 slugging percentage and .490 OBP… Taylor McCord tops the team with seven home runs, 36 RBI and a .753 slugging percentage… Coming off a no-hitter on Wednesday, Jordan Dixon is the workhorse in the circle… She has posted an 18-4 record with a 1.95 ERA and 168 strikeouts in 136.1 innings of work.
Southern Miss: Coming off a 21-5 win at Jackson State, Southern Miss has won three of their last four contests, which inlcuded a Conference USA series win at UTEP as well as a tough seventh-inning loss versus Mississippi State… Lauren Holifield leads the Golden Eagles offensively with a .300 averag, 30 hits, seven home runs, 21 RBI and 20 runs scored… Kim Crowson leads the pitching staff with a 6-6 record, 1.67 ERA, six complete games and 42 strikeouts in 88 innings, while holding opponents to a .230 batting average.
Other Notable DI Games (All Times Eastern)
March 30
8:30 p.m. – No. 25 BYU at No. 3 Oregon – Watch
March 31
6 p.m. – No. 5 Auburn at No. 18 Georgia | Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Auburn)
6 p.m. – Pitt at No. 1 Florida State | Live Stats | Listen (FSU)
7 p.m. – No. 16 Kentucky at No. 24 Ole Miss | Live Stats | Watch
April 1
1 p.m. – Pitt at No. 1 Florida State | Live Stats | Listen (FSU)
4 p.m. – No. 16 Kentucky at No. 24 Ole Miss | Live Stats | Watch (ESPNU)
7 p.m. – No. 5 Auburn at No. 18 Georgia | Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Auburn)
April 2
Noon – Pitt at No. 1 Florida State | Live Stats | Listen (FSU)
Noon – No. 5 Auburn at No. 18 Georgia | Live Stats | Watch | Listen (Auburn)
Noon – No. 16 Kentucky at No. 24 Ole Miss | Live Stats | Watch