Super regionals field is set

The final 16 teams in the NCAA softball tournament are determined.

The drama from Friday and Saturday’s regional action didn’t carry over into Sunday, with just two series — Duke beating Arizona twice and UCF beating Florida State after losing earlier in the day — needed two games today. Just three advancing teams — Mississippi State, UCF and Arizona State — were outside the Top 16 national seeds entering the tournament.

But we’re far from done. Most of the nation’s best teams remain and will prepare to battle it out for a spot in the Women’s College World Series next week.

The super regionals will take place from Thursday, May 21 to Sunday, May 24. The higher seeds will host. Here are the matchups (times TBD):

• No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 LSU
• No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State
• No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Mississippi State
• No. 1 Texas vs. No. 5 Arizona State
• No. 2 Florida vs. No. 3 Texas Tech
• No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 Georgia
• No. 2 Arkansas vs. No. 3 Duke
• No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 6 UCF

FINAL: Mississippi State 5, Saint Mary's (CA) 0

For the second time in program history, No. 5 Mississippi State is headed to the super regionals. The Bulldogs ended a historic Saint Mary’s (CA) season with a 5-0 win to secure their first super regionals appearance since 2022.

Alyssa Faircloth, after tossing a no-hitter yesterday, was dominant in the circle again for Mississippi State. Faircloth allowed just two hits and four walks while striking out a new program record 14 batters in the complete game shutout. Nadia Barbary hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, which proved to be all Mississippi State would need offensively. But Tatum Silva added a three-run home run that hit off the right field scoreboard in the sixth inning for some insurance.

Saint Mary’s was unable to replicate the offensive spark which led to its upset win over Oregon in its previous elimination game, ending a season that saw the Gaels win their first postseason game in program history and advance to the regional finals.

FINAL: UCLA 15, South Carolina 1 (6 innings)

No. 2 UCLA dominated down the stretch to beat No. 7 South Carolina, 15-1, in six innings and advance to its third consecutive super regionals.

The long ball pulled UCLA ahead. A two-run home run in the third inning from Rylee Slimp and a grand slam from Megan Grant in the fifth inning put the Bruins up 6-0. Grant hit a single in the sixth inning to plate two more runs, part of a nine-run inning for the Bruins, who finished with 13 hits (three home runs) as a team.

South Carolina pushed a run across in the fifth inning but couldn’t overcome a dominant offensive performance from UCLA in the run-rule finish. South Carolina, which had three errors, had just two hits.

14 of 16 super regionals teams set

Regional Sunday included most teams winning their third consecutive game in as many days to secure their spot in the super regionals.

Only two regionals — No. 3 Duke vs. No. 6 Arizona, No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 6 UCF — needed an extra game today. After losing in a run-rule game yesterday, Duke won back-to-back games against Arizona and UCF bounced back from an earlier loss against Florida State to secure a regional title.

There are still two regionals to be decided. In Eugene, No. 5 Mississippi State and Saint Mary’s (CA) will square off while Los Angeles features No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 7 South Carolina.

NEXT:

• May 17  7:30 p.m.  No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 7 South Carolina
• May 17  10 p.m.  No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 7 South Carolina
  • If necessary
• May 17  7:30 p.m.  No. 5 Mississippi State vs. Saint Mary's (CA)
• May 17  10 p.m.  No. 5 Mississippi State vs. Saint Mary's (CA)
  • If necessary

Here’s what happened so far today:

• No. 1 Alabama 9, USC Upstate 0
  • Alabama wins Tuscaloosa regional
• No. 4 LSU 7, No. 5 Virginia Tech 2
  • LSU wins Baton Rouge regional
• No. 3 Florida State 2, No. 6 UCF 1
• No. 6 UCF 4, No. 3 Florida State 2
  • UCF wins Tallahassee regional
• No. 2 Arkansas 10, South Florida 2 (6 innings)
  • Arkansas wins Fayetteville regional
• No. 3 Duke 8, No. 6 Arizona 6
• No. 3 Duke 9, No. 6 Arizona 4
  • Duke wins Durham regional
• No. 4 Oklahoma State 11, No. 5 Stanford 5
  • Oklahoma State wins Stillwater regional
• No. 1 Nebraska 1, Grand Canyon 0
  • Nebraska wins Lincoln regional
• No. 1 Oklahoma 8, Michigan 1
  • Oklahoma wins Norman regional
• No. 3 Texas Tech 14, No. 6 Ole Miss 2 (5 innings)
  • Texas Tech wins Lubbock regional
• No. 2 Florida 5, Georgia Tech 2
  • Florida wins Gainesville regional
• No. 2 Tennessee 5, No. 7 Virginia 1
  • Tennessee wins Knoxville regional
• No. 3 Georgia 5, No. 6 Clemson 0
  • Georgia wins Athens regional
• No. 5 Arizona State 9, No. 4 Texas A&M 1 (5 innings)
  • Arizona State wins College Station regional
• No. 1 Texas 7, Baylor 0
  • Texas wins Austin regional
• No. 2 UCLA 15, No. 7 South Carolina 1
  • UCLA wins regional
• No. 5 Mississippi State 5, Saint Mary's (CA) 0
  • Mississippi State wins regional

FINAL: Oklahoma State 11, Stanford 5

No. 4 Oklahoma State pulled away from No. 5 Stanford late, securing an 11-5 victory.

The Cowgirls had just six hits while scoring 11 runs, but plated eight combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take control. Offensively, Oklahoma State was powered by a fifth inning grand slam from Claire Timm and a three-RBI game from Amanda Hasler, who had a two-run home run in the fifth inning as well. Stanford's Ava Gall hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to avoid the run-rule loss, but it was not enough for the Cardinal to overcome their deficit.

Oklahoma State will play No. 1 Nebraska in the super regionals. It will be a battle of strengths as the Cowgirls scored 34 runs in their regional while the Cornhuskers allowed just one run across three regional wins.

FINAL: Texas Tech 14, Ole Miss 2 (5 innings)

No. 3 Texas Tech made sure it didn't need an all-time last-inning comeback in Sunday's regional final. The Red Raiders handled No. 6 Ole Miss, 14-2, to advance to their second straight super regionals.

Texas Tech took a 2-0 lead in the third, pouring on eight more in the third inning and four more across the final two frames. The Red Raiders had 14 hits, led by Jackie Lis (two hits, five RBIs) and NiJaree Canady, Mia Williams, and Mihyia Davis, who each had two RBIs. The Red Raiders scored 34 runs across three games en route to their regional championship.

Texas Tech will take on No. 2 Florida in the super regionals.

FINAL: Duke 9, Arizona 4

No. 3 Duke came into Sunday needing two wins against a team that run-ruled it the day before. The Blue Devils achieved just that. Duke beat No. 6 Arizona, 9-4 for its second win of the day to secure its first super regionals appearance since 2024.

The Blue Devils never trailed against the Wildcats, recording 12 hits (four home runs) and overcoming two errors to move on. Aminah Vega led the Blue Devils with a pair of hits and four RBIs while Layla Lamar had three hits and two RBIs.

With the win, Duke will play No. 2 Arkansas in the super regionals.

FINAL: Oklahoma 8, Michigan 1

It wouldn't be a super regionals without Oklahoma. No. 1 Oklahoma closed out a dominant regional run with a commanding 8-1 victory over Michigan.

The Sooners took a 3-0 lead in the first and never looked back. Gabbie Garcia, Isabela Emerling, and Ailana Agbayani each recorded two hits and two RBIs.

The Sooners recorded 28 runs across three games. Michigan's second inning home run from Erin Hoehn was the only run an opponent scored on Oklahoma in regional play.

The win gives Oklahoma its 16th straight super regionals appearance. The Sooners will play the winner of the Eugene Regional between No. 5 Mississippi State and Saint Mary's (CA).

FINAL: UCF 4, Florida State 2

No. 6 UCF is headed to its second-ever super regionals, knocking off No. 3 Florida State, 4-2, in a winner-take-all regional final.

The Golden Knights lost earlier in the day, 2-1, but weren't phased in the second game. UCF went up 2-0 in the first inning thanks to a home run from Beth Damon. An RBI single in the third and an error in the fourth allowed Florida State to tie up the game, but UCF responded with another two-run home run, this time from Izzy Mertes.

UCF will play the winner of the Los Angeles Regional between No. 2 UCLA and No. 7 South Carolina.

FINAL: Nebraska 1, Grand Canyon 0

No. 1 Nebraska didn't have the most explosive offense in the Lincoln Regional, including the final, but it didn't matter. The Cornhuskers are headed back to the super regionals for the second straight year after knocking off Grand Canyon, 1-0.

Nebraska was perfect in regional play, scoring just seven total runs across three wins. The difference maker for the Huskers Sunday was a solo home run from Hannah Camenzind in the first inning — the Huskers' first homer of the weekend. While the Cornhuskers weren't prolific offensively, their defense was stellar, pitching two-straight shutouts and allowing just one run over three games. Jordy Frahm and Alexis Jensen combined for 12 strikeouts in the circle for Nebraska.

With the win, Nebraska will play the winner of the Stillwater Regional between No. 4 Oklahoma State and No. 5 Stanford.

FINAL: Arizona State 9, Texas A&M 1 (5 innings)

No. 4 Arizona State dominated No. 5 Texas A&M, hitting a walk-off grand slam to secure a 9-1 run-rule win in the College Station regional.

The Sun Devils beat Texas A&M by a run yesterday but dominated the host school Sunday, recording 12 hits, including the walk-off grand slam from Brooklyn Ulrich. This marks Arizona State's first super regionals appearance since 2022. The Sun Devils will play No. 1 Texas.

FINAL: Tennessee 5, Virginia 1

No. 2 Tennessee is heading to the super regionals after besting No. 7 Virginia 5-1.

The Vols’ steady offense produced runs in four consecutive innings, highlighted by Taelyn Holley’s sixth-inning home run that extended Tennessee’s lead before Alannah Leach’s RBI double set the 5-1 advantage.

Karlyn Pickens notched nine strikeouts across 125 pitches while holding the Hoos to two hits, leading her team to their 15th super regional in program history and fourth straight.

Tennessee will take on No. 3 Georgia next week.

FINAL: LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2

No. 4 LSU secured its spot in the super regionals with a 7-2 win over Virginia Tech behind a crucial third inning.

The Hokies held a 2-0 advantage heading into the top of the third before a Jalia Lassiter homer started the critical frame for the Tigers. After three singles, a double, and a walk later, LSU found itself with a 4-2 edge.

The Tigers plated three more across the fifth and sixth innings, holding the 7-2 score until the end.

LSU will face Alabama in the Tuscaloosa regional next week.

FINAL: Arkansas 10, South Florida 2

In another high-scoring affair, No. 2 Arkansas toppled South Florida 10-2 to advance to the super regionals.

USF struck first in the top of the second, but the Razorback offense recorded two four-run frames in the second and fourth inning from four doubles that proved to be too much for the Bulls. A Dakota Kennedy walk-off two-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth gave Arkansas the walk-off win.

The Razorbacks have now reached a super regional in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history and will face the winner of the Durham regional.

FINAL: Alabama 9, USC Upstate 0

No. 1 Alabama secured its spot in supers after a 9-0 victory over USC Upstate.

A two-RBI Alex Vandagriff home run in the second started things off for the Tide before back-to-back long balls by Jena Young and Brooke Wells in the next frame gave Alabama the 5-0 advantage.

Young kept the momentum going, tallying another four-bagger in the top of the seventh to give the Tide the final 9-0 advantage while Vic Moten held the Spartans to just one hit from four strikeouts in the shutout victory.

Alabama will make its NCAA-leading 20th super regional appearance in program history when it faces the winner of the Baton Rouge regional next week.