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Showing posts from February, 2018

2018 Mary Nutter Classic Roundup

The Mary Nutter Classic Win-Loss Wheel, which I hadn't used for a few years, is back! Tennessee, with the best record during the tournament (6-0), is at 12 o'clock. As you move clockwise, the teams' records gradually get worse. Finally, when you approach 12:00 again, you see the teams with the worst ledgers. You may click on the graphic to enlarge it. A master list of results is available here . As can be seen, four teams were undefeated, with UCLA, Arizona, and Washington (all 5-0) joining Tennessee in that department. Each of these teams had a signature win at the Nutter. Tennessee defeated a Top 5 Oregon squad, Arizona beat another Top 5 team, namely Oklahoma, UCLA topped No. 7/8 LSU, and Washington knocked off No. 6/9 Texas A&M. The big disappointment would have to be Oklahoma State, a Top 20 squad that went 1-4.

Annual Mary Nutter Classic Underway (2018)

The more extensive weekend of the annual Mary Nutter Classic ( 32 teams rather than 16) is now underway in Cathedral City, California (near Palm Springs). Among the participating squads are the No. 2-6 (Oregon, Washington, UCLA, Oklahoma, and Auburn, in that order)  and 8-9 (LSU, Texas A&M) teams in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Florida, who is not in the Mary Nutter, is No. 1 in that poll. The other major national poll, by USA Today /NFCA, sees things a little differently, with Washington at No. 1. Oklahoma dropped substantially from its previous No. 1 status, due to an unimaginable loss to Boston University last week (BU's current record is 4-4, with losses to Bethune-Cookman, Ohio State, Ball State, and New Mexico State). Oregon also has one loss, a nine-inning affair vs. No. 15 Mississippi. No. 1/2 Florida also has one loss , but it came in a three-game series the Gators won at Louisiana-Lafayette. UF is hosting the Aquafina Invitational this weekend, wit

Oklahoma the Runaway Preseason No. 1, as Sooners Seek Third Straight Title

Two-time defending Women's College World Series champion Oklahoma dominates the preseason polls , holding the No. 1 spot heading into the 2018 season. The Sooners captured all the first-place votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and all but one in the USA Today /NFCA poll. As the above-linked article notes: Oklahoma returns all nine of its 2017 All-Big 12 honorees from a squad that went 61-9 overall, 17-1 in the Big 12 and won the program's third national title in the last five years (fourth overall). Returning first-team All-Big 12 selections are junior infielder Shay Knighten, senior pitcher Paige Lowary, sophomore utility player Nicole Mendes (unanimous pick) and senior pitcher Paige Parker. Returning second-team All-Big 12 honorees are junior outfielder Falepolima Aviu, junior infielder Caleigh Clifton, senior outfielder Nicole Pendley and junior infielder Sydney Romero. Mendes and pitcher Mariah Lopez were members of the 2017 Big 12 All-Freshman Team. Florida and