The Florida Gators begin on Friday to travel the long and winding road they hope will take them to College World Series in Oklahoma City and ultimately to the mountaintop of the college softball world.
Riding a 21-game winning streak as the top-ranked team, the Southeastern Conference champion Gators (55-3) first will have to dispose of three teams in the three-day, double-elimination regional they are hosting at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, one of which is the team that has knocked them out of the last two tournaments.
But before Florida gets a chance to play Texas A&M (31-20) which ousted Florida 1-0 in nine innings last year in Oklahoma City to earn a spot in the best-of-three championship series with eventual champion Arizona State, both have a little business to finish off, namely their opening-round games.
Texas A&M (31-20), an at-large team from the Big 12 Conference, plays Patriot League champion Lehigh (36-16-1) in the 3:30 p.m. opening game. Then Florida plays Florida A&M (30-30) at 6 p.m.
The winners meet at 1 p.m. Saturday with the winner of that game advancing to the regional championship game on Sunday at 1. The loser of the game will play the winner of the 3:30 p.m. game that matches Friday’s two losing teams at 6 p.m. Saturday for the right to play the undefeated team on Sunday.
Florida A&M already has experience coming out of the losers’ bracket as it won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament title by twice beating tournament host Bethune-Cookman, 4-0 and 9-1. Junior right-hander Amanda Reyes (22-18), the MEAC Pitcher of the Year, leads the pitching staff of veteran coach Veronica Wiggins, who earned her 500th career victory earlier this year.
Coach Tim Walton’s Gators have won 44 of their last 45 games. The National Fastball Coaches Association (NFCA) named six Gators – senior Stacey Nelson, junior Francesca Enea and sophomores Stephanie Brombacher, Kelsey Bruder, Megan Bush and Aja Paculba to the All-Southeast region team Thursday.
Florida’s six honorees were the most from a single school, with North Carolina and Georgia Tech following with three each. It broke last year’s school-record of five players. Nelson (35-3) received the honor for the third time, while Enea and Paculba were awarded for the second time.
Those players hope to help the Gators break the Texas A&M curse if the teams meet for the third-consecutive postseason.
In 2007, the Gators advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time. But their road ended in College Station, Texas, as the Aggies won two out of three games to advance to the College World Series.
The Gators continued their climb to the nation’s elite last year, taking the next step to the College World Series. The jitters of the big stage may have led to an opening-game 3-2 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette, but Florida battled back to play for a spot in the championship round by beating Virginia Tech, featuring National Player of the Year Angela Tincher, and perennial powerhouse UCLA.
But once again, there stood Texas A&M. Florida seemed ready to avenge their 2007 exit after cruising to a 6-1 victory over the Aggies on the coattails of Francesca Enea’s two-home run performance in the opening game. But the Gators couldn’t pull off the sweep. The Aggies were swept in the championship series by Arizona State.
This time around the Gators will not have to battle ace Megan Gibson, who graduated after last season. Gibson was one of three finalists for the National Player of the Year and became the first Big 12 player to be named both Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year. Her absence is a big reason why the Aggies, who returned six starters from last season, are currently unranked. Texas A&M began the season ranked No. 5 in the nation after last year’s run.
This year’s squad will be led by two young guns on the mound. Sophomore right-hander Rhiannon Kliesing (20-12, 2.29 ERA) and freshman right-hander Rebecca Arbino (11-7, 2.92 ERA) will split pitching duties for the Aggies. Kliesing, who also plays first base, and senior outfielder Holly Ridley lead the team with eight home runs. Sophomore second baseman Natalie Villarreal leads the team with a .342 batting average.
But the Aggies, making their 19th tournament appearance and eighth under head coach Jo Evans, know better than to look ahead to the Gators. In fact, Texas A&M may be looking for a little revenge of its own against Lehigh. At the 2006 Amherst, Mass., Regional, the Mountain Hawks shocked the 13th-seeded Aggies twice to knock them out of the tournament.
Lehigh, which has won five of the last six Patriot League Tournaments, will be led by senior right-hander Lisa Sweeney (22-8, 2.04 ERA), who also leads the team with seven home runs and 35 RBI while batting .368. Junior right-hander Tiffany Curtis (13-6, 2.79 ERA) will also pitch for the Mountain Hawks. Freshman Julie Fernandez leads the team with a .384 batting average.
The Gators are making their 10th NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 seasons. It is their seventh straight appearance and the sixth time hosting a regional. If the seeds hold, the Gators are on a collision course with in-state rival 16th-seeded Florida State in next weekend’s best-of-three Super Regional in Gainesville.
NCAA DIVISION I SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
REGIONALS
GAINESVILLE/FLORIDA
At Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium
Friday
Game 1: Lehigh (36-16-1) vs. Texas A&M (31-20), 3:30 p.m.
Game 2: Florida A&M (30-30) vs. (1) Florida (55-3), 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
TALLAHASSEE/FLORIDA STATE
At JoAnne Graf Field
Friday
Game 1: California (35-18) vs. Mississippi State (28-26), 5 p.m.
Game 2: Oklahoma State (34-20) vs. (16) Florida State (41-14), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
LOUISVILLE/LOUISVILLE
At Ulmer Stadium
Friday
Game 1: (9) Arizona (41-14) vs. Tennessee-Martin (38-22), 4 p.m.
Game 2: Purdue (29-18) vs. Louisville (47-9), 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
PALO ALTO, CALIF./STANFORD
At Smith Family Stadium
Friday
Game 1: Cal Poly (39-10) vs. Nevada (39-17), 6 p.m.
Game 2: Portland State (29-24) vs. (8) Stanford (44-9), 9 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 6:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 9 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 4 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 6:30 p.m. (if necessary)
ANN ARBOR/MICHIGAN
At Wilpon Softball Complex/Alumni Field
Friday
Game 1: Cleveland State (35-16) vs. Notre Dame (41-15), 4:30 p.m.
Game 2: Miami, Ohio (32-22) vs. (5) Michigan (41-10), 7 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, Noon
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 5 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
WACO/BAYLOR
At Getterman Stadium
Friday
Game 1: Texas State (39-16) vs. (12) Northwestern (31-13), 6 p.m.
Game 2: Louisiana-Lafayette (43-11) vs. Baylor (37-20), 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 5 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 2:30 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 5 p.m. (if necessary)
KNOXVILLE/TENNESSEE
At Sherri Parker Lee Softball Stadium
Friday
Game 1: Nebraska (34-17) vs. Jacksonville State (38-12), 3:30 p.m.
Game 2: James Madison (35-14) vs. (13) Tennessee (38-16-1), 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1:30 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 4 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 2 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 4:30 p.m. (if necessary)
TUSCALOOSA/ALABAMA
At Alabama Softball Complex
Friday
Game 1: Texas (38-18) vs. Tennessee-Chattanooga (30-22), 4:30 p.m.
Game 2: Mississippi Valley (37-14) vs. (4) Alabama (47-9), 7 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 5 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 2:30 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 5 p.m. (if necessary)
AMHERST/MASSACHUSETTS
At UMass Softball Complex
Friday
Game 1: Sacred Heart (25-26) vs. (3) Washington (41-10), 5 p.m.
Game 2: Cornell (42-11) vs. Massachusetts (38-8), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 5 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 5 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 7:30 p.m. (if necessary)
ATLANTA/GEORGIA TECH
At Mewborn Field
Friday
Game 1: Iowa (42-14) vs. Auburn (29-27), 5 p.m.
Game 2: Boston University (41-16) vs. (14) Georgia Tech (41-13), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
COLUMBUS/OHIO STATE
At New Buckeye Field
Thursday
Game 1: Brigham Young (39-16) vs. Kentucky (32-21), 5 p.m.
Game 2: Canisius (27-22) vs. (11) Ohio State (44-9), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
CHAPEL HILL/NORTH CAROLINA
At Anderson Softball Stadium
Thursday
Game 1: Radford (40-13) vs. (6) Georgia (39-10), 1 p.m.
Game 2: North Carolina (45-11) vs. Campbell (38-14), 3:30 p.m.
Friday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
NORMAN/OKLAHOMA
At OU Softball Complex
Friday
Game 1: Tulsa (38-15) vs. Arkansas (27-27), 6 p.m.
Game 2: North Dakota State (35-18) vs. (7) Oklahoma (40-14), 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 4:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 7 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 2 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 4:30 p.m. (if necessary)
TEMPE/ARIZONA STATE
At Farrington Stadium
Friday
Game 1: Louisiana State (32-16-1) vs. Cal State Fullerton (29-19), 7:30 p.m.
Game 2: San Diego State (33-18) vs. (10) Arizona State (40-16), 10 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 8:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 11 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 5:30 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 8 p.m. (if necessary)
COLUMBIA/MISSOURI
At University Field
Friday
Game 1: (15) DePaul (37-12) vs. Bradley (25-26), 3:30 p.m.
Game 2: Illinois (29-15) vs. Missouri (45-9), 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 2 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 4 p.m. (if necessary)
LOS ANGELES/UCLA
At Easton Stadium
Friday
Game 1: Fresno State (36-18) vs. UNLV (31-19), 4 p.m.
Game 2: Long Beach State (34-19) vs. (2) UCLA (41-9), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 6:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 9 p.m.
Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 3 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 5:30 p.m. (if necessary)
SUPER REGIONALS
Best-of-three series
May 21-24
Gainesville Regional winner vs. Tallahassee Regional winner
Louisville Regional winner vs. Stanford Regional winner
Ann Arbor Regional winner vs. Waco Regional winner
Knoxville Regional winner vs. Alabama Regional winner
Amherst Regional winner vs. Atlanta Regional winner
Columbus Regional winner vs. Chapel Hill Regional winner
Norman Regional winner vs. Tempe Regional winner
Columbia Regional winner vs. Los Angeles Regional winner
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
May 28-June 3
Seedings and matchups to be decided