Long Beach State — With one of the best resumes for a non-Power 5 team, the 49ers find themselves in a top-20 position and looking at the possibility of being a #2 seed in a favorable regional. Three of the Niners’ ten losses were to 2017 Women’s College World Series participants and they’ve lost just three conference games. A series loss to Cal State Fullerton could cost the Niners the conference championship, but they are virtually assured an at-large bid in that instance. Wins over James Madison, Auburn, and Minnesota give high marks to the Niners’ record – and contribute heartily to the Big West conference’s top ten ranking in league RPI. Don’t look past the 49ers as a sleeper team for Super Regional contention.
Ole Miss — A year removed from their 2017 SEC tournament championship and a Super Regional berth, the Rebels have had serious struggles in 2018. The Rebels have had an up-and-down year; an early season extra-innings victory over Oregon proved itself to be a fluke rather than a trendsetter. The Rebels are just 5-16 in conference play with a three-game set against Georgia still to go, but have only been swept in two conference series’. Should they reach the NCAA tournament, as many expect, despite their sub-par season, the Rebels can’t be counted out of any contest.
Saint Francis — The Northeast Conference powerhouse had an impressive offensive power show in 2017, posting more than forty wins. Though their win-loss record isn’t as eye-catching in the present year, the Red Flash boast a conference winning streak of more than thirty consecutive Northeast Conference games and have four wins over Big Ten teams, including a pair of victories each against Maryland and Penn State. Jennifer Patrick-Swift’s club played tightly with Auburn, Oklahoma State, and Arkansas in the non-conference season, and with a conference title likely, barring upset, the Red Flash could wreak havoc on even top teams in the regional round.
Memphis — The Tigers sit with their highest win total since 2011 and they quietly hold the third spot in the American conference race, ahead of two potential NCAA tournament teams in Houston and Central Florida. Memphis likely needs a conference tournament championship to make the NCAA field of sixty-four, but even if Natalie Poole’s club doesn’t reach that milestone, they could still play spoiler for any number of their fellow conference mates. (Photo: Joe Murphy)
Boston College — BC’s record is far from indicative of how dangerous the Eagles can be. The 1-2 pitching punch of Allyson Frei and Jessica Dreswick have put together equally impressive campaigns, with opponents batting just .223 against the pair and nearly 300 strikeouts on the season. Annie Murphy and Chloe Sharabba, both part of the loaded Eagles senior class, lead the team in batting average and home runs, respectively. Sharabba has twenty extra base hits on the year and a slugging percentage of .558. A bubble team for the NCAA field as it stands now, a solid showing in the ACC tournament should get the Eagles into the field of sixty-four and they can most certainly cause some damage when they get there. (Photo: John Quackenbos)
