Rutgers vs. Indiana
Two teams of very opposite fortunes since the start of Big Ten conference play, Indiana got off to a hot start this season, but seem to have regressed since league play began. The Hoosiers currently sit in seventh place in the B1G standings, with a 6-11 conference record, one spot below Rutgers in the standings. The Scarlet Knights entered 2019 with low expectations, but boast an overall record over .500 and an 8-9 conference record. Both teams could benefit immensely from a series win this weekend, as the Hoosiers seek to get back to .500 in conference before the B1G tournament begins – which they’ll host in Bloomington – while Rutgers seeks to solidify themselves as Cinderella-esque contenders for contention in the postseason.
LSU vs. Baylor
The only SEC team to step out of conference play this weekend, LSU will travel to Waco for a three-game weekend set against the Bears. LSU has seen incredible success this year both in the pitching circle and at the plate, benefitting largely from the addition of Amanda Sanchez via transfer, as well as the development of their young pitching staff under Beth Torina’s watchful eye. The Tigers are coming off of a series loss at Arkansas, and will look to rebound just in time for a season-ending series against Alabama in Tiger Park. Baylor, suffering from a vast array of injuries causing their best players to redshirt the 2019 season, are out of the postseason picture, ten games below the .500 mark with just six games left on their regular-season slate, giving the Bears motivation to play spoiler for a top-10 team’s postseason hopes.
Seattle vs. Grand Canyon
One of the WAC’s top matchups, Grand Canyon made headlines with an upset win over then-#1 Florida State earlier in the year. The Lopes suffered a series sweep against Arizona, but didn’t make it easy for the Wildcats along the way, and now sit at 9-3 in conference play. Seattle boasts a 10-2 conference record, as the two teams will jockey for position in the WAC standings. The Redhawks are 13-4 at home, but just 5-4 on the road, and will travel to Phoenix for this pivotal conference series.
Drake vs. Missouri State
Calling Drake pitching ace Nicole Newman a “good” pitcher would be the undoubted understatement of the year. To call the senior hurler “great” would still not completely accurate. The Bulldogs’ ace boasts a 0.94 ERA on the season, with a 21-6 overall record. She has already passed the 300-strikeout plateau this season, entering the weekend with 305 on the year, in just over 164 innings of work in the circle. Missouri State has some quality wins this season – including over Auburn in the season-opening tournament in Alabama – and may be the best competition on the Bulldogs’ Missouri Valley slate.
Southern Miss vs. Florida International
Don’t look past Southern Miss in the Conference USA discussion; the Golden Eagles sit at 11-7 on the year in conference play, and are 15-5 at home on the year. In early season non-conference play, USM bested UT-Arlington, Sam Houston State, and Michigan State, and are 2-1 in their last three games, having beaten Nicholls and McNeese while absorbing a tight 3-0 loss to Ole Miss in Oxford. Former Saint Francis transfer Abby Trahan owns a 1.47 ERA on the year, with a 1.02 WHIP and 122 strikeouts in just shy of 153 innings pitched. They’ll head too Florida to take on a struggling FIU team whose forecast consists mainly of the opportunity to play spoiler for some conference rivals.
Other Matchups to Watch
> Fordham vs. UMass
> Cal State Fullerton vs. UC-Davis
> UMBC vs. Albany
> Southern Illinois vs. Northern Iowa
> UC Riverside vs. Hawaii
> Florida vs. Auburn
> Houston vs. UCF
> Arkansas vs. Texas A&M
> UT-Arlington vs. Appalachian State
> Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana Tech
> UIC vs. Youngstown State
> Arizona State vs. Stanford
Image via GoDrakeBulldogs.com
