Not only did the final two undefeated teams in Division I take their first losses of 2018 this weekend, but quite a few top teams endured surprising, upset losses. Here are our top five that could have a ripple effect both immediately and throughout the year.
5. Cal State Northridge 10, Nebraska 5
Facing a Big Ten race that looks like it could be anyone’s for the taking, the Huskers were looking to end their non-conference season on a high note before beginning conference play next weekend. The Matadors had other plans, however, as the CSUN offense rocked Nebraska pitcher Olivia Ferrell for seven runs in four innings and recorded ten hits against her. Junior pitcher Taylor Troost, pitching in relief for the Matadors, threw 5.1 innings of one-run ball and struck out five Husker hitters, slamming the door after a four-run second inning. The loss snapped what had been a seven-game winning streak for Nebraska and ended a seven-game losing streak for the Matadors.
4. Iowa 3, Arizona State 1
As the Hawkeyes finished up a trip to the desert, they took the Sun Devils by surprise in the first game of a doubleheader. Three Hawkeyes recorded multiple hits in the matchup while pitcher Allison Doocy held the Devils to one run on six hits and notched eight strikeouts. The victory put Iowa two games over .500, their best position thus far in the still-young season. It was just the Sun Devils’ third loss of the year, and one they later redeemed with a shutout victory in the second game of the doubleheader.
3. Georgetown 1, Texas 0
Texas’ Brooke Bolinger and Georgetown’s Anna Brooks Pacha recorded eighteen strikeouts between them and allowed just ten hits in matching complete games that ended with a single seventh-inning run proving the difference in the ball game. The Hoyas pushed one across in the top of the seventh and Pacha closed the door in the bottom of the inning to give her team just their seventh win of 2018. While this is not the Texas of old – some bad early-season losses and lackluster play caused the Longhorns to move to 12-13 on the year after this loss – for the team that is traditionally near the bottom of the Big East rankings to best a perennial Big 12 contender, even in a down year, certainly raised some eyebrows and fueled the fire of speculation about Longhorn head coach Connie Clark’s future.
2. Grand Canyon 7, Ohio State 6
A four-run fifth inning that saw ten Grand Canyon hitters step into the box jumpstarted the Antelope offense and helped propel them to victory over the previously-streaking Buckeyes. OSU, who had ascended through the rankings as the season progressed, could not take advantage of an excellent 4-4 performance by Lilli Piper and came up on the short end of the stick. Of the ten Antelope hitters who came to the plate in that fifth inning, only one recorded an extra-base hit – the ‘Lopes played small ball and took advantage of some Buckeye miscues to take home the victory.
1. UConn 6, Texas A&M 1
As the weekend’s games got underway, this tournament game from College Station seemed to be a bit lost amidst the fray. Visiting the #7-ranked Aggies, the Huskies of UConn rode the bats of Olivia Sappington and Briana Marcelino and the arm of Jill Stockley to an impressive victory over their SEC foe. Sappington got the scoring started with a home run in the first inning, while Marcelino’s grand slam in the third inning gave the Huskies the lead once and for all. Stockley, a junior, struck out four in the circle and slammed the door on a potential Aggie rally early and often, to the tune of eleven runners left on base for A&M. For UConn head coach Jen McIntyre, the victory was her first over a ranked opponent since she took over the reins of the Huskies program in 2015.
