LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Throughout the 2016 softball season, the NFCA will feature some of the sport's highest-profile contests in our "Featured Five" Games of the Week.
Each weekly installment will be released on Thursday, providing live stat links, game notes, team info, social media accounts and any available broadcast links in hopes of becoming another reason for fans to visit us during the season for information on some of collegiate softball's best games.
As the year continues, we will attempt to expand our focus to include matchups throughout as many divisions as possible. This week's featured games come from NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA.
Highlighting this weekend's schedule is a major record watch in Division I. Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins is one win from reaching the all-time NCAA career wins record as the Wolverines head to Indiana for a three-game Big Ten series. Also on the table is a top-25 ACC head-to-head in South Bend, Ind. between No. 9 Florida State and No. 22 Notre Dame as well as one of many top-25 SEC matchups- this one pits No. 3 Auburn against No. 14 Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. A Peach Belt Conference doubleheader in Georgia featuring No. 19 Armstrong State at No. 18 Young Harris and a non-conference Division III tilt between No. 6 Washington (Mo.) and No. 20 Central in Pella, Iowa round out the featured matchups.
We may not be able to highlight every division or big game each week, but our hope is to provide a spotlight for as many different teams and games as possible throughout 2016.
Make sure you follow the NFCA on our social media (NFCAorg) through Twitter
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DI - No. 2 Michigan at Indiana
April 1-3 (Fri.-Sun.) | 6:00 / 3:00 / 1:00 | Andy Mohr Field | Bloomington, Ind. | Big Ten Series
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#2 24-3, 2-1 |
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Game Notes * Michigan dropped a wild 13-12 decision to Northwestern in its Big Ten Conference opener last Friday, its first loss in their Big Ten opener since 2009... The Wolverines rebounded with back-to-back 11-3 victories to take the series * The Wolverines are looking for their 19th Big Ten title in program history. U-M has won 18 of the last 21 B1G championships, including at least a share of last eight crowns * Junior Lindsay Montemarano was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week after batting .750 (6-for-8) over the Wolverines' four games last week, boasting a 2.000 slugging percentage and .846 on-base percentage. Among her hits, she tallied a double and three home runs, including two in the series finale against the Wildcats on Sunday |
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20-10, 3-0 |
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Game Notes | Statistics * With a three-game sweep at Iowa, Indiana won its first opening Big Ten series since 1997; The 5-3 victory in the opener was the first on the Big Ten's opening day since 2006 |
DI - No. 9 Florida State at No. 22 Notre Dame
April 2-3 | 1 & 3:00 / 12:00 ET | Melissa Cook Stadium | South Bend, Ind. | ACC Series
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Game Notes | Statistics Team BA: .351 | Team ERA: 1.72 | Runs Scored: 235 | Runs Allowed: 62 * After sweeping North Carolina last weekend, FSU is unbeaten in its last 27 series against ACC opponents, going 24-0-3 since dropping the series with Maryland on May 5-6, 2012 * The Seminoles are a perfect 7-0 on the road this year, including a 3-0 triumph over then-No. 13 UCLA * Florida State is one of three teams in the nation that are ranked in the top 10 nationally in both scoring (sixth - 8.10 runs per game) and ERA (seventh - 1.72)... The Noles are among the top 15 in the NCAA in six other statistical categories, including winning percentage (fourth - .897) * Alex Powers was selected ACC Player of the Week after batting .667 with a home run , six RBI, five runs scored . 917 slugging percentage and two stolen bases... She did not strikeout and did not committ an error in 26 chances at first base |
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#22
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Statistics Team BA: .346 | Team ERA: 2.55 | Runs Scored: 220 | Runs Allowed: 87 * In the midst of a season-long 10-game homestand; started the homestand with a 5-0 victory over IPFW on Wednesday |
DII - No. 3 Auburn at No. 14 Kentucky
April 1-3 | 2 & 4:00 / 1:00 CT | John Cropp Stadium | Lexington, Ky. | SEC Series | SEC Network+ (G1 / G2 / G3)
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#3 |
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Statistics Team BA: .334 | Team ERA: 1.65 | Runs Scored: 319 | Runs Allowed: 60 * The Tigers lead the all-time series with UK 34-17, including a three-game sweep of the Wildcats down in Auburn a season ago* The Tigers offense is one of the best in the nation, with a .348 team batting average, and two players - Kasey Cooper and Tiffany Howard - batting over .400 on the season * Tigers are 5-1 in true road games, with their only loss coming at the hands of Mississippi State in its SEC opening series two weeks ago down in Starkville * In the circle, Auburn has had five pitchers contribute this season, with Makayla Martin leading the way in ERA... Martin currently sports a 1.14 ERA in her 13 appearances with a 7-0 record and only 29 hits allowed... Kaylee Carlson has a 1.15 ERA in her 13 appearances, while Lexi Davis is 4-0 on the season and sports a 1.62 ERA |
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#14
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Game Notes Team BA: .318 | Team ERA: 1.33 | Runs Scored: 218 | Runs Allowed: 65 * The Wildcats are coming off a midweek road split at Ohio University on Tuesday afternoon, dropping game one, 1-0 in extra innings before rebounding in game two to win 3-1 off an Abbey Cheek three-run homer in the top of the first inning.* Currently sits tied atop the SEC standings with an 8-1 league record, putting the Wildcats even with the top-ranked Florida Gators in the SEC standings through three weekends of conference play * Kelsey Nunley was named to the Senior CLASS Award top-10 finalists list on Wednesday afternoon... Nunley currently sports a 0.74 ERA with a 13-3 record in the circle * UK swept South Carolina in Columbia to open up conference play three weeks ago, which was the first sweep of an SEC opponent since Kentucky swept Ole Miss in 2014 in Oxford and have won all three series... UK won one SEC series in the entirety of 2015 and already matches its league win total from 2015 |
Other Notable Division I Games
April 1
6:00 ET - No. 6 Alabama (29-6, 3-3 SEC) at No. 1 Florida (33-1, 8-1 SEC) | Live Stats | Audio (UF) | SEC Network+
6:00 ET - No. 8 LSU (26-8, 3-6 SEC) at No. 12 Georgia (30-5, 4-2 SEC) | Live Stats | Audio (LSU) | SEC Network+
6:30 CT - No. 17 Tennessee (26-8, 6-3) at No. 16 Missouri (24-6, 3-3 SEC) | Audio | Live Stats | SEC Network+
6:00 PT - No. 14 UCLA (20-10-1, 2-2-1 Pac-12) at No. 4 Oregon (26-4, 6-0 Pac-12) | Live Stats | Pac 12 Networks | Audio (Oregon)
April 2
11:00 a.m. CT - No. 17 Tennessee at No. 16 Missouri| Audio | Live Stats | SEC Network+
2:00 ET - No. 8 LSU at No. 12 Georgia | Live Stats | Audio (LSU)
3:30 ET - No. 6 Alabama at No. 1 Florida | Live Stats | Audio (UF) | ESPNU
7:00 PT - No. 18 Arizona (22-10, 4-2 Pac-12) at No. 10 Washington (21-7, 2-4 Pac-12) | Live Stats | Pac 12 Networks
7:30 PT - No. 14 UCLA at No. 4 Oregon | Live Stats | ESPNU | Audio (Oregon)
April 3
12:00 CT - No. 17 Tennessee at No. 16 Missouri | Audio | Live Stats | SEC Network+
1:00 ET - No. 6 Alabama at No. 1 Florida | Live Stats | Audio (UF / Alabama) | SEC Network+
2:00 ET - No. 8 LSU at No. 12 Georgia | Live Stats | Audio (LSU) | SEC Network+
2:00 PT - No. 14 UCLA at No. 4 Oregon | Live Stats | Pac 12 Networks | Audio (Oregon)
7:00 PT - No. 18 Arizona at No. 10 Washington | Live Stats | Pac 12 Networks
DII - No. 19 Armstrong State at No. 18 Young Harris
April 2 | 1 & 3:00 ET | E.D. Rivers Field | Newport News, Va. | Peach Belt Conference Series
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#19 24-8, 8-2 |
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Team BA: .303 | Team ERA: 1.95 | Runs Scored: 181 | Runs Allowed: 87 * The Pirates are on an eight-game winning streak, since dropping their first two PBC games of the season against first-place North Georgia |
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#3 27-9, 13-3 |
Team BA: .301 | Team ERA: 2.13 | Runs Scored: 189 | Runs Allowed: 98 * Young Harris is riding an eight-game winning streak heading into this pivotal Peach Belt doubleheader... The Mountain Lions are in second two games behind North Georgia and one-game is loss column ahead of Armstrong State |
Other Notable Division III Games
April 2
12 & 2:00 CT - No. 1 Indianapolis (31-0, 14-0 GLVC) at Southern Indiana (23-11, 11-3 GLVC) | Live Stats | Audio | Video
1 & 3:00 ET - Kutztown (21-7, 4-0 PSAC) No. 15 West Chester (28-3, 3-0 PSAC) | Live Stats
2 & 4:00 ET - No. 12 West Virginia Wesleyan (29-3, 11-1 MEC) at Charleston (20-7, 9-3 MEC) | Video
2 & 4:00 CT - No. 4 North Alabama (35-4, 19-2 Gulf South) at No. 11 University of Alabama in Huntsville (30-7, 16-5 GSC) | Live Stats | Video
April 3
10:00 a.m. PT - No. 3 Humboldt State (25-2-1) vs. Saint Martin's University (25-6) | Tournament of Champions | Turlock, Calif.
DIII - No. 6 Washington University at No. 20 Central
April 2 | 4 & 6:00 CT | Ann Lacy Stadium | Pella, Iowa | Central College Invitational
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#6 20-6
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Team BA: .364 | Team ERA: 2.16 | Runs Scored: 184 | Runs Allowed: 65 * The doubleheader marks the start of a 10-game road trip for the Bears |
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#20 12-6 |
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Team BA: .293 | Team ERA: 2.43 | Runs Scored: 106 | Runs Allowed: 62 * The Dutch have won six of their last eight games and are making their long-awaited home debut |
Other Notable Division III Games
April 1
2 & 4 p.m. ET — No. 3 Texas Lutheran (26-1) at Southwestern (15-13) | Taylor Sanders Field | Georgetown, Texas | Live Stats | Video ($)
April 2
1 & 3 p.m. ET — Concordia (Texas) (16-5) at No. 1 Texas-Tyler (25-2) | Suddenlink Field | Tyler, Texas
1 & 3 p.m. ET — No. 18 Rowan (16-5) at Montclair State (14-4) | MSU Softball Stadium | Montclair, N.J. | Live Stat
3 p.m. ET — No. 22 Tufts (5-2) vs. No. 7 Luther (14-1) | The Spring Games | Clermont, Fla.
