The NCAA softball super regionals are complete, with eight teams advancing to the Women’s College World Series.

Just Women’s Sports breaks down all eight matchups. Each best-of-three series was hosted by the higher seed.

Norman Super Regional — Norman, Oklahoma
No. 1 Oklahoma eliminates No. 16 Clemson, 2-0

  • Game 1: Oklahoma 9, Clemson 2
  • Game 2: Oklahoma 8, Clemson 7 (9)
  • Oklahoma advances to the Women’s College World Series

Oklahoma broke the record for longest winning streak in NCAA softball history with Saturday’s comeback win over Clemson, which marked the Sooners’ 48th win — besting the mark set by Alabama, which strung together 47 wins between 1996 and 1997. The two-time reigning champions have lost just one game all season, way back in February.

Tallahassee Super Regional — Tallahassee, Florida
No. 3 Florida State eliminates No. 14 Georgia, 2-0

  • Game 1: Florida State 8, Georgia 1
  • Game 2: Florida State 4, Georgia 2
  • Florida State advances to the Women’s College World Series

Florida State pitcher Kathryn Sandercock threw a perfect game to send her team to the super regionals. The ACC regular season and tournament title winners, the Seminoles sold out tickets for the super regional round in just one minute.

Knoxville Super Regional — Knoxville, Tennessee
No. 4 Tennessee eliminates No. 13 Texas, 2-0

  • Game 1: Tennessee 5, Texas 2
  • Game 2: Tennessee 9, Texas 0
  • Tennessee advances to the Women’s College World Series

While teams went undefeated in their regionals, the Volunteers advance to the WCWS, capping their super regionals sweep with a six-run seventh inning to close out a 9-0 win against the Longhorns.

Tuscaloosa Super Regional — Tuscaloosa, Alabama
No. 5 Alabama eliminates No. 12 Northwestern, 2-1

  • Game 1: Northwestern 3, Alabama 1
  • Game 2: Alabama 2, Northwestern 1
  • Game 3: Alabama 3, Northwestern 2
  • Alabama advances to the Women’s College World Series

Despite losing the first game, Alabama responded in games 2 and 3 to make it to their 14th WCWS. Northwestern landed plenty on base, but ultimately could not complete the series.

Stillwater Super Regional — Stillwater, Oklahoma
No. 6 Oklahoma State eliminates Oregon, 2-0

  • Game 1: Oklahoma State 8, Oregon 1
  • Game 2: Oklahoma State 9, Oregon 0
  • Oklahoma State advances to the Women’s College World Series

With the 2-0 series win, Oklahoma State will compete in the WCWS for a third straight year. Oregon was one of just three unseeded teams to make it to the super regional round.

Seattle Super Regional — Seattle, Washington
No. 7 Washington eliminates Louisiana, 2-0

  • Game 1: Washington 8, Louisiana 0 (5)
  • Game 2: Washington 2, Louisiana 0
  • Washington advances to the Women’s College World Series

Perhaps nobody had a crazier game entering the super regionals than Washington, who came back from down six runs in the final inning to win and advance. The Huskies then swept Louisiana with two shutouts to reach the WCWS.

Durham Super Regional — Durham, North Carolina
No. 9 Stanford eliminates No. 8 Duke, 2-0

  • Game 1: Stanford 3, Duke 1
  • Game 2: Stanford 7, Duke 2
  • Stanford advances to the Women’s College World Series

Stanford advances to its third WCWS in program history and its first since 2004. Alana Vawter picked up her 20th win for the Cardinal in Saturday’s series-clinching win.

Salt Lake City Super Regional — Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 15 Utah eliminates San Diego State, 2-1

  • Game 1: San Diego State 4, Utah 3
  • Game 2: Utah 10, San Diego State 1
  • Game 3: Utah 7, San Diego State 2
  • Utah advances to the Women’s College World Series

Everything went right for Utah on Sunday, as they took down San Diego State to advance to their first WCWS since 1994.

Once again, scheduling at the Women’s College World Series is a point of contention for coaches and fans.

Oklahoma exploded offensively in Game 2 to force a Game 3 in the series and, despite the fact that the two teams will be playing for a national title, the game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Thursday instead of primetime.

The scheduling issue came up earlier in the tournament, after Florida State and Oklahoma State played a WCWS game Sunday that started around midnight due to a rain delay and didn’t end until after 3 a.m. ET. Just 12 hours later, Florida State was back at it, playing Alabama at 3:30 p.m. ET on Monday for a spot in the championship series.

“It’s very uncomfortable when we are talking to our players about standing up for what is right, yet what is happening around us is not right,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said earlier this week. “And the players will do whatever you put in front of them. They’re not going to complain. They’re going to go to bed at 3, wake up at 7, because it’s the World Series. But that’s not the memory they need to have.”

It’s not the first time that Gasso has raised the issue of the WCWS format with the NCAA. About a month ago, she pointed out the differences between the men’s and women’s tournaments — namely that the men’s College World Series stretches out over nearly two weeks and doesn’t include doubleheaders, while the women’s tournament is more compressed.

The men’s and women’s World Series events drew similar television ratings in 2019. This year, viewership for the softball tournament has been up. The first game of the championship series averaged 1,862,000 viewers on ESPN, a 37 percent increase over last year’s Game 1 and the largest audience for a Finals Game 1 on record.

Despite this, the final game of the WCWS — the one that will crown a national champion — airs at 3 p.m. ET midweek. ESPN, which has contractual obligations with the NBA, has an NBA playoff doubleheader scheduled for Thursday night.

As Michigan State coach Jacquie Joseph told the Washington Post in April: “What’s lower than an afterthought? That’s us.”

Tune in to watch Oklahoma and Florida State battle it out for the national title at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN.

For some freshmen, the big stage can be overwhelming. Those freshmen aren’t named Kaeli Harding and Kaley Mudge. 

Harding had a home run and four runs batted in to lead the way for the Seminoles. Not to be outdone, Mudge had three hits of her own, increasing her WCWS total to a record-tying 13. Before the World Series, the freshman had 16 hits all season.

Despite a late-effort comeback by Oklahoma, Florida State’s offensive explosion was too much to overcome as the Seminoles beat the Sooners 8-4.

Harding had the first big play of the night, with a monster throw in the second that led to an out at third.

From there, Florida State’s bats came alive, as Harding then launched a dinger in the top of the third to put the Seminoles on the board first.

She then hit a double in the second to bring in two more and bring the lead total to four.

Not one to go quietly, the Sooners would prove just how dangerous they are – even when down big. In the bottom of the sixth, Mackenzie Danihoo hit a double to cut the lead to three.

The second game of the series kicks off tonight on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET, with Florida State having the chance to win yet another national title.

Arizona softball coach Mike Candrea officially announced his retirement Monday.

Candrea, 65, amassed a legendary career with the Wildcats, becoming the winningest softball coach of all time. 

Under his leadership, the Wildcats won eight national championships, made 24 Women’s College World Series appearances, won 10 conference championships and coached 53 All-Americans while winning 1,674 games. 

He also coached the USA Softball team to gold in the 2004 Olympics and silver in the 2008 Olympics. 

Four-time All-American and 2008 U.S. Olympic Team member Caitlin Lowe, who has spent the past nine seasons on Candrea’s staff, has been named his replacement. 

Candrea will continue to work with the Arizona athletic department, serving in an advisory role as well as assisting with coaching development.

Odicci Alexander received an emotional standing ovation while exiting Monday’s Women’s College World Series semifinal between James Madison and Oklahoma.

Walking to the dugout in the bottom of the fifth inning, the James Madison pitcher was showered with cheers by the Sooners-heavy crowd.

In James Madison’s improbable run at the WCWS, Alexander threw 1,057 pitches and recorded 66 strikeouts, second most during the tournament.

Oklahoma advanced to the championship series with a 7-1 win Monday, but JMU made history in its first WCWS appearance and Alexander’s heroic performance earned her national adoration.

Florida State and Oklahoma have advanced out of the loser’s bracket and are heading to the Women’s College World Series Championship Finals.

After dropping the tournament-opener to James Madison, Oklahoma rallied to win four consecutive games to keep the school’s title hopes alive.

On Monday, the Sooners got their shot at revenge. In a semifinal rematch of the opening round upset, Oklahoma surged to a 7-1 win over James Madison, securing the school a spot in the championship series.

Florida State also survived the loser’s bracket, clawing their way back to the finals with an 8-5 win over Alabama on Monday.  The Seminoles sprinted to an early 8-0 lead in the third inning and held off a late Alabama surge to earn the school a spot in the title matchup.

The best of three championship series between Oklahoma and Florida State begins Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

It’s do-or-die time in the Women’s College World Series. 

Four teams play today — only two will advance to the championship series.

On Sunday, Oklahoma got their revenge and took down James Madison 6-3 after losing to them earlier in the first game of the World Series. James Madison tied it at three in the bottom of the fourth, before Kinzie Hansen hit a clinching two-run bomb. 

The two teams will face off once more for a trip to the championship series tonight at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

Florida State, meanwhile, ended Alabama’s 20-game win streak, forcing a winner-take-all Monday night game. The Seminoles won 2-0, with Josie Muffly driving in Dani Morgan in the bottom of the sixth to get the insurance run.

Florida State and Alabama will play again tonight at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

The winners of both games advance to the best-of-three championships series, which begins tomorrow. 

Montana Fouts made history Friday night, throwing a perfect game in Alabama’s 6-0 win over UCLA. It’s only the fifth perfect game in Women’s College World Series history and the first since 2000.

Fouts totaled 14 strikeouts against UCLA.

After the game, the Alabama pitcher told media that the key to her historic performance was trust in the process and her team.

“I was just going pitch by pitch,” said Fouts.

Alabama is now one win away from a slot in the Women’s College World Series championship round.

Women’s sports not getting the same treatment as the men’s has been the story of the NCAA this year.

That includes college softball.

The eight-team Women’s College World Series held every year in Oklahoma City is regularly sold out and draws a significant audience on ESPN. In 2019, 1.8 million people watched the final game of the championship series, according to the New York Times. The 1.05 million viewers ESPN averaged for the tournament was just below the 1.13 million averaged for baseball.

Despite those results, the treatment of the two sports differs greatly based on a recent report in the Washington Post.

The softball stadium in Oklahoma has no showers, so players and coaches shower at their hotels instead. A team might also go the entire tournament without a day off, with at least two teams guaranteed to play a double-header on the third day of the tournament.

Meanwhile, the men have significantly more downtime. According to the report, baseball teams have off days, a golf outing, a free massage day and a celebratory dinner for coaches, players and dozens of guests.

One coach also pointed out how softball’s position in the college sports hierarchy makes it even harder to effect change, with softball falling under women’s basketball which in turn falls under men’s basketball.

“They’re the chosen ones,” Michigan State coach Jacquie Joseph told the Post, referring to women’s basketball teams, “and they’re treated like afterthoughts. What’s lower than an afterthought? That’s us.”

On the field, the tournament continues to excite. In Thursday’s opener, James Madison upset top-seeded Oklahoma 4-3. On Friday, James Madison faces Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. ET and Alabama takes on UCLA at 9:30 p.m. ET, both on ESPN2.

The NCAA Softball Super Regionals are set. (Full bracket can be found here.)

Following the controversy that surrounded the regional site announcements — including eight SEC teams receiving hosting duties — the SEC saw seven teams advance while the Pac-12 has three teams remaining in the tournament. 

A breakdown of the matchups can be found below. 

No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 16 Washington

The number one seed in the country wasted no time taking care of business over the weekend. While the Sooners went down early against Wichita State, they came back in a big way, scoring eight in the second inning and then another 10 in the seventh in a 24-7 rout of the Shockers. They also tied the NCAA regional record with six home runs in one game. 

Washington, meanwhile, struggled against Michigan on Saturday, falling 2-1. Washington responded, taking down Michigan twice on Sunday, including coming back from being down 5-1 in Game 7 to exploding in the fourth inning and taking a 10-5 lead heading into the fifth. The score would stand as the Huskies advanced to face the Sooners in the Supers.

No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 14 Kentucky

The Crimson took swift care of Clemson, blanking them 5-0. Alabama didn’t allow a single run all weekend, as the Alabama pitchers recorded 44 strikeouts, breaking the record for the team’s most in regional play. 

Kentucky was in trouble heading into Sunday’s game against Notre Dame after dropping a game Saturday against the Irish. But the Wildcats responded in a big way, blanking Notre Dame in two straight games (7-0, 4-0) en route to a Super Regional appearance.

No. 8 Missouri vs. James Madison

Jordan Weber had a day Sunday, putting an exclamation point on Missouri’s statement weekend. The sophomore, who came five outs away from a no-hitter Friday, finished the job on Sunday in the Tigers’ 5-0 win over Iowa State and helped her team advance to the Super Regional. 

James Madison, meanwhile, got off to a slow start in Sunday’s game against Liberty. The Flames took the lead on a two-run home run to lead 3-1 after four innings. But the Dukes’ bats would respond, scoring five runs in the fifth. They would eventually win by a score of 8-5, extending their win streak to 27 and advancing to the Super Regional against Missouri. 

No. 6 Arkansas vs. No. 11 Arizona

Arkansas got the scoring started early in the first inning with two runs before Stanford responded with three of their own. Arkansas would do all of the scoring from that point on, with Linnie Malkin opening things up in the fifth inning with a three-run home run. The score would stand, as the Hogs took down the Cardinal 7-3 to advance to their second-ever Super Regional.

Arizona went down big in their final game against Ole Miss. Down by six runs, the Wildcats began to gradually claw back, scoring eight runs in the fifth to erase the deficit. Reyna Carranco would bring in the tying runs with a line-drive single to the right, and the Wildcats never looked back.

They would add on six more runs for a final score of 12-6.

No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. No. 12 Texas

Oklahoma State took down Mississippi State in a big way, defeating the Bulldogs in a final score of 10-2. OSU’s Sydney Pennington etched her name in the history books, breaking the program’s all-time career home run record with her 36th bomb.

Texas almost went home Sunday after dropping their first game against Oregon 3-2. But they would respond in a big way in Game 7, blanking the Ducks 1-0 off of a Jordyn Whitaker RBI.

No. 7 LSU vs. No. 10 Florida State

After dropping the first game against Louisiana by a score of 2-0, the Tigers bounced back in Game 7. LSU took a 7-1 lead in the fifth off of a Georgia Clark 3-run home run, but the Ragin’ Cajuns wouldn’t go quietly, scoring four runs in the sixth at an attempted rally before falling by a final score of 8-5.

Florida State blanked UCF on Sunday by a score of 2-0 to advance to the Super Regionals. Pitcher Kathryn Sandercock led the way, giving up only one hit with one walk and eight strikeouts. Through 83 pitches, the ace recorded 58 strikes.

No. 4 Florida vs. Georgia

Florida had a perfect weekend, going 3-0 against USF and South Alabama, including a dominant 8-0 win during the final game against USF behind a no-hitter from Elizabeth Hightower. Florida’s offense exploded in the seventh, scoring six runs, including a grand slam from Sarah Longley that marked the first home run of her career.

Meanwhile in Athens, Georgia took advantage of their home field advantage to take down No. 13 Duke. Tied in the bottom of the sixth, Sydney Chambley would drive home the winning run for the Bulldogs for a final score of 10-9.

Back when the two teams met in April, Florida won the series against the Bulldogs, taking back-to-back series wins after dropping the opener. 

No. 2 UCLA vs. Virginia Tech

After going down 1-0 against Minnesota, the Bruins responded in a big way, with Kinsley Washington bringing in two to give UCLA control of the game.

The Bruins would hold out and win 2-1. 

In Tempe, Virginia Tech took down BYU in five innings on Saturday to advance to the Super Regionals for the second time in program history. With a final score of 11-3, the Hokies hit five home runs, tied for their second-most in a game all season.

Teams will now play in a best-of-three series for a spot in the College World Series in Oklahoma City.