In shutting out the competition on Long Island in the Hempstead, N.Y., regional, the No. 7-seeded Arizona Wildcats (39-16) have advanced to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Softball Championships, where they will take on the No. 10-seeded Oklahoma Sooners (46-12) out of the Big-12 conference. They will face off in a best-of-three game series to determine who will advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Arizona will meet the Sooners at 4:30 p.m. on Friday in a nationally televised matchup on ESPN. Saturday will feature the same institutions with Oklahoma being the designated home team and a first pitch time of 11:30 a.m. If necessary, the teams will meet for Game 3 approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2. Eric Collins and Cheri Kempf will describe the play throughout the weekend for ESPN. Derrick Palmer and Erika Hanson will provide the game call locally on KTUC 1400 for the duration of the round.
Friday, May 23
4:30 p.m. – Game 1 Arizona vs. Oklahoma
Saturday, May 24
11:30 a.m. – Game 2 Oklahoma vs. Arizona
Saturday, May 24
1:30 p.m. – Game 3 If Necessary (Coin flip will determine home team)
The Tucson winner will advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, starting May 29. Arizona appears in its 22nd consecutive NCAA Championships.
Softball became a Division I sport in 1982 and Arizona did not qualify for the first five tournaments but has every year thereafter.
Arizona has won a regional 19 times to advance to the Women’s College World Series, an event it has won eight times including the past two seasons. Arizona has a record of 127-35 in NCAA play, including a mark of 64-8 in preliminary regional action.