Our softball experts answered big super regionals questions: Sleepers, WCWS predictions

The 2025 NCAA softball super regionals officially kicked off Thursday night with No. 12 seed Texas Tech topping No. 5 seed Florida State 3-0 and No. 11 seed Clemson beating No. 6 Texas 7-4.

To get you ready for more action, we asked our softball analysts to break down the second stop on the road to the Women's College World Series. From sleeper teams to WCWS predictions, they answer the biggest questions about super regionals.

Which unseeded team has the best chance to make the WCWS? Which team has been the most impressive? Let's find out.

Jump to:
Most impressive | Matchup to watch
Must-watch player | Sleeper teams
Bold predictions

Which team impressed you the most during regionals?

Jenny Dalton-Hill: Liberty. The Flames surprised the country with their upset against No. 1 seed Texas A&M! Liberty's resilient and aggressive team looks ready to make its first trip to the WCWS.

Amanda Scarborough: Nebraska. The Cornhuskers looked prepared and played together. Their performance in the Baton Rouge Regional raised the question: Is their offense peaking at the right time? Ace Jordy Bahl looked unstoppable, and you could tell that her previous postseason experience with Oklahoma guided her in the circle and helped her lead the team. She wasn't just unstoppable in the circle, she was also next level at the plate.

Madison Shipman: Oregon. The Ducks showed resilience after being run-ruled by Stanford on Saturday to turn around and beat the Cardinal twice on Sunday. Plus, the way that they won was impressive! A run-rule victory in Game 1 on Sunday and then a walk-off home run by Dezianna Patmon in the bottom of the seventh inning in Game 2 is a moment that we'll be talking about all postseason!

Which super regionals matchup are you most excited for?

Dalton-Hill: Nebraska at No. 7 Tennessee. Bahl is the best two-way player in the country and one of the final three for USA Collegiate Player of the Year. I'm excited to watch how she attacks Tennessee's bats and see how she fares against the Lady Vols' ace Karlyn Pickens.

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UT's Karlyn Pickens after stifling Ohio State: 'It was a good day'

After holding one of the nation's most potent offenses to just two runs, a joyful Pickens breaks down how she found success in the circle to beat the Buckeyes.

Scarborough: Nebraska at No. 7 Tennessee. It's a pitching matchup for the ages: Pickens vs. Bahl. This is going to be epic! Nebraska hit very well in the Baton Rouge Regional, and I'm excited to see its offense against top pitching. Either Pickens or Bahl will be in OKC, and this should be quite the pitcher's duel.

Shipman: No. 11 Clemson at No. 6 Texas. The Tigers have a very young team that was tested early in the season with a tough schedule. But they are coming into this super regional on a 10-game win streak. As for Texas, its bats were practically unstoppable in last weekend's Austin Regional. The Longhorns combined to score 35 runs in three games!

Who is the biggest must-watch player in super regionals?

Dalton-Hill: Audrey Vandagriff, Alabama. She's just a freshman, but she is one of the fastest players in softball. Sitting on 50 stolen bases, she changes a defense with her speed and chases down everything in center field. Oh and she has home run power too!

Scarborough: Isa Torres, Florida State. Her presence as a leadoff hitter with so many different tools -- speed, short game and power -- is so special. Torres' defense is fun to watch, and her energy is contagious.

Shipman: NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech. She had one of the most dominant performances in the circle in the Big 12 tournament championship game that I have seen all season. She also hit two home runs and had two wins in the circle during regionals to help Texas Tech advance to the program's first super regionals.

Which unseeded team still in the tournament (Nebraska, Georgia, Ole Miss, Liberty) has the best chance to make it to OKC?

Dalton-Hill: Ole Miss. The Rebels have proved they can swing it in the desert and that they like elevated velocity. Ole Miss is primed to advance. But the Rebels will have to keep Arkansas' Bri Ellis in the ballpark, the best power hitter left in the postseason. They beat Arkansas in the regular season during SEC conference play two out of three times. That's exactly what they have to do this weekend, but this time it's at Bogle Park, not on their own turf.

Scarborough: Liberty. The fight that the Flames showed, the way they managed their pitching staff and the way they swung the bats in regionals was so impressive. Liberty is a hungry team, and I can't say enough about the swings taken against No. 1 seed Texas A&M. The offense was so impressive, and the pitchers looked poised and confident. Coach Dot Richardson's energy bleeds through the entire team!

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Texas A&M shocked by Liberty in historic upset

Top-seed Texas A&M is stunned by Liberty as the Aggies become the first No. 1 seed to lose in the regional round.

Shipman: Liberty. The Flames have a ton of momentum heading into the Eugene Super Regional after the big upset against Texas A&M in College Station. Coach Richardson always prepares her teams with tough schedules at the beginning of the season, and the Flames battled their way past the top-seeded team in the country to advance.

What is your bold prediction for the WCWS?

Dalton-Hill: Oklahoma wins it all again!

Scarborough: There will be a first-time national champion.

Shipman: Two of the eight teams will be making its first WCWS appearance.