Fansided

2021 NCAA Softball Tournament Seattle Regional preview, players to watch, predictions and more

By Ethan Lee

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 25: The University of Washington Huskies dugout celebrates a single RBI by Sarah Willis #66 to score Megan Vandegrift #2 of the UW Huskies during their game against the UCLA Bruins at Easton Stadium on April 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 25: The University of Washington Huskies dugout celebrates a single RBI by Sarah Willis #66 to score Megan Vandegrift #2 of the UW Huskies during their game against the UCLA Bruins at Easton Stadium on April 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. /
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JAKARTA, INDONESIA – MAY 03: Official balls Mizuno 150 are seen during the match between Hong Kong and Indonesia on day three of the 12th Softball Women’s Asia Cup on May 03, 2019 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images) /

Michigan, like Washington, has a high ceiling as it looks the challenge higher-seeded teams in the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament.

The Michigan Wolverines were denied a chance to host, but they’ve got the potential to be a real challenge for any team that has to face them.

Season overview

Michigan played a conference-only schedule this season, which means they played a ton of Big Ten games this year. There are several really good teams in the Big Ten and Michigan had plenty of opportunities to shine during the year. As such, they went 36-6 overall and then 36-6 in conference.

Best wins

The second-best team in the Big Ten is Minnesota and the Wolverines really had no issue dispatching them. The Wolverines took three of four from the Gophers and had a shot to sweep, but came up just short.

  • May 7 at Minnesota – 3-0
  • May 8 at Minnesota – 10-4
  • May 8 at Minnesota – 3-1

Worst losses

Nebraska and Illinois aren’t particularly great teams. Both found ways to beat the Wolverines and were able to hand Michigan its worst losses of the season.

  • February 28 vs. Illinois – 1-2
  • February 28 vs. Illinois – 1-2
  • Mar 12 vs. Nebraska – 4-5 in eight innings

Players to watch

  • Lou Allan – Allan has been consistent at the plate and has a .385 batting average and is tied to lead the Wolverines with 10 home runs.
  • Taylor Bump – Like Allan, Bump is one of the best hitters on Michigan’s roster. Bump has a .325 batting average and is tied with Allan with 10 home runs on the season.
  • Lexie Blair – Blair is a consistent and solid hitter (with a .411 batting average and 6 home runs on the season) and also a dangerous baserunning threat. Blair has stolen 11 bases with 12 attempts so far this year.

Final thoughts

The Michigan Wolverines appear to be a great team and are well-rounded. It’ll be interesting to see how Michigan does against teams from outside of the Big Ten. We’ve seen the Wolverines work through conference foes with ease, but it remains to be seen how Michigan will handle non-conference opponents.