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

By Ethan Lee

Baseball plate stock photo, softball plate stock photo, baseball base, softball baseNorth Florida Christian Softball Regional Final Vs University Christian 051419 Ts 2377
Baseball plate stock photo, softball plate stock photo, baseball base, softball baseNorth Florida Christian Softball Regional Final Vs University Christian 051419 Ts 2377 /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – SEPTEMBER 10: A flag for the Brigham Young Cougars enters the field of play for their game against the Utah Utes, at Rice Eccles Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – SEPTEMBER 10: A flag for the Brigham Young Cougars enters the field of play for their game against the Utah Utes, at Rice Eccles Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) /

The BYU Cougars have the second-most wins of the four teams competing in the Tempe Regional. Despite being the No. 3 seed here, they’re looking to come out on top.

BYU is one team that truly makes the Tempe Regional one of the most intriguing regionals in the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament. First, they come with a policy that adjusts the schedule, as the Cougars will not play on the Sabbath Day. So, this regional will happen from Thursday, May 20 through Saturday, May 22. Second, and more pertinent to this piece, the Cougars have a ton of wins but struggle against Pac-12 teams. That could be a problem should they meet up with Arizona State in the regional.

Season overview

The Cougars and Sun Devils have met previously and that’s part of the reason why BYU started off with a 0-3 record. In fact, BYU lost each of the first seven games it played against Pac-12 competition. But, BYU was able to hit a stride down the stretch of the season and, despite having issues beating Pac-12 teams, the Cougars ended up with a 36-15 record.

Best wins

But not every game against Pac-12 foes ended in disaster. Two of BYU’s best wins came against teams from the Pac-12: Utah and California.

  • March 4 vs. California in Stanford, California – 8-7 in eight innings
  • April 21 vs. Utah – 7-6

Worst losses

BYU and Arizona State are already familiar with each other. The Cougars and the Sun Devils have already played each other in Tempe, twice, with Arizona State winning both matchups. Given the teams present in this regional, those losses seem pretty important, all things considered.

  • February 11 at Arizona State – 2-7
  • February 11 at Arizona State – 5-7 in eight innings

Players to watch

  • Violet Zavodnik – Zavodnik leads BYU with a .417 batting average. To go along with that, she’s hit 13 home runs and has stolen 16 bases on 18 attempts.
  • Rylee Jensen – Jensen is also a very productive hitter and also happens to be quick on the base paths. She’s got a .400 batting average, has 18 home runs and has stolen 13 bases on 16 attempts.
  • Autumn Moffat-Korth – With a 1.94 ERA, 163 strikeouts, and a 21-8 record, Autumn Moffat-Korth has proven to be a tough pitcher to keep up with.

Final thoughts

BYU has beaten up on inferior foes to get most of its wins, but the Cougars will need to find a way to contend with more talented teams in the 2021 Tempe Regional. The likes of Virginia Tech and Arizona State won’t be easily beaten. There’s potential for BYU to take them down, but the Cougars need to prove that and make it happen.