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

The Duke Blue Devils are the No. 13 seed overall in the NCAA Softball Tournament and the top team in the 2021 Athens Regional, but they didn’t get a chance to host because of NCAA policies.

When the NCAA was preselecting sites to serve as host locations for the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament, they likely knew there’d be a chance that the team that would be hosting would not be the top team in the regional. That’s exactly what’s happening with the Athens Regional as the Duke Blue Devils are the top team present, but weren’t presented with the opportunity to host.

Duke Blue Devils

Duke looked strong all season, compiling a 42-10 record and going on a rampage down the stretch, winning 15 in a row before entering the NCAA Softball Tournament. Duke was dominant at home, which might make things a little challenging for the Blue Devils considering they won’t be playing there for this regional. However, probably not too challenging since Duke went a combined 22-6 in away and neutral site games.

Best wins

• March 26 at Clemson – 2-0
• March 26 at Clemson – 3-1
• April 4 vs. Virginia Tech – 3-1

Worst losses

• April 16 at Louisville – 0-2
• April 9 at Florida State – 0-5
• April 10 at Florida State – 0-3

Players to watch

• Kristina Foreman – With 11 home runs and 40 RBIs, Foreman has been a productive hitter for the Blue Devils.
• Peyton St. George – St. George is a hard pitcher to get hits off of. Opposing batters have a batting average of .169 while she has 184 strikeouts and a 2.02 ERA.
• Shelby Walters – In 129 innings pitched, Walters has compiled a 1.30 ERA and has struck out 78 batters.

Final thoughts

It’s a shame we won’t get to see Duke defend its home turf, but the Blue Devils have made it clear that they can compete just about anywhere. The trip down to Athens, Georgia isn’t that far and this team has demonstrated that it can win on the road and in neutral sites.

Georgia Bulldogs

The Georgia Bulldogs are on a rough stretch. UGA got off to a great start, but the Bulldogs struggled towards the end of the season and are currently on a seven-game losing streak. They have a 29-20 record and though they’re talented, they’re not doing so great right now. Interestingly enough, UGA is 21-12 at home and is No. 19 in the latest RPI rankings.

Best wins

• April 20 vs. Oklahoma – 7-6 in nine innings
• April 3 vs. Florida – 4-2
• April 25 at Tennessee – 11-8 in nine innings

Worst losses

• April 4 vs. Florida – 1-17 in five innings
• April 5 vs. Florida – 1-8
• April 11 at Kentucky – 3-11 in five innings

Players to watch

• Lacey Fincher – Fincher has a team-best .331 batting average as well as a team-best .720 slugging percentage. Fincher has hit 13 home runs this season.
• Mary Wilson Avant – While her ERA isn’t the best at 3.01, she’s pitched in 169.2 innings and has 175 strikeouts.
• Sydney Kuma – Kuma leads Georgia in home runs with 14. She’s a consistent hitter with a .290 batting average.

Final thoughts

Georgia has been such an up-and-down team. This group has the talent to face off against anyone, but the Bulldogs have also been steamrolled on multiple occasions and are on an awful losing streak.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Of the teams present in the Athens Regional, Western Kentucky might have the best chance to prove itself. With Georgia struggling, Western Kentucky has the opportunity to show that it should have been seeded higher, assuming the Hilltoppers can go toe-to-toe with the talented rosters it’ll be matched up against in this regional.

Best wins

• May 14 vs. North Texas – 4-2 in the CUSA Tournament
• May 15 vs. UAB – 13-4 in the CUSA Tournament
• Mar 24 vs. Kentucky – 2-1 in nine innings

Worst losses

• March 6 at Mississippi State – 0-10 in five innings
• March 7 at Mississippi State – 4-5
• April 3 at Eastern Kentucky – 0-1

Players to watch

• Kennedy Sullivan – Sullivan has been solid for the Hilltoppers this year with a .338 batting average and 13 home runs this season. On top of that, she also has a perfect 9-0 win-loss record as a pitcher, a 2.10 ERA, and 61 strikeouts through 70 innings pitched.
• Shelby Nunn – Through 87.2 innings pitched, Shelby Nunn has a 2.16 ERA and 53 strikeouts.
• TJ Webster – Though Webster hasn’t been much of a power hitter this year, she’s been a consistent threat to steal a base. Webster has been solid all season with a .325 batting average and 19 stolen bases on 21 attempts.

Final thoughts

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are one of the most intriguing teams in the entire 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament. I can’t wait to see how they handle the challenge of more talented teams, such as Duke and Georgia.

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Spartans are on a hot streak right now. The Spartans have a 34-15 overall record and have won their last eight games. That winning streak propelled UNCG through the Southern Conference Championship and into the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament.

Best wins

• May 8 vs. Western Carolina – 9-1
• May 8 vs. Western Carolina – 9-1
• May 15 vs. Western Carolina – 9-4

Worst losses

• February 19 vs. Kentucky – 2-7
• February 19 vs. Kentucky – 4-14
• April 14 vs. Charlotte – 4-11

Players to watch

• Morgan Scott – Scott is UNCG’s best pitcher. With a 20-7 win-loss record, a 2.10 ERA, and 200 strikeouts in 180.1 innings pitched, she’s proven herself to be capable of winning all year.
• Makenna Matthijs – Matthijs leads the Spartans with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs.
• Kayleigh Willis – Willis isn’t far behind Matthijs and helps to form a formidable duo with her. With 12 home runs and 40 RBIs, she and Matthijs have shown that they can do some damage.

Final thoughts

UNCG is outmatched a bit in terms of talent, but they’re rolling right now and have a ton of momentum. This is a team that could be dangerous for any opponent that underestimates it. Nobody should look at this group and think it’d be an easy win.

For more NCAA softball or NCAA baseball news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided click the links and bookmark these pages.