2021 NCAA Softball Tournament: Super Regional storylines, players to watch

With the Regional round wrapped up, the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament is headed on to the Super Regionals. 

It wasn’t that long ago the field for the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament was announced, but now here we are, set for the Super Regionals to begin.

Thursday evening, the Baton Rouge Super Regional and the Los Angeles Super Regional will get things started as the remaining 16 teams in the NCAA Tourney begin to battle for a shot at the Women’s College World Series.

Here are the 16 teams still contending for a chance at the 2021 Women’s College World Series:

• Oklahoma
• Washington
• Alabama
• Kentucky
• Missouri
• James Madison
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• Oklahoma State
• Texas
• LSU
• Florida State
• Florida
• Georgia
• UCLA
• Virginia Tech

So, what should you keep an eye on as the 2021 NCAA softball tournament progresses? Make sure you keep up with the following storylines.

The entertaining LSU-Florida State rivalry kicks off the Super Regional round of the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament.

The LSU Tigers are hosting the Florida State Seminoles in the Baton Rouge Super Regional as part of the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament. The two teams are certainly familiar with each other as a rivalry has developed between the Tigers and the Seminoles.

Entering into the 2021 Baton Rouge Super Regional, the two teams have played each other a total of 12 times. So far, LSU and FSU have each beaten the other a total of six times.

Back in 2017, LSU and Florida State played each other in the Tallahassee Super Regional, a series where the Tigers came out on top. When the two teams met in 2018 in the Tallahassee Super Regional, Florida State won and then later went on to win a national title.

Each of those Super Regionals went three games, and this matchup between could go another three. Keep an eye on this series.

Can the Washington Huskies get past the Sooners to make it to Oklahoma City?

One of the most intriguing storylines the 2021 NCAA Softball Tournament presented us was whether or not the Washington Huskies could overcome some adversity and make it on to the 2021 Women’s College World Series.

Washington, consistently one of the best teams in the country throughout the season, was hit with the No. 16 overall seed in the tournament. Despite all the Huskies had accomplished this season, they were denied a better seed and are now having to go through the Oklahoma Sooners to make it to the WCWS.

The Huskies very clearly felt disrespected and are now working to prove that they are better than the seed they were presented. This team has a ton of motivation and they can show just how good they are as they face the No. 1 overall seed in Oklahoma.

Players to watch in the 2021 Super Regionals

• Oklahoma has a multitude of power hitters on its roster, but Jocelyn Alo may be the best. So far, Alo has hit 28 home runs. She’s one of three Sooners who has at least 20 home runs on the year and is a threat to score anytime she’s at the plate.
• Alabama’s Montana Fouts is by far one of the best pitchers in the country this year. Fouts has a 1.44 ERA, a 24-3 record, has thrown in 21 complete games and has 189.2 innings pitched this year.
• Virginia Tech shocked folks out in the Tempe Regional, and Keely Rochard is a huge reason why. Rochard has a 1.24 ERA, a 28-8 win-loss record, has thrown an astonishing 30 complete games and has 226 innings pitched this season.

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