Notre Dame (31-22) vs. Illinois State (42-15-1), Friday, Noon
Illinois State, ranked No. 22 in the last NFCA top 25 poll, has three players with at least 15 home runs. Notre Dame has a decent pitcher in Brittney Bargar. What’s impressive about Illinois State is the team’s 2.11 ERA. The Fighting Irish have made nine consecutive NCAA tournaments. Strong defense may keep them in the game, but they do not have enough offense to keep up with the Redbirds.
DAILY Pick: Illinois State
Wright State (25-33) vs. No. 2 Northwestern (45-11), Friday, 2:30 p.m.
The Raiders got here by winning the Horizon League tournament with a victory over Cleveland State. The Cats reached the championship series in last season’s NCAA Tournament and should open with an easy victory. NU’s offense is simply too powerful for a pitching staff with a 4.26 ERA. If the Raiders manage to get on base, they can do damage with their speed, but their .263 batting average suggests they will not be on base often. With senior Eileen Canney or freshman Lauren Delaney pitching, the Cats should stymie the Raiders’ offense.
DAILY Pick: NU
Illinois State vs. NU, Saturday, 11 a.m.
Two powerful offenses meet in a critical game in this double elimination tournament. Expect NU to throw its best pitcher, Canney, against Illinois State, which averaged 5.5 runs per game, 0.2 runs per game less than NU’s. The Redbirds’ pitching isn’t bad either, and the Cats could face some problems. Shannon Nicholson is 20-6 with a 1.51 ERA. Her ERA is lower than that of each NU pitcher. The difference in this game is big game experience. Illinois State has defeated some powerful teams, downing No. 8 Butler, No. 12 UCLA and No. 13 Florida (twice). It should be a close game. But after losing in the Big Ten tournament title game, NU is completely focused and should have the edge here.
DAILY Pick: NU
Wright State vs. Notre Dame, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
The two bottom teams in this region meet with elimination on the line. The Raiders could provide an interesting matchup for the Fighting Irish. Wright State will try to get runners moving around the bases. The Raiders have attempted 103 steals and converted 78. The Cats have attempted 62, second most of the teams in this region. The problem is getting runners on base. Wright State is the worst hitting team in the region. Notre Dame has not fared much better, hitting .270. But pitching could make the difference. The Irish are a much better team from the circle and should be able to scratch out enough offense to win and eliminate the Raiders.
DAILY Pick: Notre Dame
Notre Dame vs. Illinois State, Saturday, 4 p.m.
This game will again depend on the condition of Notre Dame’s pitching and its offensive production. The Irish will probably use their best pitcher for at least the second straight game to try to combat the Redbirds’ offense. The second time around, both teams should be able to produce a little more offensively, but that still swings the advantage toward Illinois State. The Irish might be able to produce more offensively, but they probably do not have enough to overcome the Redbirds.
DAILY Pick: Illinois State
Illinois State vs. No. 2 NU, Sunday, Noon.
The Cats’ and Redbirds’ best pitchers are about even statistically. NU has played similar high-powered offensive teams before, sweeping Illinois in a doubleheader in its final Big Ten games. Illinois State also took two games from Illinois this season, but the Redbirds’ pitching is better than the Illini’s. The Cats have a deeper pitching staff if Canney or Nicholson are taken out of the game. Illinois State has beaten some tournament teams, but against the top 10, it has not fared well, going 1-3. NU is a quality team that Illinois State could have problems with. The Cats should be able to advance to the Super Regionals.
DAILY Pick: NU
– Compiled by Philip Rossman-Reich
