SEC SOFTBALL

SEC Softball Update:

Kentucky played No. 12 Louisville over the weekend and in the game Wednesday they tried to mount a seventh inning comeback, but fell short. They ended up losing 2-1 to the highly ranked team, with a lot of effort, but nothing to show for it. They had bases loaded with no outs, but just couldn’t get anything to pay off. We see this so many times, the batters just feel like they have to do too much.

Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida are all ranked in the top ten in the nation. The country is seeing that the SEC is the dominant conference in Softball. The league is very competitive and is making it so the people showing up to the games have a great experience.

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Second only to the is dominant in the sport of softball, and it has been for the past few seasons. The only conference that can claim to be better than the SEC is the Pac-10, which has seven teams currently ranked in the Top 25.

The SEC has five teams currently ranked, and four of them are in the Top 15. The Pac-10 and the SEC actually have the Top 6 split evenly at three teams apiece, but the Pac-10 has the top two teams in its conference. This shows that while the SEC has quite a bit of power in the sport, the Pac-10 reigns supreme.

All it would take in the conference race is for the SEC to finally break through and win a national championship. They have been heartbreakingly close the past three years, with SEC making it into the semifinals of the Women's College World Series each time.

Auburn softball pitcher Holly Currie pitches a no-hitter. Thanks to www.helmsingphoto.com for the photo.

The conference race in softball right now looks like this:

1. Pac-10 - The Pac-10 is the best conference in the nation right now. That could change with the recent surge of the SEC in the past few years, but the Pac-10 still holds three of the Top 5 spots this season.
2. SEC - The SEC is right on the verge of overtaking the Pac-10; it just can not seem to get over the hump and actually win a national title. The current programs are definitely the some of the best in the nation, owning three of the Top 6 spots in the current standings.
3. Big 12 - The Big 12 has a legitimate case for the number two spot behind the Pac-10 based on its national championship victories. Unfortunately, they have not won any titles in the past decade, and the SEC has recently been better.
4. Big Ten - The Big Ten is making a strong push to overtake the Big 12 in this new millennium. The conference has three teams in the Top 25 right now, but those positions are not locked by any means.
5. ACC - The ACC has a few teams in the Top 25, but none are very highly rated. The ACC desperately needs a national title soon if it wants to stay relevant in the softball world.
   

Thanks to utsports.com for photos 1, 3 and 4 above. Thanks to ukathletics.com for photo 2 above. All rights are reserved for these photos.

Here's our 2011 SEC Softball team rankings:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide - Congrats to the Alabama Crimson Tide -- 2012 College Softball Champions!! The Crimson Tide was (and is) the best team in the SEC West and made it to the WCWS. and should start the season ranked in the Top 15 next season. They have a great team with strong leadership and they should compete for the national title once again.

2. Florida Gators - They Lady Gators won the SEC East Regular Season Title and made it to the finals of the 2011 WCWS. They were ranked number six in the final polls, and were the best team in the SEC in the regular season. They have a club that should be right back in the battle for the SEC next season as well.

3. Tennessee Volunteers - The Lady Vols won the 2011 SEC Softball Tournament Championship!! They were the number four team in the nation at season's end -- 2010, and were the second ranked team in the SEC. They do, however, have a better overall program than some of the other ranked teams at this point.

4. Georgia Bulldogs - The Bulldogs finished second to Tennessee in the 2011 SES Softball Tournament. 2010 ranked number three in the nation, and were the highest ranked team in the SEC. Unfortunately, they do not seem to have quite as much coming back as Tennessee, which is why they are number two.

5. LSU Tigers - The Tigers could easily jump Alabama if they can string together some quality wins. Historically the Tigers are the best in the West, and they will have their chance to regain their crown this season.

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs - The Bulldogs are ranked just outside the Top 25, and they could prove to be potential stumbling blocks for the Crimson Tide and Tigers down the stretch.

7. Auburn Tigers - With Auburn coming on strong last season, it should be no surprise that the Tigers are looking to compete in what could be a well balanced SEC West.

8. Arkansas Razorbacks - The Razorbacks are yet another SEC West team that should have a shot at the SEC West title this coming season. Their main problem is that they need a proven leader to step up. They could make some noise if the chips fall right.

9. Kentucky Wildcats - The Wildcats were the biggest surprise last season when they made the NCAA Regionals. They are looking to keep their momentum going this season and hopefully compete in the SEC East that looks a little top heavy.

10. Ole Miss Rebel Black Bears - Ole Miss looks to be in the cellar in the SEC West, but that does not mean that they will go quietly. They are a dangerous and talented team that could compete in the next couple of years.

11. South Carolina Gamecocks - The Gamecocks are in the cellar of the SEC thanks to Vanderbilt not having a softball program at all. The Gamecocks have a tough division to play in, but they are better than most people give them credit for.

12. Vanderbilt Commodores - Does not have a softball program.

Kentucky women's softball pitch. Thanks to ukathletics for the photo.

Check out our latest SEC Softball Articles:

• Analysis of Current State of College Softball
• Preview of SEC Teams in 2012 Womens College World Series

Other Helpful Links:

• Baseball Training Programs
  
  

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