The Texas Tech softball team has its sights set on another Big 12 Conference tournament title this weekend, but the question remains where the Red Raiders will be playing their games for the NCAA tournament after that.
Texas Tech remains a top-five team in the national polls, sporting a 50-5 record (the lone team in the country to achieve that win total so far) and a 21-3 record in Big 12 play. However, three head-scratching losses over the last month of the season may have prevented the Red Raiders from getting the chance to host a super regional.
In Softball America’s latest bracket projections released this week, Texas Tech is projected as the No. 10 overall seed, giving the Red Raiders a home regional for the second year in a row. That would also put Tech on the road for the super regional. Based on these projections, if seeding holds, the Red Raiders would head to Gainesville to take on the No. 7 seed Florida Gators for a spot in the Women’s College World Series.
This would also put Mia Williams in position to return to her previous school. The Florida native transferred to Texas Tech in the offseason after spending two years with the Gators. Williams has been as good as advertised with the Red Raiders as she’s one home run and one RBI away from setting the single-season program record in both categories entering the Big 12 tournament.
Entering the week, Williams leads the team in home runs (20), RBI (70), doubles (18), total bases (150) and runs scored (77). She already holds the team record in runs scored in a season and is second in doubles and total bases. Williams is currently tied for the program record in HRs and RBI in a season.
Texas Tech ranks in the top five in numerous statistical categories, ranking second in batting average and hits allowed per seven innings; third in on-base percentage, runs scored and RBI; and fourth in hits, home runs, team ERA and shutouts. However, the Red Raiders enter the week 12th in the RPI, a key metric for the selection committee in determining the top seeds for the national tournament. This comes after Tech went 2-1 against Baylor, the loss coming after the Red Raiders blew a 6-1 lead in Game 2 of the series.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Did Texas Tech softball cost itself a home super regional in Baylor loss?
Reporting by Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
