THE RPI FACTOR
(www.spysoftball.com)

Every year following the NCAA selection the argument is made that the RPI index weighs too heavily on NCAA decisions.  No question RPI is a factor but not necessarily the ne plus ultra factor some contend.

Thirty-one of the 64 NCAA tournament berths are automatic selections from the list of 31 conference winners.  Using an arbitrary factor of 64, Spy calculated that of the 19 teams with an RPI above 64, 19 were conference winners.  NCAA used its discretionary authority to select 33 of the 64 teams.  In doing so, NCAA did not select 21 teams  with an RPI rating of 64 or lower, but they ranged from an RPI of 33 to 64, clearly what could be defined as a second tier of eligibility.  Thus, other factors come into play, notably won-lost record, in and out of conference, as well as the numerous NCAA statistics which Spy published on www.spysoftball.org.

Are there mismatches in the regionals?  Certainly in the opinion of the three prognosticators (weisenheimers) on the ESPN show who were projecting (predicting?) who would meet in NCAA Super Regionals. Quite acceptable; they are paid to be commentators with opinions.
There are indeed wide variations in the comparative RPI ratings.  But, as we’ve learned over the years (remember Bethune-Cookman), RPI is not an infallible indicator.  Spy does not make predictions public, but it shares a private list beforehand with a third party.  Spy believes, given comparative depth of pitching in a double-elimination format, the #1 seeds could be upset in half of the regions.

This year, the RPI variance is from Oklahoma at #1 to Mississippi Valley State at #252.

As a guide to reader prognostication, Spy has revised the NCAA pairings list to include RPI.

SUNDAY MAY 12 D1 SOFTBALL

NCAA May 6 RPI  RANKINGS are posted on: www.spysoftball.org
Note: as season progresses to the NCAA tournament, rankings in polls more closely reflect NCAA RPI but there are significant differences in the two major polls..

NCAA Individual and Team Statistics thru May 5 are on www.spysoftball.org
Conference Standings are posted on www.spysoftball.org
Road to NCAA Championship: www.spysoftball.org
2013 Conference Champions guide: www.spysoftball.org

ESPN USA Softball Poll May 7
1.  Oklahoma
2.  Oreegon
3.  Florida
4.. Tennessee
5.  Arizona State
6.  Texas
7.  Missouri
8.  Michigan
9.  LSU
10. Alabama
11. Washington
12. Louisville
13. Stanford
14. Nebraska
15. Kentucky
16T. UCLA
16T Baylor
18. South Alabama
19. Florida State
20. California
21T Texas A&M
21T Arkansas
23. Georgia
24. Hawaii
25. Tulsa

SUNDAY GAMES
#1 Oklahoma   5, Oklahoma State 0
#6 Texas 2, #16 Baylor 1 (9)

Kansas 12, Iowa State 3
Longwood 10, Winthrop 2
Wisconsin 9, Minnesota 3
UT Martin 5, Murray State 4
Jacksonville State 2, UT Martin 0

SATURDAY MAY 11 D1 SOFTBALL

NCAA May 6 RPI  RANKINGS are posted on: www.spysoftball.org
Note: as season progresses to the NCAA tournament, rankings in polls more closely reflect NCAA RPI but there are significant differences in the two major polls. NCAA has not updated individual and team statistics beyond April 28.

NCAA Individual and Team Statistics thru April 28 are on www.spysoftball.org
Conference Standings are posted on www.spysoftball.org
Road to NCAA Championship: www.spysoftball.org
2013 Conference Champions guide: www.spysoftball.org

ESPN USA Softball Poll May 7
1.  Oklahoma
2.  Oregon
3.  Florida
4.. Tennessee
5.  Arizona State
6.  Texas
7.  Missouri
8.  Michigan
9.  LSU
10. Alabama
11. Washington
12. Louisville
13. Stanford
14. Nebraska
15. Kentucky
16T. UCLA
16T Baylor
18. South Alabama
19. Florida State
20. California
21T Texas A&M
21T Arkansas
23. Georgia
24. Hawaii
25. Tulsa

Reminder: the coming week will include conference tournaments, Top 25 non-conference games, and games among schools not in Top 25 and not playing in conferences.  While Spy will attend the SEC tournament, Spy will endeavor to cover all three categories.

SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE
Florida 9, Georgia 5
WP Hannah Rogers.  LP Geri Ann Glasco.  The Gators opened their arsenal bottom 1^st: 2 out, Tofft hit an infield single; Haeger crushed a towering homer over the TV tower in left; Horton hbp; Schwarz slugged a 2-run homer over deep center (220ft).  Morgan Montemayor relieved Glasco. 4-0. Except for a walk by Puailoa in the 1^st, Georgia down in order 1^st and 2^nd. Gators 2^nd: Fuller reached on error at short. Two out, Merritt walked. Tofft singled past short, 2 rbi. Haeger walked; Horton fanned, 6-0.  Schwarz led the Vols 3^rd with her second home run, this time a solo over left field.  Little singled; Fuller flied to short, acrobatic catch by Wilson. Medina grounded out; Stewart tripled, rbi; Merritt out 5-3.  Gators 8-0.  All but one score has come with 2 out.  Georgia down in order 3^rd and 4^th. Gators 4^th: Tofft singled, advanced on throwing error.  Haeger out; Horton singled to left, rbi; Schwarz flied feep to right; Little hit back to Montemayor.  Bulldogs stirred their fans by loading the bases in the 5^th.  Sito singled, the Dawgs first hit.  Sito was forced at2nd by Olney; Browne walked; pinch hitter Iosefa was hbp; bases loaded; Griffin singled in a run; Wilson singled deep to right, 2 rbi; Georgia was down 9-3 but alive.  Gators 5^th: Two runs needed for run-rule. Fuller fanned; pinch hitter Castro singled to left; Stewart,struck out; Merritt singled to right; Tofft walked, loading the bases; Haeger worked a 3-2 count, looked at a third strike. A hit would won on run-rule.   Dawgs 6^th: Rogers struck out Puailoa and Swafford but Sito walkedOlney out at 1^st.  Gators 6^th: Damico hitting for Horton, doubled into right field corner; Schwarz popped to 1^st; Little grounded to 1^st; Fuller flied to center;  now the game would go into the 7^th, the run-rule which seemed inevitable after three innings, was only a memory.  Browne led the Dawgs 7^th with a single; Lazear hit into a fielder’s choice but the runner was safe at 2nd. Griffin sacrificed; Wilson singled to right, 2 rbi. 9-5. Glasco Glasco struck out looking; Puailoa grounded to 2^nd.  Game.

MISSOURI 3, TENNESSEE 0
WP Chelsea Thomas  LP Ivy Renfroe.  Crane opened the game with a single into left center, but was forced by Marston. Hudson looked at a third strike. Randazzo Randazzo grounded to 2^nd.  Vols 1^st: Chavanne 4-3, Gibson out looking, Dotson swinging. Mizzou down in order. Two out Vols 2^nd, Tarango got first hit, a single to left; Gaffin reached on infield hit to short; Akamine flied to right. Tigers 3^rd: one out, Rose reached on infield hit, bobbled by Chavanne; Crane bunt single; Marston slashed a single into left center, 2 rbi; Hudson flied to center, Randazzo to left, 2-0 Mizzou.  Vols 3^rd: Chavanne beat out an infield hit to 3^rd; Gibson flied to right; Dotson caught looking.  Tigers 4^th: Two out, Sykes singled to short enter, two out, Gadbois fanned.  Vols 5^th: One out, Brow lofted a single into center, Gaffin beat out an infield hit to right, which Crane knocked down but no play Brown racing to 3^rd; AkaCrane walked; mine fanned stranding the runners.  Tigers 6^th: Rose led with single to right; Marston popped to 3^rd; wild pitch advanced both runners; Hudson lined hard to Gibson at 2^nd; Randazzo bounced to Renfroe, stranding two.  Vols 6^th: Lewis grounded to Thomas; Chavanne whiffed; Gibson reached on an error by Roth at1st; Dotson watched a third strike, Thomas’ seventh K.  Tigers 6^th: Roth led with a solo off the scoreboard, 3-0. Sykes infield pop.  Genovese grounded to 3^rd. Gadbois whiffed.  The Tigers had stranded five runners.  Vols 6^th:Shipman flied to short. Brown grounded to 2^nd. Tarango flied deep to right.  Tigers 7^th: Rose struck out looking; Crane observed a third strike in passing, third in a row for Renfroe. Marston singled to center. Hudson whiffed.  Vols 7^th: Gaffin and pinch hitter Hammond struck out. Lewis struck out, Thomas’ 9^th, ending the game.  Missouri advances to the SEC championship to play Florida. (PS: in the press conference afterward, Chavanne said Thomas was very effective working the drop left and right.  When the two teams met in Columbia, Thomas hurled a no-hitter.)

CHAMPIONSHIP: MISSOURI VS FLORIDA

FLORIDA 10, MISSOURI 4
WP Lauren Haeger  LP Lindsey Muller.  Crane, the leadoff batter, slashed a single off the glove of shortstop Medina. Marston fanned; Hudson drove a double to the left field wall, rbi. Randazzo struck out; Sykes lined to short.  Gators 1^st: down in order. Tigers 2^nd: Roth led with a solo shot over left center. Two out, Rose lobbed a single to left. Crane walked, Marston grounded out.  Gators 2^nd: Haeger walked. Schwarz out 5-3. Horton propelled the Gators into the game with a 2-run homer, the first hit off Thomas. Castro singled, advanced on a wild pitch and passed ball. Little fanned.  Medina ground to short.  2-1 Tigers.  Missouri 3^rd: Hudson lined to center.  Randazzo lined to Tofft at 3^rd. Sykes doubled to the wall in right center. Roth hbp; both stranded when Genovese ground to short. Gators 3^rd: Stewart walked; Merritt jacked a 2-run homer off rrliever Lindsey Muller., Gators 4-2. Hudson relieved Thomas. Tofft grounded to 1^st. Haeger and Schwarz grounded out.  Tigers 4^th: May, Rose, Crane down in order.Gators: Horton lined to Genovese at short. Castro singled; Castro walked; Medina grounded to Genovese for a force but was safe at 1^st.  Runners on the corners, Stewart slapped a triple over short, 2 rbi. 6-2. Merritt was out on a grounder to short.  Florida changed pitchers Hannah Rogers for Haeger. Tigers 5^th: Marston led with a double; Hudson doubled to the wall in left, rbi; Randazzo grounded to Rogers; Sykes looked at a third strike; Roth grounded to 2^nd.  Tofft opened the Gators 5^th with a homer into the bleachers in right field. 7-3. Haeger lined to center. Schwarz lined to 2^nd. Horton walked. Castro popped high to Hudson. Tigers 6^th: Genovese out 4-3. Hay slammed a homer over the wall in left. 7-4. Rose grounded out, Crane flied high to short. Gators 6^th: Little out 5-3. Medina walked. Stewart, forced by Merritt. Tofft single, rbi. Haeger doubled, 2 rbi.  10-4. Schwarz flied deep to left. Tigers 7^th: Marston grounded to 1^st. Hudson fanned. Randazzo walked. Sykes struck out.  Florida wins the SEC championship 10-4.  Haeger winner; Muller losing pitcher, Rogers save.

OTHER GAMES

AMERICA EAST
Albany 2, Stony Brook 8
ATLANTIC 10
Fordham 1, St Joseph’s 7/final Fordham 6-5
ATLANTIC COAST
NC State 1, Florida State 0
ATLANTIC SUN
USC Upstate 4, Lipscomb 1/USC 7-5
BIG 12
Kansas 12, Iowa State 6
Oklahoma 4, Oklahoma State 0
Oklahoma wins Big 12 title for the 10th time; OU 46-4/14-2.
BIG EAST
Notre Dame 0, South Florida 1 (10) Bulls win Big East
BIG SKY
Portland State 4, Southern Utah 5
BIG SOUTH
Longwood 5, Campbell 1
Coastal Carolina 6, Winthrop 4
Longwood 8, Campbell 6
Coastal Carolina 6, Winthrop 4
BIG TEN
Wisconsin 9,  Michigan 3
Minnesota 1, Nebraska 0
BIG WEST
Cal Poly 0,UC Davis 4
CS Northridge 2, CS Fullerton 8
Hawaii 9, Pacific 3
UC Riverside 9, Santa Barbara 3
CUSA Marshall 3, Houston 1
HORIZON
Youngstown State 1, Valparaiso 2
METRO ATLANTIC
Marist 4, Fairfield 1
MID AMERICA
Ball State 7, Ohio 6
Northern Illinois 3, Ball State 2
Central Michigan 4, Northen Illinois 2
MEAC
Savannah State 4, Norfolk State 5
Hampton 3, Norfolk State 10
Hampton 7, Norfolk State 3
MISSOURI VALLEY
Evansville 1, Northern Iowa 2
MOUNTAIN WEST
Nevada 6, Boise State 7
UNLV 1, San Diego State 2
Colorado State v10,New Mexico 5
Fresno State 3, Long Beach State4/ DH LBS 3-2
NORTHEAST
Long Island 7, Monmouth 0
Central Conn vs tbd
OHIO VALLEY
Eastern Kentucky 5, Eastern Illinois 1
UT Martin vs SIU Evansville
Jacksonville State vs Murray State
PACIFIC COAST
Utah 2, BYU 4
PAC 12
Arizona 4, Stanford 3
Oregon vs Arizona State
UCLA 8, Oregon State 1
California 3, Washington 2/Jolene’s back!
Utah 2, BYU 4
PATRIOT
Army 4, Lehigh 0/DH Army 5-0
SOUTHERN
Georgia Southern 1, UNC Greensboro 0
SOUTHLAND
Central Arkansas 4, Sam Houston State 12
Northwestern State vs tbd
SWAC
Alabama State 3, Miss Valley State 11
SUMMIT
IPFW 4, North Dakota State 7
SUN BELT
Louisiana Lafayette 4, Western Kentucky 7
South Alabama 2, Western Kentucky 0
WAC
San Jose State 4, New Mexico State 0

end

WEDNESDAY MAY 9 D1 SOFTBALL

NCAA May 6 RPI  RANKINGS are posted on: www.spysoftball.org
Note: as season progresses to the NCAA tournament, rankings in polls more closely reflect NCAA RPI but there are significant differences in the two major polls. NCAA has not updated individual and team statistics beyond April 28.

NCAA Individual and Team Statistics thru April 28 are on www.spysoftball.org
Conference Standings are posted on www.spysoftball.org
Road to NCAA Championship: www.spysoftball.org
2013 Conference Champions guide: www.spysoftball.org

ESPN USA Softball Poll May 7
1.  Oklahoma
2.  Oregon
3.  Florida
4.. Tennessee
5.  Arizona State
6.  Texas
7.  Missouri
8.  Michigan
9.  LSU
10. Alabama
11. Washington
12. Louisville
13. Stanford
14. Nebraska
15. Kentrucky
16T. UCLA
16T Baylor
18. South Alabama
19. Florida State
20. California
21T Texas A&M
21T Arkansas
23. Georgia
24. Hawaii
25. Tulsa

Reminder: the coming week will include conference tournaments, Top 25 non-conference games, and games among schools not in Top 25 and not playing in conferences.  While Spy will attend the SEC tournament, Spy will endeavor to cover all three categories.

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
#10 Alabama ousted #21 Texas A&M 10-9
WP Leslie Jury. LP Mel Dumezich.  The first inning was exciting (and welcome after a rain delay of three hours).The Aggie scored two top 1^st. The first Aggie, Stark, was hbp; Clopton reached on an error at 3^rd; the first run scored on a sac fly by Garza; Dumezich singled to left, rbi. Lanphear laid down a precision bunt/hit.  TAMU stranded two.  Dumezich walked the first two Bama batters, Braud and Iamurri. McCleney singled, rbi. After a sac by Fitchner, Hunt jacked a 3-run shot off the screen on the left field foul pole. 4-2. Tere was no scoring over the next three innings. Top 5^th: Stark singled; Traina fanned Clopton and Garza; Dumezich walked; Lanphear singled deep to right, rbi. TAMU stranded two more.  4-3. In the bottom, one out, McCleney beat out an infield hit; Fichtner walked; Hunt walked, bases loaded; Lafaele crushed a grand slam over the left field fence, 8-3. Top 6^th, two out, pinch hitter Shannon singled, Stark singled through the hole, Clopton singled, bases loaded; Garza jacked a 1-1 pitch 220 ft over straightaway center, 8-7 (called by Spy). The Tide rolled out in order. A run down, TAMU opened the 7^th with Lanphear who was 2-3 and an rbi, strikeout. Morgan walked; Tysarczyk slugged a 3-2 pitch over the wall in center, 9-8 Aggies. Suddenly, the glory of Oklahoma City paled against the glare of reality; the defending national champions were down a run. LLeslie Jury relieved Jackie Traina.Tyler forced May who had walked. Stark singled; Clopton hit into a fielder’s choice at short. Bama 7^th: McCleney singled.  Fichtner reached on an error at short. Hunt fouled out to 3^rd. Lafaele whose grand slam had given the Tide what seemed like an insurmountable lead, flied high to short. Richard worked a 3-2 count and slashed a 2-run single. Bama lived to play again. 10-9.  Bama plays Florida Thursday at 11am.

Kentucky ousted by South Carolina 6-3
WP Julie Sarratt  LP Kelsey Nunley .  Two miscues enabled a Wildcats score bottom 2nd.  One out, O’Brien singled; Stokes beat out a hit to short.  Smith flied to left; Dill grounded to but Hathorn bobbled the ball, then tried to nail O’Brien at 3^rd; the overthrow allowed the score; O’Brien raced home; the South Carolina catcher then overthrew 3^rd trying to catch the trailing runner.  Two errors.  Top 3^rd: Gonzales and Yeske on base, Garcia and Page hit rbi singles; one out, Strett singled, rbi; Hawkins fanned but the catcher’s throw sailed into center. Masters ended the at-bat, SC up 4-1. Top 6^th: Still 4-1, Struett walked, Hawkins belted a 2-run homer.  Gamecocks 6-1. Bottom 6^th: Kentucky had no answers. Gamecocks in order in 7^th.  Kentucky led the 7^th with a single to center by Joiner. O’Brien jacked a 2-run homer past the 220 mark. 6-3. Stokes popped to 3^rd. Smith singled through the legs of Yeske at 3^rd.  Dill guided a hit into center. Two out, Steed struck out.  Kentucky eliminated.  South Carolina moves on to play Tennessee  Thursday night..

OTHER CONFERENCES (scores as received)
ATLANTIC SUN
Kennesaw State vs Lipscomb
Stetson 14, FGCU 14-6
ATLANTIC TEN
St Louis 4, George Washington 2
George Washington 2, Dayton 1
Temple 7, Dayton 2

COLONIAL
Towson vs Hofstra
Delaware vs James Madison

HORIZON
Youngstown State 9, Valparaiso 1
Wright State 4, Cleveland State 3

MID AMERICA
Bowling Green 2, Ohio 0
Miami 5, Toledo 4
Miami vs No Illinois

OHIO VALLEY
Jacksonville State  5, EasternKentucky 3
SIU Edwardsville 4, Tennessee Tech 3
Eastern Illinois 3, Morehead State 2

SOUTHERN
Samford 8, Elon 0
Western Carolina 3, Caollege of Charleston 1
Georgia Southern 6, Chattanooga 2
Samford vs Appalahian State
Furman vs UNC Greensboro

SWAC
Alabama State 2, Arkansas Pine Bluff 0
Prairie View 6, Miss Valley State 2
Grambling State 5, Jackson State 4

TexasSouthern 2, Alcorn State 1

SUN BELT
North Texas 7, Florida Atlantic 6
Western Kentucky 9, Louisiana Monroe 1

FIU vs ULL
Soth Alabama vs Troy

WESTERN
UTSA vs No Texas State
UT Arlington vs Louisiana Tech

Other Games

TUESDAY MAY 7 D1 SOFTBALL

NCAA May 6 RPI  RANKINGS are posted on: www.spysoftball.org
Note: as season progresses to the NCAA tournament, rankings in polls more closely reflect NCAA RPI but there are significant differences in the two major polls. NCAA has not updated individual and team statistics beyond April 28.

NCAA Individual and Team Statistics thru April 28 are on www.spysoftball.org
Conference Standings are posted on www.spysoftball.org
Road to NCAA Championship: www.spysoftball.org
2013 Conference Champions guide: www.spysoftball.org

ESPN USA Softball Poll May 7
1.  Oklahoma
2.  Oreegon
3.  Florida
4.. Tennessee
5.  Arizona State
6.  Texas
7.  Missouri
8.  Michigan
9.  LSU
10. Alabama
11. Washington
12. Louisville
13. Stanford
14. Nebraska
15. Kentrucky
16T. UCLA
16T Baylor
18. South Alabama
19. Florida State
20. California
21T Texas A&M
21T Arkansas
23. Georgia
24. Hawaii
25. Tulsa
TUESDAY TOP 25 GAMES
#13 Stanford vs Santa Clara

Reminder: the coming week will include conference tournaments, Top 25 non-conference games, and games among schools not in Top 25 and not playing in conferences.  While Spy will attend the SEC tournament, Spy will endeavor to cover all three categories.

MONDAY GAMES NOT PREVIOUSLY REPORTED
Nebraska 2, Penn State 0
Houston 6, Miss State 5
Florida A&M 12, Bethune Cookman 4 (6)
Savannah State 13, SC State 7

OTHER TUESDAY GAMES (scores posted as received)