Division III Games To Watch At THE Spring Games
Division III Games To Watch At THE Spring Games
The Spring Games kicks into high gear in the coming days, with the “World’s Largest College Softball Event” seeing hundreds of teams visit Florida.
The Spring Games kicks into high gear in the coming days, with the “World’s Largest College Softball Event” seeing hundreds of teams visit Florida in the coming month for hundreds of games against teams they might not normally face.
With over 200 teams at this year’s Division III event, there’s no shortage of matchups between tournament teams and teams that were ranked regionally and nationally last season.
Here’s a look at some of the games to circle on THE Spring Games schedule. All of them will be streamed live on FloSoftball.
Learn some more about the top talent heading into this year's edition of THE Spring Games:
- THE Springs Games Will Help Kick Off 2023 Collegiate Softball Season
- THE Spring Games 2023: National Champ Rogers State Headlines Division II Field
- Division III Softball Preview: Christopher Newport Tabbed To Excel In 2023
- 10 Division III Hitters To Watch In 2023
- 10 Division III Pitchers To Watch In 2023
Trine vs. Wartburg, March 4 at 9 a.m.
Trine enters the year as the No. 2 team in the nation and looking for redemption after falling in the finals last season to Christopher Newport.
Trine will be the highest-ranked team at the event and is paced by pitcher Adrienne Rosey, who went 16-8 last season with a 1.04 ERA.
Wartburg lost just four times last season. Unfortunately, two of those were in the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
Despite that, they’ll come into 2023 as the No. 14 team in the country, led by Ella Link, who blasted 12 home runs last year.
Link versus Rosey might be the best pitcher-hitter showdown among the Division III games.
Rochester vs. Hiram, March 7 at 2 p.m.
Rochester finished 2022 unranked, but the Yellowjackets jumped into the rankings to start 2023, showing they could be a team to be reckoned with this year.
The Yellowjackets saw nine players hit multiple home runs last year, giving them power threats up and down the lineup, including Ally Kim, who hit five home runs last season, while swiping 46 bases, in addition to a .393 average.
𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝟭𝟬 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗨𝗧𝗧 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗦/𝗡𝗙𝗖𝗔 𝗗𝗜𝗜𝗜 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗛𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥
— UofR Softball (@Rochester_SB) May 20, 2022
Congratulations to 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘒𝘪𝘮 for being named one of the finalists for DIII Freshman of the Year.
Unbelievably proud of you Ally! https://t.co/F5xfebQGp0 pic.twitter.com/vVmVDrdHMx
Hiram was a tournament team last season and received votes in the preseason poll.
Jeskari Rodriguez won 11 games last season and will be the ace of the staff, while the lineup is led by the return of Giselle Bahena, who hit .449 last season, leading the team in doubles, RBIs and average.
Amherst vs. Bethel, March 12 at 11:30 a.m.
A pair of teams that finished among the top 3 in their respective regional rankings, then advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, makes this a must-watch.
Bethel is led by pitcher Kayla Simacek, who might be the best returning pitcher in college softball – at any level.
The Mammoths will counter with a lineup that hit over .300 as a team last season, while drawing more than three walks per game.
The battle between a top pitcher and a deep lineup makes this an interesting one to watch.
SUNY-Geneseo vs. Belhaven, March 12 at 11:30 a.m.
Another big matchup between two teams that were ranked No. 1 at their regional sites last season, before ultimately falling short of reaching the World Series.
These two teams each posted fewer than 10 losses a season ago.
SUNY-Geneseo could be in the national-title conversation, returning five hitters who hit .320 or better, along with all three of their starting pitchers.
Belhaven will enter the season as the No. 6-ranked team in the country in the NFCA preseason polls, after reaching the Super Regional round last season.
Case Western Reserve vs. Babson, March 13 at 2 p.m.
These are two more teams that reached the NCAA Tournament and are among the top 20 entering the season.
Case Western racked up 30 wins a year ago against a tough schedule and captured its regional, despite being the No. 3 seed. The group fell in the Super Regional to national runner-up Trine.
They key for the Spartans in 2023, like it was in 2022, is the pitching.
Last season’s staff posted a 1.96 team ERA, with six pitchers contributing to that number.
Babson counters with ace Moira O’Reilly, who won 22 games last year in the circle, helping the Beavers to 38 wins.
Runs likely will be at a premium when these two square off.
Rowan vs. Mount St. Joseph, March 14 at 9 a.m.
A pair of teams either in the back-half of the preseason top 25 or just outside, these two programs look to make the jump to be among the sport’s powers this season.
Rowan won 33 games last season, reaching the regional final, and returns three big bats to the lineup, but one task will be replacing the NJAC Pitcher of the Year in Emily August.
Scenes from day 1 for #Team49! 🦉
— Rowan Softball (@RowanUSoftball) September 19, 2022
We are so excited to get back to work and be on the field together again! There’s no better feeling than wearing the Brown and Gold🤎💛 #GoProfs #RowanProud pic.twitter.com/JLMOKtPdMs
Mount St. Joseph also boasts a deep lineup, one that hit .334 last season and averaged nearly two doubles per game.
If you want to see a game with the potential for a lot of runs, this is one to check out.
Tufts vs. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, March 19 at 2 p.m.
The Jumbos came within a game of reaching the World Series last season, thanks to the arm of Sophia DiCocco, who posted an ERA under 1.00, while also seeing five players who hit over .300.
Another year of experience should make them even better.
UWEC reached the regional round last season on the way to 27 wins, courtesy of a lineup that hit .325, while hitting 23 home runs and nearly two doubles per game.
Megan Maruna and her .459 average will make for a great battle against DiCocco.