[A Sea of Red]

Lady Flames are the 2-seed and will face JMU on Friday at noon on ESPNU. No. 9 overall seed Tennessee is the host.

Bring discussion for this weekend's regional here.

[Cider Jim]

I need coached up on how the seeding works. If LU is a number 2 seed, who is the number one seed? Is the seeding the 4 teams at each host site? And how does this differ from UT's "overall" number 9 seed?

[A Sea of Red]

The top 16 teams are seeded 1-16. They are then placed in regionals of 4 teams. Each of the top 16 teams are the No. 1 seed in each of these 4 team regionals. Within each regional, teams are seeded 1-4.

So, Tennessee is the #9 overall seed but the No. 1 seed in the Knoxville Regional where Liberty is the 2 seed, JMU is the 3 seed, and Eastern Kentucky is the 4 seed.

[ballcoach15]

I need coached up on how the seeding works. If LU is a number 2 seed, who is the number one seed? Is the seeding the 4 teams at each host site? And how does this differ from UT's "overall" number 9 seed?

TN is #1 seed in their Regional, thus they play #4 seed (EKU). LU is 2 seed playing 3. Major benefit being a 2 seed is you don't have to open with the 1 seed, and 2 seed gives you "home team" advantage vs. the 3 seed.

UT's overall 9 seed is the national seed (out of 16). It matches you up with winner of 8 seed bracket in Super Regionals. Win that, and you get to play Overall #1 seed bracket winner in first game of World Series.

[Chippy]

Per the LU website:

"This is the second toughest Regional in the 2021 NCAA Division I Softball Championship based on teams' combined winning percentage (.783), trailing only the Los Angeles Regional (.800). It is also the only Regional with three nationally-ranked Top 25 teams in it."

[Chippy]

Per the LU website:

"This is the second toughest Regional in the 2021 NCAA Division I Softball Championship based on teams' combined winning percentage (.783), trailing only the Los Angeles Regional (.800). It is also the only Regional with three nationally-ranked Top 25 teams in it."

[ballcoach15]

Per the LU website:

"This is the second toughest Regional in the 2021 NCAA Division I Softball Championship based on teams' combined winning percentage (.783), trailing only the Los Angeles Regional (.800). It is also the only Regional with three nationally-ranked Top 25 teams in it."

I read on one of the softball sites on Twitter, that the Tennessee Regional is the deepest of them all. It said each of the 4 teams could have been a 2 seed or better, in any regional.
It's great to see Liberty "playing with the big girls". This can only help recruiting in the future.

[ballcoach15]

Tennessee has announced they can fill the stadium this weekend. Get your tickets and head to Rocky Top.

[thepostman]

It is game time over on ESPNU!

[Cider Jim]

Not many fans at the game, but McCracken is there in his normal costume and has been on camera with the announcers stating they wished they had his "energy."

This JMU pitcher is the real deal, throwing in the low 70s with almost perfect location. But we had runners on 2nd and 3rd last inning with a 2-out walk and a double but did not score. She struck out the side.

[flameshaw]

Not many fans at the game, but McCracken is there in his normal costume and has been on camera with the announcers stating they wished they had his "energy."

This JMU pitcher is the real deal, throwing in the low 70s with almost perfect location. But we had runners on 2nd and 3rd last inning with a 2-out walk and a double but did not score. She struck out the side.

I would have sent the runner home on that double, especially with 2 outs. However, I suspect that Dot had a better view of it than I did.

[thepostman]

Bases loaded and nothing to show for it. JMU stepped up huge there but you have to take advantage of these opportunities.

[thepostman]

JMU scores their first run off a wild pitch after a lead-off triple.

JMU leads 1-0

[thepostman]

Going to the 10th tied at 2.

[JK37]

JMU pitcher better than anyone we’ve seen in conference. Would be best in ASun. Including our two.

[TH Spangler]

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

They deserve the W.

[JK37]

6.1 of zero contact.

Don’t deserve to see UT.

Wish we were more aggressive early. Too many K’s looking.

[Cider Jim]

Too many K’s looking.

It seemed like most of her Ks were pitches outside of the strike zone: either high and outside or below the knees. Our aggressive swinging made her look really good. But as a good friend said, "You can't hit what you can't see."

[Chippy]

JMU pitcher better than anyone we’ve seen in conference. Would be best in ASun. Including our two.

She's be the best in most conferences. She was a 3rd team All-American as a Jr. when she was 24-1 and JMU lost to UCLA (National Champs) in the Super Regional.

[Purple Haize]

Was ballcoach there?

[thepostman]

She also had to throw a lot of pitches. She never seemed to lose command. Very impressive.

[Chippy]

EKU pitching their 2nd vest pitcher (4.06 ERA) vs. Tennessee. I guess they're conceding this game? and saving their best pitcher for tomorrow? Just guessing.

[TH Spangler]

This team doesn't quit. I look for a good showing tomorrow. Take it one game at a time.

[jinxy]

Obviously we should win tomorrow but chances of winning the regional are pretty mulch zilch at this point.

[Chippy]

Obviously we should win tomorrow but chances of winning the regional are pretty mulch zilch at this point.

Just have to win 4 in the next 2 days which means we have to beat TN and JMU at least once each and possibly 2X. I don't think we can repeat our performance at the plate if we tried (19Ks). If we get solid pitching make contact and get a few breaks . . . . . who knows. First let's beat EKU and get back on TV!