Washington remains the No. 1 team in the nation, according to the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll released today by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America. The Huskies, a unanimous first-place pick, were joined in the poll by the same 24 teams that made up the last two polls.
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Over the weekend, the Huskies (40-5, 12-3 Pac-10) made quick work of Oregon State, sweeping the three game series 13-1 (5), 9-0 (5) and 1-0 to remain No. 1 in the Pac-10 conference. Washington has reigned supreme in the Top 25 poll since winning the NCAA Women’s College World Series last June, taking the top spot in 14 consecutive polls.
While the Huskies were solid, No. 2 Michigan (40-6, 14-1 Big Ten) wavered in a doubleheader with Ohio State (33-12, 12-2 Big Ten), which moved up to spots to No. 22 this week, dropping the first game 5-3. Michigan took the second 4-3 before topping Kentucky 5-4, 8-4 over the weekend.
Alabama (42-9, 20-4 SEC) cracked the Top 3 with a 13-1 run rule win over No. 7 Georgia Tech (46-9, 19-2 ACC) and two wins over No. 18 Tennessee (39-11, 15-7 SEC). Arizona (40-9, 10-5 Pac-10) slipped a spot to No. 4 behind a 8-0 run-rule loss from now No. 15 California (35-15, 6-9 Pac-10). Earlier in the weekend, Arizona topped the Golden Bears 8-0 in five before squeaking out a 4-2 win in nine.
Florida (37-7, 17-4 SEC), the last team to hold the No. 1 spot before the Huskies, held at No. 5 with two wins over Mississippi State to give the SEC two teams in the Top 5 along with the Pac-10. Five conferences are represented in the Top 10: Pac-10 with four teams; SEC with three teams; Big 10 with one team; ACC with one team; and Big 12 with one team.
Other notable action from last week includes No. 11 LSU (41-11, 19-6 SEC) topping No. 10 Georgia (41-10, 18-8 SEC) twice and No. 9 Oklahoma (39-10, 13-3 Big 12) run ruling No. 13 Oklahoma State (43-11, 12-4 Big 12) 11-1.
