Lack of pitching prowess holding Arizona softball back | Greg Hansen

I examined the top eight seeds in the ongoing NCAA Super Regional playoffs and found that those eight teams all have an elite pitcher, a stopper, that used to make Arizona a Top 10 program. Here's how it has gone this year:

1. Alabama: Jocelyn Briski, 22-3, 1.38 ERA from Phoenix Desert Vista High School. Ranked No. 7 in her high school recruiting class.

2. Texas: Teagan Kavan, 23-4, 2.47 ERA from West Des Moines, Iowa. Ranked No. 5 in her prep recruiting class.

3. Oklahoma: Audrey Lowry, 22-4, 2.81 ERA from Pittsboro, Indiana. Ranked No. 18 in her high school recruiting class.

4. Arkansas: Robyn Herron, 16-6, 1.97 ERA from Tampa, Florida. Ranked No. 14 in her prep recruiting class.

5. Nebraska: Jordy Frahm, 19-4, 1.15 ERA from Papillion, Neb. Ranked No. 1 in her prep recruiting class.

6. Florida: Keagan Rothrock, 29-6, 2.38 ERA from Whiteland, Indiana. Ranked No. 1 in her prep recruiting class.

7. Tennessee: Sage Mardjetko, 13-2, 1.11 ERA from Lemont, Illinois. Ranked No. 1 in her prep recruiting class.

8, UCLA: Taylor Tinsley, 30-6, 3.03 ERA, from Lawrenceville, Ga., Ranked No. 11 in her recruiting class.

Arizona's current recruiting class does not have a player ranked higher than No. 67 nationally.

What's clear from the pitchers of those top eight seeds is how the game has changed since the Mike Candrea glory years. Until about 2015, almost all the leading pitchers were from the West Coast. Arizona thrived with California pitchers like Jennie Finch, Nancy Evans, Alicia Hollowell and Taryne Mowatt.

Now, softball is a coast-to-coast game. Only one of the top 8 seeds' ace pitcher is from the West. The game has grown, but one thing has not changed. Unless you have a Kenzie Fowler or Susie Parra, reaching the College World Series is an unlikely destination.