WCWS predictions: Experts pick every Women's College World Series game and NCAA softball champion
The Women's College World Series gets under way Thursday at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
Eight teams, led by the top-seeded Oklahoma Sooners, will play a double-elimination tournament to determine two finalists, who will play a best-of-three series to determine the NCAA champion.
Experts from the USA TODAY Sports Network have predicted how the bracket will play out and who will win it all. Here are their picks.
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Ryan Aber, The Oklahoman
Game 1: UCLA 4, Texas 2
Game 2: Oklahoma 9, Northwestern 0
Game 3: Florida 5, Oregon State 3
Game 4: Oklahoma State 5, Arizona 1
Game 5: Texas 3, Northwestern 2
Game 6: Arizona 5, Oregon State 3
Game 7: Oklahoma 6, UCLA 5
Game 8: Florida 7, Oklahoma State 6
Game 9: Oklahoma State 8, Texas 4
Game 10: UCLA 5, Arizona 4
Game 11: Oklahoma 7, Oklahoma State 5
Game 12: No game
Game 13: UCLA 5, Florida 4
Game 14: Florida 7, UCLA 3
Championship series
Game 1: Oklahoma 8, Florida 1
Game 2: Florida 4, Oklahoma 3
Game 3: Oklahoma 7, Florida 2
Why Oklahoma will win: The Sooners have by far the deepest lineup in the field, so should be able to post runs on whoever they face. Oklahoma also is getting dominant pitching performances from Hope Trautwein and Nicole May, plus it's hard to imagine freshman sensation Jordy Bahl not returning to the circle after missing most of the last month.
Brett Greenberg, The Tuscaloosa News
Game 1: Texas 6, UCLA 3
Game 2: Oklahoma 10, Northwestern 0
Game 3: Florida 7, Oregon State 4
Game 4: Arizona 3, Oklahoma State 2
Game 5: UCLA 5, Northwestern 3
Game 6: Oklahoma State 7, Oregon State 5
Game 7: Oklahoma 8, Texas 1
Game 8: Florida 4, Arizona 3
Game 9: UCLA 4, Arizona 2
Game 10: Oklahoma State 8, Texas 6
Game 11: Oklahoma 10, UCLA 2
Game 13: Oklahoma State 5, Florida 4
Game 14: Oklahoma State 7, Florida 5
Championship series
Game 1: Oklahoma 4, Oklahoma State 2
Game 2: Oklahoma 10, Oklahoma State 2
Why Oklahoma will win: Patty Gasso said she feels the best she has about the Sooners right now and after a two-loss regular season, that’s a scary statement. Oklahoma goes back-to-back and returns the favor on the Cowgirls after the Big 12 tournament loss.
Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel
Game 1: UCLA 2, Texas 4
Game 2: Oklahoma 8, Northwestern 1
Game 3: Florida 7, Oregon State 3
Game 4: Oklahoma State 6, Arizona 7
Game 5: UCLA 6, Northwestern 4
Game 6: Oregon State 0, Oklahoma State 3
Game 7: Texas 2, Oklahoma 6
Game 8: Florida 4, Arizona 2
Game 9: UCLA 3, Arizona 1
Game 10: Oklahoma State 4, Texas 5
Game 11: Oklahoma 5, UCLA 3
Game 13: Florida 2, Texas 4
Championship series
Game 1: Texas 5, Oklahoma 3
Game 2: Oklahoma 8, Texas 1
Game 3: Oklahoma 7, Texas 2
Why Oklahoma will win: Oklahoma was the clear No. 1 team in the country all season, and the Sooners have continued to prove that through the tournament. Their talent and experience will carry them through Oklahoma City, and I think OU has what it takes to win it all back-to-back.
Ainslie Lee, Gainesville Sun
Game 1: Texas 4, UCLA 2
Game 2: Oklahoma 6, Northwestern 1
Game 3: Florida 5, Oregon State 2
Game 4: Oklahoma State 3, Arizona 0
Game 5: UCLA 5, Northwestern 2
Game 6: Arizona 4, Oregon State 1
Game 7: Oklahoma 7, Texas 2
Game 8: Oklahoma State 4, Florida 2
Game 9: Florida 8, UCLA 4
Game 10: Texas 6, Arizona 3
Game 11: Oklahoma 6, Florida 2
Game 12: Texas 4, Oklahoma State 3
Game 14: Oklahoma State 6, Texas 1
Championship series
Game 1: Oklahoma 6, Oklahoma State 2
Game 2: Oklahoma 5, Oklahoma State 0
Why Oklahoma will win: What a spectacle it’ll be for the state of Oklahoma as the Sooners of Norman and the Cowgirls of Stillwater meet in Oklahoma City for an all-state national championship showdown. However, thanks to the precision of Jordy Bahl and the power of Jocelyn Alo and Co., to no one’s surprise, the Oklahoma Sooners will reign supreme and capture their sixth national title.
Christina Long, Southwest Times Record
Game 1: UCLA 6, Texas 3
Game 2: Oklahoma 8, Northwestern 3
Game 3: Florida 5, Oregon State 4
Game 4: Arizona 6, Oklahoma State 5
Game 5: Northwestern 5, Texas 4
Game 6: Oklahoma State 7, Oregon State 5
Game 7: Oklahoma 5, UCLA 3
Game 8: Florida 6, Arizona 4
Game 9: Arizona 6, Northwestern 4
Game 10: UCLA 7, Oklahoma State 3
Game 11: Oklahoma 8, Arizona 4
Game 12: UCLA 6, Florida 3
Game 13: UCLA 5, Florida 2
Championship series
Game 1: Oklahoma 5, UCLA 4
Game 2: UCLA 3, Oklahoma 2
Game 3: Oklahoma 4, UCLA 2
Why Oklahoma will win: The Sooners’ combination of multiple elite pitchers and clutch offense will carry them to the championship series. UCLA’s pitching will get them one win, but Oklahoma’s powerful hitting will win it the title.
Scott Wright, The Oklahoman
Game 1: UCLA 4, Texas 1
Game 2: Oklahoma 11, Northwestern 0
Game 3: Oregon State 5, Florida 4
Game 4: Oklahoma State 3, Arizona 0
Game 5: Northwestern 6, Texas 4
Game 6: Arizona 9, Oregon State 3
Game 7: Oklahoma 4, UCLA 1
Game 8: Florida 4, Oklahoma State 2
Game 9: Oklahoma State 6, Northwestern 2
Game 10: UCLA 5, Arizona 2
Game 11: Oklahoma State 4, Oklahoma 3
Game 12: Oklahoma 5, Oklahoma State 2
Game 13: UCLA 6, Florida 3
Game 14: UCLA 3, Florida 2
Championship series
Game 1: Oklahoma 3, UCLA 2
Game 2: Oklahoma 7, UCLA 0
Why Oklahoma will win: The Sooners are doing historic things with their dominance of the sport the last two seasons. With freshman phenom Jordy Bahl rested and healthy for the WCWS to lead a deep pitching staff, plus the most potent lineup in the game, the Sooners will rise to the top once again.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Experts pick every WCWS game and NCAA softball national champion
