The 2011 NCAA Softball Women’s College World Series kicks off Thursday morning at 10:00 am pacific as the California Golden Bears open play against the Alabama Crimson Tide. That will be followed by Oklahoma State versus Baylor, Oklahoma versus Arizona State, and Missouri versus Florida. The second set of matchups will take place Friday and Saturday between the various winners and losers.
Cal has actually been to the WCWS more times than anybody in the current field, with 11 total trips. Cal joins Arizona State and Oklahoma as the three teams to have won the WCWS. Florida and Missouri are the only two teams returning to the WCWS following 2010 trips. Coincidentally enough they will be squaring off in their first game of the eight-team double elimination bracket.
Cal enters the series with a 2-1 record against Arizona State and a victory over Missouri. The Bears finished 2011 second in the Pac-10 behind Arizona State. They advanced to the WCWS with a sweep of the Louisville regional, followed by a 2-1 series victory over Kentucky in Lexington.
Cal has faced all the other WCWS teams, although they’ve never played Missouri in postseason play. Below is a rundown of their record against each team in regular and postseason play, as well as their last meeting with each team.
vs. Alabama
All-time record: 3-2
All-time NCAA Tournament record: 0-1
Last meeting: L, 13-1 (5/19/07) in the Tuscaloosa Regional
vs. Arizona State
All-time record: 59-40
All-time NCAA Tournament record: 5-3
Last meeting: W, 3-2 (4/3/11)
vs. Baylor
All-time record: 6-2
All-time NCAA Tournament record: 2-1
Last meeting: L, 4-0 (3/17/07)
vs. Florida
All-time record: 3-5
All-time NCAA Tournament record: 2-4
Last meeting: L, 2-1 (5/24/09) in the Gainesville Super Regional
vs. Missouri
All-time record: 5-1
All-time NCAA record: 0-0
Last meeting: W, 1-0 (2/20/11)
vs. Oklahoma
All-time record: 11-5
All-time NCAA Tournament record: 3-1
Last meeting: L, 12-1 in five innings (2/20/10)
vs. Oklahoma State
All-time record: 6-6
All-time NCAA Tournament record: 2-0
Last meeting: L, 3-2 (2/27/10)