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The 2023 NCAA Softball Tournament will get underway on Friday with regional rounds taking place across the country throughout the weekend. One eighth of the bracket will feature the Tuscaloosa Regional, hosted by the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide, and the Evanston Regional, hosted by the No. 12 Northwestern Wildcats.
The winners of the two regionals below will face off in the super regional round next week on the home field of the higher-seeded team. That will be a best-of-three format for a ticket to the 2023 Women’s College World Series.
2023 NCAA Women’s Softball Tuscaloosa Regional
When: May 19-21
Where: Rhoads Softball Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
How to watch: WatchESPN or ESPN+ with subscription, some Saturday/Sunday games will also be shown on ESPN TV networks based on schedule
Odds: TBA from DraftKings Sportsbook
Tuscaloosa Regional Bracket
Friday, May 19
Game 1: Central Arkansas vs. Middle Tennessee, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 2: Long Island vs. No. 5 Alabama, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Saturday, May 20
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sunday, May 21
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 7*: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
* If necessary, played only if winner of Game 5 wins Game 6
All times ET
Alabama is hosting the tournament after a strong season where it posted 40 wins. Long Island earned an auto-bid to the dance after winning the NEC Tournament. Central Arkansas is in after winning its first ever ASUN Tournament title while Middle Tennessee is fresh off winning its second ever Conference USA Tournament title.
2023 NCAA Women’s Softball Evanston Regional
When: May 19-21
Where: Drysdale Field, Evanston, IL
How to watch: WatchESPN or ESPN+ with subscription, some Saturday/Sunday games will also be shown on ESPN TV networks based on schedule
Odds: TBA from DraftKings Sportsbook
Evanston Regional Bracket
Friday, May 19
Game 1: Miami (OH) vs. Kentucky, 1 p.m. (SEC Network)
Game 2: Eastern Illinois vs. No. 12 Northwestern, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Saturday, May 20
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sunday, May 21
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 7*: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
* If necessary, played only if winner of Game 5 wins Game 6
All times ET
Northwestern is hosting its own regional after posting a 38-win campaign where it won the Big Ten Tournament. Eastern Illinois is heading upstate after claiming the OVC Tournament title. Miami (OH) is in after winning the MAC Tournament and Kentucky made it into the field as an at-large after posting 30 wins in a tough SEC.