In a nail-biter finish, LSU was able to defeat Florida State, in Tallahassee, handing FSU both of their only two losses at home this season, and sending the Tigers to WCWS for the third year in a row under Beth Torina.

With all eight of the WCWS tickets punched, we have the first day games already schedule. Florida will play Texas A&M, LSU will play UCLA, Washington will play Oregon, and Oklahoma will play Baylor.

Of the eight teams entering the WCWS, only Oklahoma can claim they won their super easily. There was some drama in the first game, but the second game was a little easier.

The rest of the eight teams didnt have it so easy.

Florida dropped their first game to Alabama, 3-0, but came back and beat Bama two straight.

UCLA barely squeaked by Ole Miss in game one. Most who watched the game would say Ole Miss blew two chances to win, up by two runs in the late innings. A wild pitch, and a defensive mistake by Ole Miss pitcher, Lee, cost Ole Miss the first game. The second game was a 1-0 battle, and Ole Miss was sent home.

Kentucky vs Oregon was just as thrilling. Though Oregon took the first game kind of easily, the second game was all Kentucky's to lose. As Kentucky came out in the last inning (and this is not just my opinion but the opinion of many...) the umpire squeezed the strike zone on Kentucky's ace, Prince. After walking one or two, then having to bring the ball up in the zone, Prince's pitches were easy picking for the Oregon hitters.

LSU, of course, lost the first game, and then Allie Waljasper completely shut down the Florida State batters. In a move that many were not expecting, Beth Torina started Allie Waljasper, who ended up holding down FSU's offense until Carly Hoover came in as relief.

Most LSU fans know Carly Hoover has a way of making games exciting (and close) with her wild pitches and high risk performances. The umpire was absolutely horrible for both sides. No inside strikes called on lefties for either LSU or FSU. Matter of fact, Landry could have been called out with two strikes on her, and the net pitch definitely caught the inside corner. Given another chance, Landry tripled to left-center, driving in a run.

No doubt, the other teams won't take LSU lightly after they beat FSU at home.

Washington and Utah, two teams that score 8 runs per game, had a great three game series, and Washinton was able to outlast Utah.

Baylor's series against #2 Arizona was great TV. Selman, a former LSU Tiger pitcher, proved us all wrong, not only winning 1st team All Big 12 conference, but beating Arizona twice at home. Arizona pulled O'Toole, their ace, in the seventh inning, and probably cost themsevles the third game. A three run homer by Baylor put Arizona's back against the wall, and in the bottom of the 7th, they could not score to even the game.

As for which team definitely does not have a chance at winning the WCWS, I think most would say Texas A&M. They did beat Tennessee to get to the WCWS, and have every right to be there, but they have sunken to a one-pitcher team. Harrington is a better than Show is. Show has struggled both on the mound and at the plate.

Florida didnt play Texas A&M this year, but the starting lineup for both teams is pretty much unchanged from last year. Florida should easily beat Texas A&M and send them to the loser's bracket come Thursday.

LSU lost a thrilled in extra innings to UCLA this year, 6-5, but this time around, with the season winding down, LSU has come alive. (I will get to all that in a minute)

Washinton, in my opinion, though they dropped the series to Oregon this year, can probably outscore Oregon, since they are hitting very well as of late. Most would see Washinton as the underdog, but they are solid 1-9, as is UCLA. Going to be a good matchup.

As for Oklahoma and Baylor, I am hoping someone puts Oklahoma out. Of all the teams in college softball, that is the one I dislike the most. In the series this year, Baylor blew the first game at the very end, won the second game, and was beaten in the third game. Oklahoa wont look past Baylor. They are playing well, and its going to be a good Thursday for softball fans. Four good games.

As for LSU, and them facing UCLA, Tommy Lasorda, among others, always said, “The best hitters will probably get their hits..it's the batters with the lower average that you have to make sure don't reach base.” I think this is LSU's problem.

Garcia will probably pitch against LSU, and Ta'amilo may come in for relief. In their only meeting this year, when UCLA beat LSU 6-5, McDuffie started for UCLA, was relived by Grauer, and then Garcia came in and finished the game. Doyle hit two home runs, but none off Garcia. McDuffie has pitched only occasionally since.

Beth knows the pitchers better than any of us do. She doesnt owe us an explanation for who she puts in and pulls out. The third game against FSU, LSU may have won because Torina made all the right decisions. She pulled Waljasper at the best possible point in the game, and though the players play the game, Beth Torina had a hand in winning that game for LSU. If people are going to blame her for when things go wrong, they should give her credit when it is due.

Most concerning to me, and to many other batting coaches, is Amanda Doyle's play as of late. Defensively, she is almost machine like, similar to what Tammy Wray was at third base.. so seasoned and routine-looking in her defense. Its her batting that concerns us.

Like many young players who struggle with pitch selection, Doyle jumps at the first pitch she can hit, and just because you can hit a pitch, it doesn't mean you should swing at it. Heck, Wade Boggs' greatness was his abilty to foul off strikes until the pitcher threw him the strike he wanted to swing at. Doyle gets up and makes it easy on herself by swinging at the first pitch.

Doyle's struggle is she cannot hit a pitch low in the zone, and the reason why is because her head is facing the pitcher and when the ball comes into the zone, she is still facing the pitcher mostly and using her peripheral vision for the strike zone.

It goes back to the advantage of being cross-dominant. A left handed batter who has a stronger right eye than left, uses his peripheral vision to see the pitcher, and so when the ball comes into the zone he is looking straight at it. Doyle's head is turned toward the pitcher, and when the ball comes she is still facing the pitcher and uses peripheral vision to see the ball in the zone. Notice she cannot hit a ball low in the zone. Her best hits are when the ball is up high in the zone, where the ball is closer to her head than her knees.

Batters with swininging issues suddenly find success when a ball is higher up in the strike zone, or low in the strike zone, and the batter instinctively changes the arc of the swing. Springfield, if the ball comes inside, she steps out and sends the ball out of the park. Serret hits better when she swings at pitches out of the zone because it changes the arc of her swing..same with Doyle.

As others say, what it will all come down to is whether the sometimes-successful hitters get on base. I expect the hitters above .300 to get on base...what's going to matter is whether Quinn, Sanchez, Doyle, and Springfield start hitting. If they do, LSU will play in the championship game. If not, we might end up third or fourth.

Regardless, hat tip to Beth and the team on a great year. Rest assured, unless some unforseen superstar shows up at LSU next year, this will be LSU's best chaance in the next three years to win a national championship.