LOUISVILLE, Ky.– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team is ranked No. 9 in the country in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association coaches poll of the 2018 season. The Lions were ranked in all 13 polls during the season. They are the highest ranked team that did not participate in the NCAA Division II Softball Championship tournament.
The Lion softball team had its most successful season in program history during the 2018 season. The team finished with a record of 42-12. They finished in third place in the Lone Star Conference standings, their highest finish in school history. The team won its first ever LSC Tournament game and advanced to the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament for the second time in program history. The Lion offense caught fire in the tournament, outscoring opponents 52-27 to win the program's first ever South Central Region Championship. The team advanced to the Super Regional series for the first time in history before being knocked off by Angelo State, the No. 6 team in the NFCA poll.
The Lions had one of the most prolific offenses in the nation. They led the country in on-base percentage, were second in home runs, third in slugging percentage, fourth in scoring average, sixth in batting average and seventh in stolen bases. The team led the LSC in scoring, on-base percentage, RBIs and stolen bases and were second in batting average, home runs, slugging percentage and fielding percentage. The Lion pitching staff also set program records for lowest opponent batting average, fewest hits allowed, fewest runs allowed and fewest walks allowed.
2018 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll – June 6 (Poll 13)
|
RANK |
TEAM |
POINTS |
RECORD |
PREVIOUS |
|
1 |
Southern Indiana (16) |
400 |
41-23 |
NR |
|
2 |
Saint Anselm |
384 |
44-13-1 |
RV |
|
3 |
Southern Arkansas |
354 |
60-11 |
8 |
|
4 |
Saint Leo |
344 |
39-18 |
25 |
|
5 |
North Georgia |
340 |
62-4 |
1 |
|
6 |
Angelo State |
332 |
53-9 |
6 |
|
7 |
Chico State |
309 |
55-6 |
2 |
|
8 |
West Chester |
289 |
45-15 |
RV |
|
9 |
A&M-COMMERCE |
259 |
42-12 |
13 |
|
10 |
Concordia Irvine |
228 |
46-14 |
12 |
|
11 |
Alabama-Huntsville |
223 |
39-18 |
16 |
|
12 |
Illinois Springfield |
204 |
40-19 |
19 |
|
13 |
Dixie State |
180 |
42-10 |
18 |
|
14 |
Young Harris |
172 |
35-21 |
NR |
|
15 |
Minnesota Duluth |
166 |
44-16 |
25 |
|
16 |
Colorado Mesa |
159 |
48-5 |
3 |
|
17 |
Grand Valley State |
126 |
44-9 |
9 |
|
18 |
North Alabama |
114 |
46-7 |
4 |
|
19 |
Winona State |
100 |
45-7 |
5 |
|
20 |
Tarleton State |
92 |
50-11 |
17 |
|
21 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
85 |
45-10 |
11 |
|
22 |
Palm Beach Atlantic |
73 |
36-8 |
7 |
|
23 |
LIU Post |
65 |
38-19 |
NR |
|
24 |
Gannon |
64 |
32-15 |
RV |
|
25 |
California Baptist |
57 |
35-12 |
14 |