For the first time all season, there's a new sheriff in Division II softball town. The latest NFCA/Go Rout Coaches Poll has seen UT Tyler, who held the coveted No. 1 spot for a commanding eight weeks, slide down to No. 3. Tampa has officially ascended to the throne, grabbing every single first-place vote to claim the unanimous top ranking.
Joining Tampa in the top five are No. 2 West Texas A&M, your now-No. 3 UT Tyler Patriots, No. 4 Francis Marion, and No. 5 Auburn Montgomery. It's a tight race at the summit, folks, and every game counts.
So, what sparked this shift? Well, the Patriots had a light week leading up to the poll, managing just a single Lone Star Conference series on the road against St. Mary's, where they split the doubleheader. However, don't think for a second that the Patriots are reeling. Just this Monday, they bounced back in a big way, delivering a decisive two-game sweep over St. Edward's, outscoring the Hilltoppers by a whopping 24-1. Talk about a statement win!
Despite the slight dip in the rankings, let's be crystal clear: UT Tyler is still a force to be reckoned with. Their statistical profile is absolutely loaded. They lead all of Division II in fielding percentage, hit by pitches, shutouts, and triples. And that's not all – they're lurking in the top five in a boatload of other key categories, including ERA, triples per game, WHIP, total runs, slugging percentage, RBI, on-base percentage, RBI per game, scoring, and total sacrifice bunts. This team can beat you in a multitude of ways.
Looking ahead, the Patriots have a crucial four-game series against Texas Woman's on the horizon. It's a home-and-home doubleheader situation, with Friday's twin bill set for Denton and Sunday's action heading back to Tyler. This series will be a key test for the Patriots as they look to climb back up those rankings and prove they're still the team to beat in Division II softball. Stay tuned, folks, the race for the top is just heating up!
