1998 NCAA Division I softball tournament

The 1998 NCAA Division I softball tournament was the seventeenth annual tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA women's collegiate softball. Held during May 1998, thirty-two Division I college softball teams contested the championship. The tournament featured eight regionals of four teams, each in a double elimination format. The 1998 Women's College World Series was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from May 21 through May 25 and marked the conclusion of the 1998 NCAA Division I softball season. Fresno State won their first NCAA championship by defeating Arizona 1–0 in the final game. Fresno State pitcher Amanda Scott was named Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.^[1][2]

1998 NCAA Division I
softball tournament

Teams	32
Finals site	ASA Hall of Fame Stadium Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Champions	Fresno State (1st title)
Runner-up	Arizona (14th WCWS Appearance)
Winning coach	Margie Wright (1st title)
MOP	Amanda Scott (Fresno State)
Attendance	49,740
← 1997  NCAA Division I softball tournament 1999 →

Qualifying

Main article: 1998 NCAA Division I softball season

Regionals

Regional No. 1

	First Round					Semi-Finals					Finals
	Pacific		6
	Hawaii		0
						Pacific		0
						Arizona		105
	Arizona		145
	Niagara		0
											Arizona		7	—
											Pacific		0	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Pacific		4
	Hawaii		5			Hawaii		2
	Niagara		1

Arizona qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 2

	First Round					Semi-Finals					Finals
	Iowa		5
	Oregon		2
						Iowa		0
						Nebraska		1
	Nebraska		7
	Coastal Carolina		2
											Nebraska		9	—
											Oregon		7	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Iowa		9
	Oregon		11			Oregon		10
	Coastal Carolina		3

Nebraska qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 3

	First Round					Semi-Finals					Finals
	DePaul		1
	UIC		0
						DePaul		1
						Michigan		3
	Michigan		125
	Ball State		1
											Michigan		3	—
											DePaul		0	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						DePaul		413
	UIC		6			UIC		0
	Ball State		1

Michigan qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 4

	First Round					Semi-Finals					Finals
	LSU		2
	Long Beach State		0
						LSU		0
						Washington		95
	Washington		2
	Northwestern State		0
											Washington		6	—
											LSU		0	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						LSU		5
	Long Beach State		95			Long Beach State		4
	Northwestern State		1

Washington qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 5

	First Round					Semi-Finals					Finals
	UMass		3
	Boston College		2
						UMass		1
						Oklahoma		0
	Oklahoma		86
	Harvard		0
											UMass		3	—
											Oklahoma		1	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Oklahoma		3
	Boston College		2			Harvard		0
	Harvard		11

UMass qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 6

	First Round					Semi-Finals					Finals
	South Florida		1
	Florida		0
						South Florida		0
						Texas		18
	Texas		6
	Arizona State		0
											Texas		4	—
											South Florida		2	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						South Florida		1
	Florida		0			Arizona State		0
	Arizona State		18

Texas qualifies for WCWS

Regional No. 7

	First Round					Semi-Finals					Finals
	Fresno State		6
	Minnesota		1
						Fresno State		6
						California		3
	California		3
	Cal State Northridge		0
											Fresno State		2	—
											Minnesota		1	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						California		2
	Minnesota		4			Minnesota		3
	Cal State Northridge		0

Fresno State qualifies for WCWS.

Regional No. 8

	First Round					Semi-Finals					Finals
	Oklahoma State		4
	Florida State		0
						Oklahoma State		4
						Missouri State		0
	Missouri State		5
	Stanford		2
											Oklahoma State		4	—
											Stanford		0	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Missouri State		0
	Florida State		0			Stanford		3
	Stanford		19

Oklahoma State qualifies for WCWS.

Women's College World Series

Participants

• Arizona
• Nebraska
• Michigan
• Washington
• UMass
• Texas
• Fresno State
• Oklahoma State

Results

Bracket

	Round of 16					Quarterfinals					Semifinals						Finals
		Arizona	1
		Oklahoma State	0
							Arizona	85
							Washington	0
		Washington	1
		UMass	0
												Arizona	5	—
												Oklahoma State	0	—
		Oklahoma State	6
		UMass	0
							Michigan	1
							Oklahoma State	3
																		Arizona	0
																		Fresno State	1
		Michigan	7
		Texas	2
							Michigan	0
							Fresno State	85
		Nebraska	1
		Fresno State	6
												Fresno State	1	6
												Washington	3	1
		Texas	1
		Nebraska	2
							Washington	3
							Nebraska	1

Championship Game

^[3]

School	Top Batter	Stats.
Fresno State Bulldogs	Nina Lindenberg (2B)	3-3 RBI HR
Arizona Wildcats	Lauren Bauer (LF)	1-2

School	Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	AB
Fresno State Bulldogs	Amanda Scott (W)	7.0	3	0	0	0	6	24
Arizona Wildcats	Nancy Evans (L)	6.0	8	1	1	0	4	24

All-Tournament Team

The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team.^[4]

Position	Player	School
P	Nancy Evans	Arizona
	Amanda Scott	Fresno State
	Jennifer Spediacci	Washington
C	Leah Braatz	Arizona
1B	Angela Cervantez	Fresno State
	Leticia Pineda	Arizona
2B	Nina Lindenberg	Fresno State
3B	Kristi Bolle	Oklahoma State
	Toni Mascarenas	Arizona
SS	Ali Viola	Nebraska
OF	Laura Berg	Fresno State
	Kelly Hauxhurst	Washington

See also

• 1998 NCAA Division II softball tournament
• 1998 NCAA Division III softball tournament
• 1998 NAIA softball tournament
• 1998 NCAA Division I baseball tournament