# 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.

## Regionals
### Regional No. 1

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Pacific | Pacific | 6 | | | | | | | |
| Hawaii | Hawaii | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Hawaii | Hawaii | 0 | Pacific | Pacific | 0 | | | | |
| | | | Arizona | Arizona | 10$^5$ | | | | |
| Arizona | Arizona | 14$^5$ | Arizona | Arizona | 10$^5$ | | | | |
| Niagara | Niagara | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Niagara | Niagara | 0 | | | | Arizona | Arizona | 7 | — |
| | | | | | | Pacific | Pacific | 0 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Pacific | Pacific | 0 | — |
| | | | Pacific | Pacific | 4 | | | | |
| Hawaii | Hawaii | 5 | Hawaii | Hawaii | 2 | | | | |
| Niagara | Niagara | 1 | | | | | | | |
Arizona qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 2

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

### Regional No. 3

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| DePaul | DePaul | 1 | | | | | | | |
| UIC | UIC | 0 | | | | | | | |
| UIC | UIC | 0 | DePaul | DePaul | 1 | | | | |
| | | | Michigan | Michigan | 3 | | | | |
| Michigan | Michigan | 12$^5$ | Michigan | Michigan | 3 | | | | |
| Ball State | Ball State | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Ball State | Ball State | 1 | | | | Michigan | Michigan | 3 | — |
| | | | | | | DePaul | DePaul | 0 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | DePaul | DePaul | 0 | — |
| | | | DePaul | DePaul | 4$^{13}$ | | | | |
| UIC | UIC | 6 | UIC | UIC | 0 | | | | |
| Ball State | Ball State | 1 | | | | | | | |
Michigan qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 4

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| LSU | LSU | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 0 | LSU | LSU | 0 | | | | |
| | | | Washington | Washington | 9$^5$ | | | | |
| Washington | Washington | 2 | Washington | Washington | 9$^5$ | | | | |
| Northwestern State | Northwestern State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Northwestern State | Northwestern State | 0 | | | | Washington | Washington | 6 | — |
| | | | | | | LSU | LSU | 0 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | LSU | LSU | 0 | — |
| | | | LSU | LSU | 5 | | | | |
| Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 9$^5$ | Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 4 | | | | |
| Northwestern State | Northwestern State | 1 | | | | | | | |
Washington qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 5

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| UMass | UMass | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Boston College | Boston College | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Boston College | Boston College | 2 | UMass | UMass | 1 | | | | |
| | | | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 0 | | | | |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 8$^6$ | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 0 | | | | |
| Harvard | Harvard | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Harvard | Harvard | 0 | | | | UMass | UMass | 3 | — |
| | | | | | | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 1 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 1 | — |
| | | | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 3 | | | | |
| Boston College | Boston College | 2 | Harvard | Harvard | 0 | | | | |
| Harvard | Harvard | 11 | | | | | | | |
UMass qualifies for WCWS.

### Regional No. 6

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| South Florida | South Florida | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Florida | Florida | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Florida | Florida | 0 | South Florida | South Florida | 0 | | | | |
| | | | Texas | Texas | 1$^8$ | | | | |
| Texas | Texas | 6 | Texas | Texas | 1$^8$ | | | | |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 0 | | | | Texas | Texas | 4 | — |
| | | | | | | South Florida | South Florida | 2 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | South Florida | South Florida | 2 | — |
| | | | South Florida | South Florida | 1 | | | | |
| Florida | Florida | 0 | Arizona State | Arizona State | 0 | | | | |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 1$^8$ | | | | | | | |
Texas qualifies for WCWS

### Regional No. 7

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

### Regional No. 8

| First Round | First Round | First Round | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Florida State | Florida State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Florida State | Florida State | 0 | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 4 | | | | |
| | | | Missouri State | Missouri State | 0 | | | | |
| Missouri State | Missouri State | 5 | Missouri State | Missouri State | 0 | | | | |
| Stanford | Stanford | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Stanford | Stanford | 2 | | | | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 4 | — |
| | | | | | | Stanford | Stanford | 0 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Stanford | Stanford | 0 | — |
| | | | Missouri State | Missouri State | 0 | | | | |
| Florida State | Florida State | 0 | Stanford | Stanford | 3 | | | | |
| Stanford | Stanford | 1$^9$ | | | | | | | |
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 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Arizona | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | Arizona | 8$^5$ | | | | | | | |
| | | Washington | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Washington | 1 | Washington | 0 | | | | | | | |
| UMass | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| UMass | 0 | | | Arizona | 5 | — | | | | |
| | | | | Oklahoma State | 0 | — | | | | |
| Oklahoma State | 6 | | | | | | Oklahoma State | 0 | — | | | |
| UMass | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| UMass | 0 | Michigan | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | | Oklahoma State | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Arizona | 0 |
| | | | | | | | | | Fresno State | 1 |
| Michigan | 7 | | | | | | | | | | Fresno State | 1 |
| Texas | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Texas | 2 | Michigan | 0 | | | | | | | |
| | | Fresno State | 8$^5$ | | | | | | | |
| Nebraska | 1 | Fresno State | 8$^5$ | | | | | | | |
| Fresno State | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Fresno State | 6 | | | Fresno State | 1 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | Washington | 3 | 1 | | | | |
| Texas | 1 | | | | | | Washington | 3 | 1 | | | |
| Nebraska | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Nebraska | 2 | Washington | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | | Nebraska | 1 | | | | | | | |

### Championship Game

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