SOFTBALL : Top-Seeded UCLA Plays Host to Utah in Opening Round

Top-ranked UCLA (47-2) is top-seeded in the NCAA Division I women’s softball tournament and will play host to one of eight regionals Friday and Saturday.

The Bruins, who have won six NCAA national championships since 1982, play host to Western Athletic Conference champion Utah (25-18).

The regional winners play in the finals May 20-24 in Oklahoma City.

Defending national champion and second-ranked Arizona (53-5), which edged UCLA for the Pacific 10 Conference championship, plays host to Big Ten Conference champion Michigan (37-22).

In the remaining six regionals:

--Third-ranked California (44-14) will play host to No. 13 San Jose State (33-22).

--No. 4 Fresno State (48-14), Big West Conference champion, plays host to No. 10 Cal State Northridge (45-23).

--No. 5 Cal State Fullerton (43-18) plays host to No. 19 Cal State Long Beach (36-29) and No. 18 Toledo (39-20).

--No. 11 Kansas (42-8) plays host to No. 6 Oklahoma State (47-12) and Western Illinois (22-14).

--No. 12 Southwestern Louisiana (40-10) will play host to No. 9 Florida State (59-7) and No. 6 Nevada Las Vegas (34-20).

--No. 20 Massachusetts (33-13) plays host to No. 14 Connecticut (40-8) and No. 8 Utah State (43-19).

Two team regionals are best-of-three series, while three-team regionals are double elimination.