Here are highlights of the first full day of action at the NCAA DI Regional Playoffs courtesy of NCAA.com…
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You can’t have over 30 playoff games and not have some surprises and shockers.
The biggest came in the Tempe Regional where #15 seed Arizona State, after having beaten SIU 7-4 on Thursday, lost twice on Friday—to Virginia Tech 8-2 and then a heartbreaking 9-8 loss to BYU in the evening.
The Sun Devils double loss means they are the first Regional host to be ousted… and the first of the seeded teams to go home (stay home?) early.
The BYU win may have been the Game of the Day in terms of excitement.
The Sun Devils entered the fifth inning down 5-3 and scored three runs to take the lead. The rally started with a Jazmine Hill single followed by an Alynah Torres double. A Jessie Harper sac fly brought in one run and then a BYU wild pitch scored two more.
In the top of the sixth, Hill struck again with a two-out homer to give ASU a 7-5 lead.
BYU came storming back, however, as the Cougars retook the lead in a massive sixth inning.
Violet Zavodnik, the West Coast conference Freshman and Player of the Year, came up with a big-time two-RBI double with two outs, followed by Huntyr Ava’s RBI single to give the Cougars a 9-7 lead.
ASU’s Yannira Acuna hit a leadoff homer in the seventh to cut the deficit to one, but that would be all the scoring as BYU lives to see another day.
Arissa Paulson slammed the door shut on the Sun Devils in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
The Cougars advance to the regional final where they will face Virginia Tech on Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern.
THE FIRST NATIONAL SEED GOES DOWN!! 🚨@byusoftball stays alive after winning a thriller in Tempe and eliminating host (15) Arizona State, 9-8!#RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/XTE0KoVnJk
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 22, 2021
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Click HERE to view the interactive bracket
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NCAA DI Regional Playoff Highlights – Friday, May 22, 2021
The NCAA softball tournament is certainly back!
Softball fans got a thrilling first full day of action in the 2021 tournament… here are some of the biggest moments from Friday’s action courtesy of NCAA.com’s coverage:
- Duke and Clemson won their first ever NCAA tournament games.
- James Madison’s Odicci Alexander recorded a JMU record 19 strikeouts in the win over Liberty.
- Florida had a huge walk-off win over USF. Elizabeth Hightower allowed zero hits through six innings pitched.
The Gators showed grit today! 💪#RoadToWCWS x 📸 @GatorsSBpic.twitter.com/KREcQewvcA
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 21, 2021
- Oklahoma State run-ruled Campbell and Sydney Pennington tied the Oklahoma State home run record with her 35th career homer.
- UCF took down Auburn 5-4.
- Georgia hit a walk-off grand slam.
- Virginia Tech upset No. 15 Arizona State behind a great Keely Rochard performance in the circle.
We're on to tomorrow's Tempe Regional Final after taking down host ASU! 👏#ThisIsHome | #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/7CYS92UwMh
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) May 21, 2021
- Olivia Lackie recorded her seventh shutout of the season, as a freshman, in South Alabama’s win over Baylor.
- Wichita State’s Madison Perrigan hit two home runs in the Shockers bug win over Texas A&M.
- UNI’s Sammey Bunch became the MVC career home run leader.
- Alabama’s Lexi Kilfoyl and Krystal Goodman combined to throw the fifth no-hitter in Alabama postseason history.
Lexi Kilfoyl and Krystal Goodman combine to throw the 5th no-hitter in Alabama postseason history!#Team25 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/niUDQ1W6IN
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) May 21, 2021
- Michigan’s Meghan Beaubien threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in the Wolverines 2-0 win over Seattle U.
- UCLA cranks out four home runs, Delanie Wisz went yard twice, with Briana Perez and Rachel Garcia adding one apiece.
- No. 1 Oklahoma made a huge statement scoring 19 runs on 18 hits in its first round win.
HARPER HOMER NO. 9️⃣0️⃣!@jesss_harperr launches the 90th homer of her career and now needs just 6️⃣ more to break the #NCAASoftball all-time career home run record!
📺 ESPN3#RoadToWCWS x @ArizonaSoftball pic.twitter.com/bsSfqD1eN8
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 22, 2021
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Friday, May 21, 2021 – Regional Playoff Results
No. 13 Duke def UNC Greensboro 2-0
James Madison def. Liberty 4-3
No. 4 Florida def. South Florida 1-0
No. 5 Oklahoma State def. Campbell 10-0
No. 14 Kentucky def. Northwestern 3-2
No. 6 Arkansas def. Manhattan 8-0
UCF def. Auburn 5-4
Clemson def. Troy 8-0
Notre Dame def. Miami (Ohio) 3-2
Georgia def. Western Kentucky 11-3
Virginia Tech def. No. 15 Arizona State 8-2
No. 7 LSU def. McNeese State 10-2
No. 9 Tennessee def. Eastern Kentucky 8-1
Mississippi State def. Boston U 3-1
No. 12 Texas def. Saint Francis (PA) 12-0
South Alabama def. Baylor 2-0
South Dakota State def. Stanford 7-1
No. 10 Florida State def. Kennesaw State 6-2
No. 3 Alabama def. Alabama State 9-0
Ole Miss def. Villanova 5-1
Wichita State def. Texas A&M 9-7
BYU def. Southern Illinois 7-2 (Elimination game)
UNI def. Iowa State 8-0
Louisiana def. George Washington 1-0
Michigan def. Seattle U 2-0
Hail to the No-No! 〽️@meghanb_10 tossed her seventh career no hitter as @umichsoftball advances in the Seattle Regional winner's bracket with a 2-0 win against Seattle U.#RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/XxZ5i7gN80
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 22, 2021
Texas State def. Oregon 5-1
Fresno State def. Minnesota 3-0
🚨DOWN GOES NO. 24 MINNESOTA🚨
Fresno State takes game one of the Los Angeles Regional. @haileydolcini had an outstanding performance in the circle with 1⃣3⃣ strikeouts in the shutout. #GoDogs | #PrideOfTheValley pic.twitter.com/IaycvMv5G8
— Fresno State Softball (@FresnoStateSB) May 22, 2021
No. 11 Arizona def. UMBC 7-0
No. 1 Oklahoma def. Morgan State 19-0
No. 8 Missouri def. UIC 8-0
No. 16 Washington def. Portland State 3-0
BYU def. No. 15 Arizona State 9-8 (Elimination game)
No. 2 UCLA def. Long Beach State 8-0
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*** NCAA DI Regional Playoff action continues Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.
