The following report is based on news excerpts released by the schools involved in last night’s games…
Friday had a little bit of everything including our knowing who the first team of the eight who will make it to next weekend’s Women’s College World Series.
That team is Florida State, which, not that long ago (2018), won the World Series and is hoping it will once again be a team of destiny.
For the second day in a row, the #10 seeded Seminoles defeated #7 seed LSU by one run but while Thursday’s win was a 1-0 pitching masterpiece by Kathryn Sandercock, Friday’s game was one where FSU would have to come back twice to win in extras.
And that’s exactly what Head Coach Lonni Alameda’s fired up team did to shock the LSU home fans in the Baton Rouge Super Regional.
LSU took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning after Georgia Clark hit a two-run home run down the left-field line, but the deficit did not phase the Noles as they began to chip away at the Tiger lead.
The Seminoles trailed 2-0 after five innings, but tied it up at two in the 7th inning after Devyn Flaherty scored on a passed ball. The Seminoles tied it up at three in the eighth inning once again after Elizabeth Mason hit a solo home run to left field with two outs:
https://twitter.com/FSU_Softball/status/1398452886250524676
Freshman Kiersten Landers ultimately was the hero for the visiting ACC team as she came through for the Noles in the 9th inning, slapping a ball past the LSU third baseman to score Dani Morgan:
https://twitter.com/FSU_Softball/status/1398483057590652929
FSU (44-10-1) advances to its fourth Women’s College World Series under Coach Alameda and its 11th trip to the WCWS in program history.
This marks FSU’s first trip to the World Series since 2018 when the Seminoles won the National Championship.
Here’s a longer recap of the game’s amazing finish:
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FSU was a lower seed than its opponent and advanced and in the seven other Super Regionals we had the expected and… the unexpected:
* The top 3 seeds all won: #1 Oklahoma doubled up #16 Washington 4-2; #2 seed UCLA blanked Virginia tech to even the series at 1-1 and #3 Alabama squeaked by a very competitive #14 Kentucky 4-3.
* #4 seed Florida, however, was shutout 4-0 by unseeded Georgia which is really playing good softball after twice knocking off #13 seed Duke in the Athens Regional last week.
Bulldog pitcher Mary Wilson Avant gave up only three hits while striking out nine in the complete game victory while the offense was sparked by Jaiden Fields who went 3-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored including this home run:
😏 @sportney_lyle and @KaylaBraud1 told you… #Team25 | #GoDawgs | #RoadtoWCWS pic.twitter.com/geVTo2DJCp
— Georgia Softball (@UGASoftball) May 29, 2021
You may know of the outfielder’s brother, Justin Fields, who was a stud QB at Ohio State and a first round NFL draft pick…
Another hot bat belonged to catcher Payden Bordeau who went 2-for-3 with a home run as well and 3 big RBIs:
Woke up feelin' 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓼. #Team25 | #GoDawgs | #RoadtoWCWS pic.twitter.com/AKXGbZ8UuW
— Georgia Softball (@UGASoftball) May 29, 2021
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Speaking of home runs, Oklahoma State first baseman Alysen Febrey also flexed her muscles in the Cowgirls’ 5-1 win over Big 12 foe Texas on Friday in the Stillwater Super Regional.
She went 2-for-3 but both of her hits were homers as she knocked in three runs which gives her 62 RBIs on the year:
💣💣 day for @AlysenFebrey!
The @CowgirlSB slugger had a day at the plate, driving in three runs on two homers in (5) Oklahoma State's 6-1 win against (12) Texas.#RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/azxUOByQGq
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 28, 2021
Right fielder Hayley Busby, hitting in the cleanup spot right behind Febrey also joined the Home Run Club in the opening Super Regionals win.
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There were two unseeded teams that won Game 1’s on Friday of their best-of-three—Georgia was one and James Madison was another and it was crazy 2-1 win for the Dukes over #8 seed Missouri.
Why?
Because James Madison was no-hit by Mizzou’s Jordan Webber who didn’t give up her first hit until one out in the 7th inning.
She would end up with nine K’s and just three hits given up (and two earned runs), but her offense couldn’t get anything generated because of the outstanding play of JMU pitcher Odicci Alexander who herself gave up just one hit and one earned run while striking out 10 in the big win.
In the Regionals, Alexander had 19 strikeouts in the first game of the playoffs and continues to impress as one of the top performances so far in the Regionals and Super Regionals.
And this non-Power 5 team is impressing a lot of people and picking up a LOT of fans along the way…
Dukes take the first game of the Columbia Super Regional after defeating the Tigers 2-1 👏
📰 https://t.co/C7aP8gD7RM#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/3xa3NuEhvb
— JMU Softball (@JMUSoftball) May 29, 2021
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Remember a few weeks ago when Mike Candrea, the head coach of Arizona, wasn’t too happy with how the Pac-12 seeds heading into the playoffs were—in his opinion—insultingly low for the conference?
He wasn’t the only who felt that way and the #11 Wildcat team is looking like it has something to prove after beating up a good #6 Arkansas team
Friday, Arizona was the only team in the eight Super Regionals to score in double digits and isn’t hiding the fact it’s trying to make a point (note the “Statement: Made” header below):
𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓: 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 😤
Arizona is one win away from the Women's College World Series pic.twitter.com/EhjIvrjixr
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) May 29, 2021
We’ve noticed a home run theme running through Friday’s action and the Cats hit four of them totaling 10 runs on 12 hits including this impressive blast by Jessie Harper hit another blast in her storied Arizona career giving the All-American her 91st career homer, just five shy of the NCAA record (96).
An 0-2 opposite field rocket for @jesss_harperr 🚀
📺 @ESPNU pic.twitter.com/WbLozcmC1o
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) May 29, 2021
Also, as noted by NCAA.com, Olympian Dejah Mulipola became the Pac-12 home run leader (21) in Friday’s win as she had two more.
Many like to marvel at Oklahoma’s prolific offensive attack—and rightfully so (Jocelyn Alo hit her 30th dinger of the season in the win over Washington today to give her an amazing 80 RBIs for the 2021 season), but don’t overlook this prodigious Arizona lineup which—as the score indicated today—can do some serious damage of its own.
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
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This weekend’s Super Regionals results & schedule (Sunday games if necessary):
Norman Super Regional — May 28-30, 2021
Oklahoma 4, Washington 2
No. 1 Oklahoma vs. Washington | 3 p.m. Saturday | ABC
No. 1 Oklahoma vs. Washington | 4 p.m. Sunday | ESPN
Columbia Regional — May 28-30, 2021
James Madison 2, Missouri 1
No. 8 Missouri vs. James Madison | 7 p.m. Saturday | ESPNU
No. 8 Missouri vs. James Madison | 12 or 2 p.m. | TBD
Stillwater Super Regional — May 28-30, 2021
Oklahoma State 6, Texas 1
No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. Texas | 4 p.m. Saturday | ESPN
No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. Texas | 6 p.m. Sunday | ESPNU
Gainesville Super Regional — May 28-30, 2021
Georgia 4, Florida 0
No. 4 Florida vs. Georgia | 12 p.m. Saturday | ESPN
No. 4 Florida vs. Georgia | 12 p.m. Sunday | ESPN
Tuscaloosa Super Regional — May 28-30, 2021
Alabama 4, Kentucky 3
No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 14 Kentucky | 2 p.m. Saturday | ESPN
No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 14 Kentucky | 4 p.m. | ESPNU
Fayetteville Super Regional — May 28-30, 2021
Arizona 11, Arkansas 4
No. 6 Arkansas vs. No. 11 Arizona | 5 p.m. Saturday | ESPN2
No. 6 Arkansas vs. No. 11 Arizona | 9 p.m. Sunday | ESPN2
Baton Rouge Super Regional — May 27-29, 2021
Florida State 1, LSU 0 (Thur)
Florida State 4, LSU 3 (Fri)
Florida State advances to the WCWS
Los Angeles Super Regional — May 27-29, 2021
Virginia Tech 7, UCLA 2 (Thur)
UCLA 2, Virginia Tech 0 (Fri)
No. 2 UCLA vs. Virginia Tech | 9:30 p.m. Saturday | ESPN2
