We have our Elite Eight!
The Women’s College World Series field is set and, oh boy, it looks like it will be legendary as it includes the top three seeds as well as two unseeded teams… should be interesting, to say the least!
But first, a recap of two great Super Regionals contests held on Sunday that decided the final two sports for next week’s play; the following report is based on info provided by NCAA.com and the releases by the teams that won today’s Super Regionals, James Madison and Oklahoma State.
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James Madison 7, # 8 Missouri 2
With a 7-2 upset of No. 8 seed Missouri, fueled by a 12-hit performance and secured by a four-run seventh inning, James Madison knocked off the Tigers to win the Columbia Super Regional at the Mizzou Softball Staditum and advance to the Women’s College World Series.
Here’s the final out for the Dukes which advances to the WCWS for the first time and is one of two unseeded teams to make it this year, Georgia being the other:
https://twitter.com/NCAAsoftball/status/1399112038857773058
James Madison won the first game of the series 2-1, then Missouri stormed back to win Game 2 7-1, setting up the pivotal Game 3 on Sunday.
The Dukes improved to 39-2 and will face top-seeded Oklahoma next Thursday at noon in the opening game of the WCWS. The Tigers ended their season at 42-17.
JMU becomes the first school not from a Power 5 conference to reach the Women’s College World Series since Louisiana achieved the feat back in 2014.
It’s also the first time since 2012 that a non-seeded team will play in Oklahoma City, as JMU and Georgia join the 2012 LSU and South Florida squads.
After recording just one hit with two batters reaching base through three innings, the JMU bats came alive in the latter half, as the Dukes registered 11 hits with 15 safely reaching base over the final four innings.
Logan Newton went 3-for-4 with two runs and a RBI single in the seventh. Sara Jubas and Odicci Alexander both went 2-for-4 with a RBI, as Jubas scored twice and Alexander crossed the plate once. Lauren Bernett also went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Alexander (16-1) went the distance in the circle, throwing a complete-game four hitter with two runs, five walks and six strikeouts.
JMU limited one of the nation’s top-hitting programs to just four hits on the day, while forcing the Tigers to rotate three pitchers into their lineup.
https://twitter.com/NCAAsoftball/status/1399073457359527937
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#5 Oklahoma State 2, #12 Texas 0
Oklahoma State softball improved to 47-10 on the season and advanced to the Women’s College World Series with a 2-0 win against Texas.
The Cowgirls broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the fifth inning, when they put their first two batters on base after each was hit by a pitch, then they played small ball to knock in both runners.
https://twitter.com/CowgirlSB/status/1399120626577817604
Oklahoma State starting pitcher Carrie Eberle pitched seven innings, allowing just four hits and one walk and pitched her 19th complete game of the season.
Eberle also recorded her seventh shutout of the season.
The final game of the best-of-three Super Regional was a true pitcher’s duel. The only runs of the game were scored by the Cowgirls in the fifth inning, when OSU put up a two-spot that would stand as the final score.
The fifth started with back-to-back hit by pitches for the Cowgirls to put runners on first and second base. Freshman Avery Hobson (1-for-2, RBI) then drove in the first run of the game with a single following a Reagan Wright sacrifice bunt to move both Cowgirl runners into scoring position.
Chelsea Alexander (1-for-2, RBI) then laid down a bunt single to score the second insurance run for the Cowgirls.
This marks Oklahoma State’s 12th Women’s College World Series appearance in program history.
The Cowgirls are set to face Georgia in the WCWS at 1 p.m. CT on Thursday, June 3. The game is set to air on ESPN.
https://twitter.com/CowgirlSB/status/1399127686342135811
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The Super Regionals Results
Columbia Regional
James Madison 2, Missouri 1 (Fri)
Missouri 7, James Madison 1 (Sat)
James Madison 7, Missouri 2 (Sun)
James Madison advances to the WCWS
Stillwater Super Regional
Oklahoma State 6, Texas 1 (Fri)
Texas 4, Oklahoma State 2 (Sat)
Oklahoma State 2, Texas 0 (Sun)
Oklahoma State advances to the WCWS
Norman Super Regional
Oklahoma 4, Washington 2 (Fri)
Oklahoma 9, Washington 1 (Sat)
Oklahoma advances to the WCWS
Gainesville Super Regional
Georgia 4, Florida 0 (Fri)
Georgia 9, Florida 0 (Sat)
Georgia advances to the WCWS
Tuscaloosa Super Regional
Alabama 4, Kentucky 3 (Fri)
Alabama 4, Kentucky 1 (Sat)
Alabama advances to the WCWS
Fayetteville Super Regional
Arizona 11, Arkansas 4 (Fri)
Arizona 4, Arkansas 1 (Sat)
Arizona advances to the WCWS
Los Angeles Super Regional
Virginia Tech 7, UCLA 2
UCLA 2, Virginia Tech 0
UCLA 6, Virginia Tech 0 (Sat)
UCLA advances to the WCWS
Baton Rouge Super Regional
Florida State 1, LSU 0 (Thur)
Florida State 4, LSU 3 (Fri)
Florida State advances to the WCWS
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Women’s College World Series – Teams & Schedule
The 2021 Women’s College World Series field is now set… here are the “Elite Eight:”
- 1 seed Oklahoma
- 2 seed UCLA
- 3 seed Alabama
- 5 seed Oklahoma State
- 10 seed Florida State
- 11 seed Arizona
- Unseeded Georgia
- Unseeded James Madison
The first games in the WCWS are scheduled for Thursday, June 3 on ESPN.
Women’s College World Series |
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| Thursday, June 3 | Noon | ESPN | Game 1 – James Madison vs. Oklahoma |
| Thursday, June 3 | 2 p.m. | ESPN | Game 2 – Georgia vs. Oklahoma State |
| Thursday, June 3 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Game 3 – Arizona vs. Alabama |
| Thursday, June 3 | 9 p.m. | ESPN | Game 4 – Florida State vs. UCLA |
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2021 Women’s College World Series: Complete Schedule
Game 1: Thursday, June 3
Game 2: Thursday, June 3
Game 3: Thursday, June 3
Game 4: Thursday, June 3
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner | Friday, June 4
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner | Friday, June 4
Game 7: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser | Saturday, June 5
Game 8: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser | Saturday, June 5
Game 9: Game 6 loser vs. Game 7 winner | Saturday, June 5
Game 10: Game 5 loser vs. Game 8 winner | Saturday, June 5
Game 11: Game 5 winner vs. Game 9 winner | Sunday, June 6
Game 12: Game 6 winner vs. Game 10 winner | Sunday, June 6
Game 13: Game 11 teams (if necessary) | Sunday, June 6
Game 14: Game 12 teams (if necessary) | Sunday, June6
Championship Finals, Game 1: Monday, June 7
Championship Finals, Game 2: Tuesday, June 8
Championship Finals, Game 3 (if necessary): Wednesday, June 9
