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You know this is a one-of-a-kind Women’s College World Series when Jocelyn Alo of Oklahoma gets the first triple in her college career during them amazing games!
Seriously, the numbers as put out by ESPN prove that these games–and the dramatic story lines involved–are showing the interest in college softball continues to spike:
- This year’s WCWS had the best opening day viewership-wise (755,000) in 12 years and the third best of all time
- The JMU upset of Oklahoma, which seems like two weeks ago now, was the most watched Game 1 on record (620k viewers)
- Another Day 1 game, Arizona vs. Alabama, was the 4th most watched Opening Day game in history (943k viewers)!
It helps to have great players and teams and the 2021 Women’s College World Series has both in high amounts, leading to great TV:
- JMU’s amazing pitcher/athlete Odicci Alexander, making the Dukes the sleeper story of the Games as she’s pitched every inning for her team!
- Montana Fouts‘ perfection and dominance for the Crimson Tide;
- Oklahoma’s losing Game 1, but now being poised to roar back into the finals with arguably the most explosive offense in the history of the WCWS
- Florida State’s eerie resemblance to its 2018 National Championship run where everything seems to fall into place at the right time…
It was fun weekend of softball in OKC! 😍#WCWS pic.twitter.com/5uuIV9qXqV
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 7, 2021
The only thing that hasn’t been perfect this week as been the weather.
The Women’s College World Series National Semifinals got underway (somewhat) on Sunday as only a pair of games could be played before weather disrupted things at Hall of Fame Stadium for the second consecutive day.
This time, the NCAA decided to push everything back a day – which wasn’t done on Saturday as Oklahoma-UCLA and Florida State-Oklahoma State pushed into the early morning hours.
With the changes to the schedule, the WCWS’ Championship series won’t begin until Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. eastern on ESPN and the final two semifinals will take place on Monday.
So, how’d we get here after Saturday’s marathon day?
Oklahoma got its revenge on James Madison and Florida State prevailed in a pitcher’s duel against Alabama to force decisive winner-takes-all games on Monday night.
Here’s the schedule for the big semi’s scheduled for later this afternoon:
- No. 1 Oklahoma vs. James Madison | 4 p.m. Eastern | ESPN
- No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 10 Florida State | 7 p.m. (after OU-JMU) | ESPN
And here are Will Turner’s recaps of the games that got us to this point today!
*****
#1 Oklahoma 6, James Madison 3
The Sooners ascent through the loser’s bracket after Thursday’s opening extra-innings loss to the Dukes is nearly complete, and that continued on Sunday by avenging that loss in the three-run victory.
Tiare Jennings got things going early for Oklahoma, smacking her 27th home run of the season on Odicci Alexander’s fifth pitch of the game, breaking the NCAA freshman RBI record with 91 in what continues to be an incredible debut campaign for the rising star. Jana Johns smacked a sacrifice fly to put the Sooners up 2-0 in the second, then Nicole Mendes smacked an RBI triple in the fourth to make it 3-0.
Oklahoma’s lead wouldn’t last long, though.
On a 3-2 count with two away in the home fourth, Sara Jubas took Shannon Saile deep to left for a three-run shot, her second homer in as many games against Oklahoma, to tie it at three.
Freshman Nicole May came on in relief and quieted the JMU bats for 3 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out six while allowing just a pair of hits.
Jennings’ 92nd RBI of the year was on a double to right center for the go-ahead run, then sophomore catcher Kinzie Hansen smacked a two-run homer to center to ice the win for Oklahoma. James Madison would get the tying run to the plate in the seventh in the form of Lynsey Meeks, but May would get her to strike out on a 3-2 count to keep the Sooners alive.
With the win, Oklahoma forces a decisive third game in the OU-JMU saga at 4 p.m. on Monday.
🎶 𝐃𝐚𝐃𝐚𝐃𝐚, 𝐃𝐚𝐃𝐚𝐃𝐚 🎶
Not one, but ✌️ #SCTop10 plays. @kinziehansen | @jaydac00 pic.twitter.com/JmHqs3va40
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) June 7, 2021
*****
#10 Florida State 2, #3 Alabama 0
A 2 1/2 hour weather delay after 1 1/3 innings was enough to completely derail the entire rest of Sunday’s action, but at least the Seminoles and Crimson Tide entertained with a great pitching duel.
Florida State’s seventh straight WCWS elimination game victory snapped Alabama’s 20-game winning streak by way of a go-ahead bases loaded walk that Sydney Sherrill drew on a 3-2 offering from Lexi Kilfoyl with two outs in the home fifth.
Dani Morgan hit a triple to the right center wall and Josie Muffly singled to right four pitches later to put the Seminoles up 2-0.
The Noles get an insurance run!
📺: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/2Xe7Mgt1do
— Florida State Softball 🥎 (@FSU_Softball) June 7, 2021
Caylan Arnold drew the start for the Seminoles and worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two Crimson Tide hits and a walk, striking out five on 74 pitches. Kathryn Sandercock entered for the final 2 1/3 and needed just 19 pitches to get seven outs, helping Florida State continue to keep its championship hopes alive.
Kaley Mudge, Morgan and Muffley all had two hits for Florida State to lead the charge offensively, as the Seminoles totaled seven hits and two walks on Kilfoyl, who made her first appearance in the circle in this WCWS after Montana Fouts threw a perfect game two nights prior. Kilfoyl struck out nine for Alabama, which could get only two hits on the night – one from Bailey Hemphill and one from Maddie Morgan.
Florida State won its fourth straight over Alabama and will look for a fifth straight in Sunday’s elimination game with the hopes to advance to its first WCWS Championship Series since 2018, when the Seminoles won it all over Washington.