The Oklahoma fans in left-center field watched quietly as James Madison left fielder
Kate Gordon’s hit in the top of the eighth inning carried further and further, sneaking over the outfield fence to put the Dukes up 4-3 on the top-seeded Sooners.
In the bottom of the eighth, OU couldn’t cash in when James Madison’s star pitcher
Odicci Alexander walked USA Softball Player of the Year
Jocelyn Alo, and the Sooners fell in their Women’s College World Series opener on Thursday.
Alexander, the NFCA Second-Team All-American, put in perhaps her finest performance in the circle of the season against OU. She struck out nine batters and only allowing two walks (both to Alo) to ensure the Dukes would never trail.
And why wouldn t she be?
In last weekend’s Super Regionals, the top-seeded Oklahoma Sooners dispatched of the 16-seeded Washington Huskies in two games, with pitchers Nicole May and
As a result, OU gave up just three runs and cruised past the Huskies.
The Oklahoma head coach believes she’s getting the best out of her pitching staff at the perfect time.
“I truly can tell you I feel extremely confident about this pitching staff right now,” Gasso said at her pre-Women’s College World Series Zoom press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Have I been able to say that about certain times during the season? Not all the time. So this is exciting for us.”
Hosting the 16-seeded Washington Huskies, OU knows how good of a team they are.
Sooners head coach
Patty Gasso said as much when she hammered the NCAA Softball Selection Committee for underselling the Huskies, as well as a host of other teams.
“We watched the selection show. We watched them walk off,” Gasso said in a Zoom press conference Tuesday. “And quite honestly, I m 100 percent behind that because I think it was just a rob job, no doubt.”
The Huskies spent most of the season ranked among the top five teams in the country, finishing with the second-best record in the Pac-12 behind UCLA.
Oklahoma Duo Among Three Finalists for National Freshman of the Year Award
Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings have helped carry the Sooners record setting offense throughout the 2021 college softball season.
Author:
Jayda Coleman and Tiare Jennings have been named two of the three finalists for the Division I National Freshman of the Year Award.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association and Schutt Sports announced the finalists on Thursday. Clemson s
Valerie Cagle is the third finalist up for the award.
Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings
OU Athletics
Coleman, who was named First Team All-Big 12, is hitting .478 this season with 46 RBIs, eight home runs and 19 stolen bases.