Oregon’s offensive explosion
After putting together an eleven-run outburst to finish off Kentucky in the Super regional, some wondered what lay in store for the Duck bats against familiar foe Arizona State. The Ducks did not wait long to answer that very question. After a two-run home run in the top of the 1st inning by Arizona State, Oregon answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame and proceeded to put together their second consecutive 11-run game to take the win over the Sun Devils. Just two starting position players went hitless in the game, while Shannon Rhodes and Haley Cruse each hit a home run in the game. The Duck offense is clicking on all cylinders at just the right time.
Arizona State fanbase travels
At their first Women’s College World Series since 2013, the Sun Devils come in as the lowest seed in the tournament, though still the #8 team in the nation. In the World Series-opening matchup against conference foe Oregon, the Sun Devil fanbase showed up and made their presence known. Trisha Ford’s rebuild at ASU is ahead of schedule, and the fans are certainly enjoying the ride. Whether for player introductions or a play during the game, the maroon-sporting ASU crowd was loud and proud even despite their team’s eventual loss.
Greatness, squared
One of the best parts of being in Oklahoma City is seeing coaches, former players, and greats of the game in both of those categories get together and “talk shop”. One such happening occurred during Thursday’s opening session, when former Fresno State all-time great coach Margie Wright and Liberty head coach Dot Richardson spent a significant amount of time chatting with one another. It was a meeting of former coach and player, as well; Wright served as an assistant coach on the 1996 Olympic gold-medal-winning Team USA squad on which Richardson was a player.
UCLA comes from behind
The resurgence of the Bruin offense in the 6th inning against Florida State marked one of the biggest momentum swings in recent memory. Florida State had put four runs on National Player of the Year Rachel Garcia, who also reached a career-high with six walks in the game. In the bottom of the 6th, the Bruins pushed back, scoring six times in the frame to take a 7-4 lead that they would not relinquish. The UCLA scoring push came after Florida State head coach Lonni Alameda relieved starter Meghan King with all-American Kylee Hanson, who may have been affected by nerves in her first appearance on the game’s biggest stage.
