Kate Gordon was due.
The James Madison super senior outfielder and leadoff hitter was a crucial part of the Dukes’ offense during the regular season, but had not been her normal self during the NCAA tournament. Even as JMU made impressive runs through the Regional and Super Regional rounds, Gordon’s veteranship came in handy, but her bat lay cold.
Leading up to the Women’s College World Series opener on Thursday, Gordon’s intangible skills – including that same veteranship – undoubtedly came in handy for her team. But for a hitter just one home run away from breaking the Colonial Athletic Association’s all-time record, it was only a matter of time before Gordon’s bat found its way.
Thursday was that day, as Gordon’s 8th-inning home run gave her Dukes a 4-3 win over top-seeded (and heavy championship favorite) Oklahoma.
“I don’t ever think any [home runs]are out. I just run hard,” Gordon said. “I was like ‘Go ball, go ball, go ball’. They’re great outfielders, I know they like to rob home runs. So I was just like ‘Keep going’. Coming around the bases, seeing coach LaPorte and the excitement, the dugout, my teammates right there, that was just awesome.”
The early scoring for both teams also came off the long ball – JMU senior Sara Jubas hit a 3-run home run in the third inning, and the Sooners answered with a Tiare Jennings 3-run shot in the bottom part of the inning.
Scoring was at a premium yet again in Thursday’s second game, which saw another nearby team, the Oklahoma State Cowgirls, pitted against another surprise team in the Georgia Bulldogs.
Dueling aces was the name of the game, as Oklahoma State’s Carrie Eberle went toe-to-toe with Georgia’s Mary Wilson Avant. The third inning proved a fruitful one in this game, as well, with Oklahoma State’s Chyenne Factor drilling a 2-run home run in the home half of the frame. Georgia scored in the top of the 6th and 7th innings, and Oklahoma State added an insurance run in the bottom of the 6th that proved to be the game-winner.
A pair of plays at the plate also brought the infamous obstruction rule squarely into the conversation; both occurred while Georgia was on offense. Oklahoma State catcher Reagan Wright was called for obstruction on one play and was not on the other.
After a brief interlude between sessions 1 and 2, the second half of the day’s events got underway with a matchup between two schools abbreviated as UA. Montana Fouts was lights-out in the circle for the Southern edition of the two schools, as the Alabama Crimson Tide rolled to a 5-1 win over the Arizona Wildcats.
Fouts collected sixteen strikeouts on the day and allowed just two hits. One of those was a solo home run in the top of the seventh to Jessie Harper. The bomb was the 92nd of Harper’s illustrious career, tying her with Katiyana Mauga for the Arizona program record and putting her three away from tying the all-time NCAA record.
In the evening finale, the UCLA Bruins faced off against the Florida State Seminoles. JWOS broke the story on Thursday morning that UCLA will be without All-American pitcher Megan Faraimo due to a hand injury, but the Bruins didn’t even come close to requiring her services in their WCWS opener; Rachel Garcia had things well-in-hand.
Garcia recorded eleven strikeouts in the circle, allowing five hits and no runs. Kathryn Sandercock was solid on the opposite side of the ball, as she went 5.2 innings with six strikeouts. The game was scoreless through the first four innings.
Batting as the home team in the fifth, UCLA scored on an Anna Vines RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. Sandercock gave up an RBI double to Delanie Wisz before being pulled from the game in favor of Danielle Watson. UCLA right fielder Maya Brady deposited Watson’s second pitch into the center field bleachers and the Bruins took a 4-0 lead that they would not relinquish.
Friday evening showcases the winner’s bracket games, as James Madison will play Oklahoma State and Alabama will face off against UCLA. On Friday morning, Team USA will face off against the USSSA Pride in an exhibition game at Hall of Fame Stadium.
