WCWS: JMU Upsets No. 1 Oklahoma in Extras

JMU 4, No. 1 Oklahoma 3 (8 inn.)

How it happened: Since softball didn’t get a Women’s College World Series in 2020, it’s fitting that the opener in 2021 went extra innings with an upset in the newly-renovated Hall of Fame Stadium. Making its first WCWS appearance in program history, JMU showed no fear behind a complete-game six-hitter from Odicci Alexander to become the first unseeded team to win its opening game since 2008.

And the Dukes didn’t just take down any team. They beat No. 1 Oklahoma in what essentially amounted to a home game.

JMU’s Kate Gordon broke out of her slump in a big way by hitting a solo home run over the centerfield fence to give JMU a 4-3 lead in the top of the 8th inning. Gordon was 0 for 13 before the at-bat, having gone hitless in the Super Regional against Missouri and 0 for 3 against OU before the clutch blast. She entered the WCWS having gone 2 for 21 in the NCAA tournament.

But Gordon didn’t let her recent past impact her chance at postseason glory.

“My teammates were telling me the whole time we have your back, Kate, we have your back,” Gordon said. “Coach LaPorte said, ‘Kate, play your game, calm down, stop thinking.’ This is a mental game, once you get it into your mind, it’s very hard to get out. Just keep on swinging. That at-bat I knew I had to get on the base for the team.”

Alexander had complete faith in her teammate’s ability to come through. She’s seen Gordon do it so many times before in their five years together at JMU.

“Honestly that at-bat, I knew it was coming,” Alexander said. “I took a deep breath myself and said I wouldn’t want anybody up in that box but Kate. I was praying. When she hit it out, I knew it was out. I said, Thank you, Jesus. I almost cried a little bit.”

JMU (40-2) and Oklahoma (50-3) traded three-run home runs in the third inning, with JMU’s Sara Jubas giving the Dukes a 3-0 lead before OU freshman Tiare Jennings answered back in the bottom half to knot the game 3-3. 

Alexander (17-1) and OU’s Shannon Saile (17-1) otherwise held the batters in check, a significant feat for JMU’s ace against OU’s potent lineup. The Sooners entered the WCWS averaging 11.5 runs per game with 146 home runs and 100 doubles. Both teams only had one runner in scoring position and Oklahoma stranded four runners on base.

As expected, OU fans largely outnumbered JMU’s purple contingent behind the first base dugout. But it was the JMU fans celebrating wildly as the Sooner fans were hushed by the final result.

“I know a lot of people out there thought we were going to get here and be done, but this team wanted to do some damage,” LaPorte said. “I feel like we played composed, we played JMU softball from the first inning.”

Player of the Game: Odicci Alexander, JMU

The redshirt senior pitcher lived up to her Ironwoman billing. Gordon may have provided the late-game heroics, but Alexander did what few pitchers have been able to do – keep the Oklahoma offense from exploding for runs. Alexander threw a complete-game six hitter with nine strikeouts and two walks in 129 pitches.

She faced the heart of OU’s order in the eighth and didn’t flinch. Alexander even took a ball off the shin by Jennings that ricocheted to second baseman Madison Naujokas for the first out. After walking USA Softball National Player of the Year Jocelyn Alo, Alexander induced flyouts by Kinzie Hansen and Jayda Coleman to secure the upset.

“I was just trying to embrace the moment, enjoy every moment because it is our first time here,” Alexander said. “I wouldn’t rather be here with anybody else except my teammates. I couldn’t be more proud of the fight, grit, the heart and passion they had out there.”

Gasso was impressed by how Alexander and the Dukes handled OU’s normally highly-productive lineup.

“Look, we flat out got beat. We all admit that,” Gasso said. “Alexander is really, really good. The ball gets on you really, really fast. The ball breaks really, really hard. She changes speeds really, really well. So you better have a good plan. I think at the plate some of our plans got lost.”

Oklahoma reset: If the Sooners want to add another title to their collection, they’ll have to work their way back through the loser’s bracket like Florida State did in 2018.

Oklahoma gets Friday off to recover from the loss before returning to the field on Saturday for a longer grind than many anticipated.

“You have to have short memory here or you’re out of this tournament before you even play your next game,” Gasso said. “They’ve been called out. We’ve watched Florida State do it not that long ago, so it can be done. But it’s going to have to take a completely different approach, attitude, commitment as a team to stay alive as long as you can. That’s what we’re going to do.”

The Sooners understand the task at hand and what’s required to recover.

“Just flushing this game and moving on is pretty much the main message,” said Jennings, the only player in the game with multiple hits (2 for 4). “Just continue, know what we do, trust in each other. Now just keep battling, just got to battle now.”

Mid-major pride: JMU has built a reputable softball power despite not playing in a Power 5 conference. Being able to represent every program with a similar profile and a national audience watching from home means a lot to the Dukes.

“I think these players, they’re playing for each other, but they’re playing for a lot more. We’re playing for all the smaller schools out there that work just as hard,” LaPorte said. “We’re playing for all of the young children, all of JMU Nation. Everybody that has just kind of supported us from the get-go, even in the last three weeks.”

Delivering upsets in SEC territory in the regional and super regional rounds to reach OKC gives JMU confidence they can handle anything the Dukes may face in the program’s debut on the big stage.

“They love it. They love the atmosphere,” LaPorte said. “Being in Knoxville, being in Missouri, that prepared them for this. We brought a lot of fans, a lot of JMU Nation is here. It’s big for us.”

Next Up: JMU plays No. 5 Oklahoma State on Friday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU). Oklahoma plays Georgia on Saturday at noon ET (ESPN).