OKC BOUND! JMU Beats Mizzou to Reach First Women's College World Series

Sunday, May 30

Columbia, Mo.

Noon

James Madison University

39-2

Missouri

42-17

James Madison

Missouri

OKC BOUND! JMU Beats Mizzou to Reach First Women's College World Series

5/30/2021 2:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Oklahoma City Bound! James Madison made history on Sunday, securing its first berth in the Women's College World Series with a 7-2 triumph at No. 8 Missouri to win the Columbia Super Regional at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.

The Dukes improved to 39-2 and will face top-seeded Oklahoma next Thursday at noon in the opening game of the WCWS. The Tigers ended their season at 42-17.

JMU becomes the first school not from a power five conference to reach the Women's College World Series since Louisiana achieved the feat back in 2014.

It's also the first time since 2012 that a non-seeded team will play in Oklahoma City, as JMU and Georgia join the 2012 LSU and South Florida squads.

After recording just one hit with two batters reaching base through three innings, the JMU bats came alive in the latter half, as the Dukes registered 11 hits with 15 safely reaching base over the final four innings.

Logan Newton went 3-for-4 with two runs and a RBI single in the seventh. Sara Jubas and Odicci Alexander both went 2-for-4 with a RBI, as Jubas scored twice and Alexander crossed the plate once. Lauren Bernett also went 2-for-4 with a RBI.

Alexander (16-1) went the distance in the circle, throwing a complete-game four hitter with two runs, five walks and six strikeouts.

JMU limited one of the nation's top-hitting programs to just four hits on the day, while forcing the Tigers to rotate three pitchers into their lineup. Jordan Weber went four innings, allowing two runs, three hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts. Laurin Krings entered in the fifth, conceding four runs (three earned) with seven hits and just one strikeout in two innings.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a Brooke Wilmes solo home run to lead off the first, JMU would tie the game in the top half of the fourth. Newton singled and advanced to third on a throwing error, which put runners on the corners. Lynsey Meeks knotted the game at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Newton.

The momentum rolled into the fifth, resulting in two more runs crossing home plate to give JMU a 3-1 lead. Following a lead-off single by Bernett, pinch runner Kylie Thress shifted to second on a sac bunt. With two away, Jubas delivered arguably the biggest hit of the year with a single to center, scoring Thress to give JMU its first lead. Jubas advanced to third on an error and scored on the next at-bat, as Alexander reached on an infield single.

The Tigers answered by getting a run back in the fifth by way of a Jenna Laird solo homer to left to make it a 3-2 game.

The seventh was all JMU. Singles by Jubas and Alexander put runners on the corners, and Newton delivered her third hit on a single to right to score Jubas. Madison Naujokas reached on a fielder's choice, as Alexander beat the throw to the plate to give JMU a 5-2 advantage. With the bases loaded, Emily Phillips roped a single off the left-field wall to score Newton, and Naujokas scored on the ensuing at-bat on a fielder's choice.

In the bottom half, two quick groundouts brought JMU within an out of the Women's College World Series. Laird walked to keep Missouri's chances alive, but the Dukes shut the door two pitches later with a lineout to third.