Dukes Top No. 5 Oklahoma State to Reach National Semis

Friday, June 4

Oklahoma City, Okla.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

41-2

Oklahoma State

48-11

Oklahoma State

James Madison

6/4/2021 10:16:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Senior Odicci Alexander continued her incredible postseason and senior Kate Gordon hit her second home run in as many games on Friday evening, as the James Madison softball team took down No. 5 Oklahoma State, 2-1, to improve to 2-0 at the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.

Alexander (18-1) tossed another gem in the circle to lead the Dukes (41-2) to the national semifinals, holding another powerful offense to just three hits and one run before diving to tag out the potential tying run in the seventh inning to lift JMU past the Cowgirls (48-11).

With the win, the Dukes become the first unseeded team in history to open the WCWS with back-to-back wins and the first unseeded team to ever advance to the national semifinals.

The Dukes jumped in front in the first inning, using a walk and two singles to bring Alexander home on a throwing error and take an early 1-0 lead.

Gordon would provide the eventual game-winner in the bottom of the third, launching the first pitch she saw over the same left-center field wall as the night before, making it 2-0 with her 70th career home run.

In the seventh, the Cowgirls got runners to second and third with nobody out before Alexander induced a foul out down the left field line. The next batter laid down a bunt to try and bring home the tying run, but Alexander fielded the grounder cleanly and dove to make the tag in time to keep the lead at 2-1. The final batter flew out to redshirt junior Sara Jubas in shallow left to seal the historic victory.

As the first team to advance to the penultimate round, JMU will be back in action at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 6, needing just one win to advance to the best-of-three championship series. Sunday's contest will be broadcast on ESPN.