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Friday of 2021 Super-Regionals

All eight super-regional series are active today, as shown on the "Green Monster" board (below). Virginia Tech and Florida State, respectively, look to close out UCLA and LSU. The No. 2-seeded Bruins struggled a week ago with Fresno State and Minnesota, so whereas UCLA's lackluster performance against the Hokies last night may not be totally shocking, it would still be a surprise to see the Bruins eliminated this early... Comments and reactions for other series appear below the board...

Match-Up Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
1 Oklahoma vs. 16 Washington Oklahoma------
2 UCLA vs. Virginia Tech^ VTUCLA---
3 Alabama vs. 14 Kentucky Alabama------
4 Florida vs. Georgia Georgia------
5 Oklahoma St. vs. 12 Texas OSU------
6 Arkansas vs. 11 Arizona Arizona------
7 LSU vs. 10 Florida St.^ FSUFSU---
8 Missouri vs. James Madison J. Madison --- ---
^Series started on Thursday, all others on Friday.

UCLA-Virginia Tech

The Bruins switched to Megan Faraimo (who lasted only an inning and two-thirds against Minnesota in last week's regionals) in the circle tonight, trying to stave off elimination by Virginia Tech. And what a difference a week makes! Tonight, Faraimo pitched a one-hit shutout against VT, with 11 strikeouts... The teams will play a decisive Game 3 tomorrow for a spot in the Women's College World Series...

Missouri-James Madison

Mizzou became the fourth higher-seeded team (along with No. 4 Florida, No. 6 Arkansas, and No. 7 LSU) to lose tonight, with James Madison edging the Tigers, 2-1. The game was scoreless through six, before the Dukes scored two in the top of the seventh on three singles, an HBP, and a sac fly... Mizzou got one run back in the bottom half on four walks, but it was not enough. JMU's Odicci Alexander pitched another gem (until the seventh inning), allowing one hit and striking out 10...

LSU-Florida State

One team not needing a third game to make the WCWS is Florida State, which edged LSU 4-3 in nine innings to sweep the series... Trailing 2-0 as they came up to bat in the bottom of the sixth, the Seminoles scored one run and then another in the seventh to send the game to extra innings. After the Tigers scored a go-ahead run in the top of the eighth (making it 3-2), FSU found itself down to its final out in the bottom half. However, quoting from the linked article, "The Seminoles tied it up at three in the eighth inning once again after Elizabeth Mason hit a solo home run to left field with two outs." Finally, after LSU went scoreless in the top of the ninth, FSU scored in the bottom half to win it. In other words, Florida State scored single runs in the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth...

Arkansas-Arizona

A two-run blast from Dejah Mulipola gives the Wildcats a 2-0 first-inning lead. As seen in this video of the homer, the Arkansas Razorback logo on the outfield wall isn't too pleased! U of A's recent offensive barrage continues for a 10-4 win...

Oklahoma State-Texas

The No. 5 Cowgirls lead Texas 4-1, as OSU bats in the bottom of the fifth... The Cowgirls swept three from the Longhorns in Austin during conference play and beat them a fourth time in the Big 12 tourney... Now 6-1 OSU, as Texas bats in top of seventh... And that's the final score... Cowgirls lead series 1-0...

Florida-Georgia

The Bulldogs cling to a 1-0 lead, as the No. 4 Gators bat in the bottom of the sixth... A Jaiden Fields solo shot in the third is the difference (video)... UF's Kendal Lindaman doubles with two-out in the bottom of the sixth, but next batter grounds out to end threat... Not over yet, but first-year UGA catcher Payden Bordeau has slugged a three-run homer in the top of the seventh (video) to up the Bulldogs' lead to 4-0. You might say Payden has put a "Bordeau Cherry" atop UGA's day... Mary Wilson Avant closes it out in the circle, striking out nine Gators in this shutout performance... Bulldogs lead series 1-0...

Oklahoma-Washington

The No. 1 Sooners have added two runs in the bottom of the fifth to increase their lead over Washington to 4-1 in the series opener... 4-2 Sooners is your final...

Alabama-Kentucky

The No. 3 Crimson Tide eked out an opening-game win over SEC rival Kentucky, 4-3. Instrumental to this win were a bases-loaded triple for Alabama in the bottom of the fourth and a game-ending strikeout, in which the Kentucky batter was caught looking on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded and two outs... Bama leads the series, 1-0... Video highlights are available here.

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