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Sunday of 2021 Super-Regionals

Only two undecided series left on the "Green Monster" board: Mizzou-James Madison (Game 3 at 11:00 am Central) and Oklahoma State-Texas (Game 3 at 3:00 pm Central). Comments and reactions on these two games appear below the board...
 
Match-Up Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
1 Oklahoma vs. 16 Washington OklahomaOklahoma---
2 UCLA vs. Virginia Tech^ VTUCLAUCLA
3 Alabama vs. 14 Kentucky AlabamaAlabama---
4 Florida vs. Georgia GeorgiaGeorgia---
5 Oklahoma St. vs. 12 Texas OSUTexasOSU
6 Arkansas vs. 11 Arizona ArizonaArizona---
7 LSU vs. 10 Florida St.^ FSUFSU---
8 Missouri vs. James Madison J. Madison Mizzou J. Madison
^Series started on Thursday, all others on Friday.

Oklahoma State-Texas

Down to our final super-regional game. Oklahoma State had won first five meetings over Texas this season (3-0 in conference play, 1-0 in Big 12 tourney, and a win in super-regional opener). Yet, by winning yesterday, Texas forces OSU to a single-game showdown... 

Scoreless after two and a half, but Longhorns have had two threats: runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the second; and runners on the corners with two out in the top of the third... OSU down in bottom of third with barely a peep of offense today (Cowgirls got a single, which was erased on a double-play, so UT pitcher Shea O'Leary has faced minimum nine batters thus far)... A walk, but nothing more, for Cowgirls in the bottom of the fourth... 

First two OSU batters in bottom of fifth are hit by pitch... Bunt advances runners to second and third, now one out... Avery Hobson's grounder barely finds the outfield for run-scoring single; runner from second stops at third... Hobson throw out trying to steal second... Surprise two-out bunt from Chelsea Alexander scores runner from third, as Alexander safe at first, 2-0 Cowgirls... Kiley Naomi bloop to left lands just inches in front of LF's mitt for double (lead runner stops at third)... Grounder to second ends inning... 

Top 7: One-out double by Texas catcher Mary Iakopo allows Longhorns to bring potential tying run to plate... Grounder to short for second out, runner advances to third... Colleen Sullivan drives a fly ball to left-center, but not nearly far enough, and OSU's Alexander grabs it for final out (video)... Carrie Eberle gets the shutout and Cowgirls get the final spot in the WCWS...

Missouri-James Madison

The Tigers lead 1-0 on a Brooke Wilmes leadoff homer to right (video) in the bottom of the first. Not sure, but it might have cleared the bleachers... Dukes coming up in top of third, trailing 1-0... Top four: Single, throwing error on grounder to third, and steal of second (beating rundown) give Dukes runners on second and third with one out... Sac fly ties it 1-1... Top five: Three singles, with a throwing error on one of the plays mixed in, gives JMU two runs for a 3-1 lead... Mizzou answers with one on a Jenna Laird homer in the bottom of the fifth... 

Top seven: First three JMU batters hit singles, increasing their lead to 4-2. Runners on the corners with none out... Grounder to short, throw comes home, ump says runner's hand touched home plate before tag on a very close play, although replay shows runner really may have been out, now 5-2... Another single loads bases, still none out... Yet another single (a long one, off the left-field wall) makes it 6-2... Grounder to short, tosses to third for force, another run scores (7-2), one out... 

Very weird double-play to retire JMU: Infield bloop initially looks to have been caught by Mizzou 2B-person, so baserunners freeze... Ump indicates ball was not caught... 2B-person touches second to force runner from first, then throws to third (with force having been removed) and runner from second tagged out... 

Tigers down to final three outs, trailing 7-2... Two-out walk keeps slim Mizzou hopes alive... Hard liner caught by JMU 3B-person and it's all over... James Madison to WCWS...

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