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Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,126
Softball: Super Regional vs JMU 6pm ESPNU
Posted Fri, May 24 1:26 pm
The final step to the WCWS begins tonight (Friday) at Easton Stadium 6pm (all tickets sold out, TV: ESPNU). The James Madison Dukes are making their 2nd appearance in the Super Regional, having upset 15th seed Michigan in the Ann Arbor Regional.

https://uclabruins.com/news/2019/5/23/softball-no-2-ucla-james-madison-square-off-for-wcws-berth.aspx

The pitching matchup for tonight will feature 2 of the 3 nominees for the USA Softball National POTY award. Rachel Garcia (UCLA) and Megan Good (JMU) are the top two-way players in the country. Good will likely pitch every game in this series, and Garcia might well do the same.

Ever since the Super Regional eliminated the "if necessary" doubleheader, teams no longer need to feature more than one pitcher in this round. It also increases the likelihood of an upset by lower seeded (or in JMU's case, unseeded) teams, since they don't need to worry about their ace throwing 300+ pitches in a doubleheader. Adding the Super Regional round already dramatically increased the likelihood of higher seeded teams not reaching the WCWS, and extending the Super Regional into a three-day series increased those odds even more.

For UCLA, it will depend on which Bruin team shows up. If the Bruin team that pummeled Mizzou by manufacturing runs and keeping hitters off-balance the entire game shows up this weekend, it will be a short series with the Bruins prevailing. If the Bruin team that played down to the competition and lost focus at times over the past month shows up, then all bets are off. JMU played the Ann Arbor Regional like a team on a mission. If that team is the one that landed at LAX on Tuesday, then the Bruins could have a battle on their hands.

Unlike last year, when the matchup against Arizona played straight into the Bruins' wheelhouse, the JMU matchup is more of a mystery. They have stellar stats and a great record. They just haven't played the kind of schedule that UCLA did.

UCLA just has to play its game and stay focused. If they do, they'll be on their way to OKC for the 5th straight year (the only team in the NCAA that can say that).
UclanDoIt
Joined: 1/13/14 Posts: 3,919

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Garcia better than Good, Bruins win 6-1
Posted Fri, May 24 8:01 pm
In response to Softball: Super Regional vs JMU 6pm ESPNU (Woochifer)
Rachel Garcia gave up a first inning solo home run and then shut down James Madison, allowing only a single after that in tossing a complete game with 12 strikeouts. She also hit a 3 run homer that gave the Bruins a lead they never relinquished in their 6-1 victory. She hit the homer off JMU player of the year candidate Megan Good - due to a fielding error, the Bruins scored 4 unearned runs in the 3rd inning.

Garcia threw about 116 pitches but will probably start tomorrow's game as well. UCLA can advance to the softball championship round with a win tomorrow evening.
Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,126
Can't give the Bruins extra at-bats
Posted Fri, May 24 8:59 pm
In response to Garcia better than Good, Bruins win 6-1 (UclanDoIt)
That critical 3rd inning was a case where JMU should have gotten out of the inning. But, the error allowed Rachel to come to the plate with 2 on, and she crushed it.

I expect Megan Good to be on her game tomorrow. It could be her final collegiate game (she's a 5th year senior). It could also be the final game at Easton for Rachel. There's a very good chance that she will make the 2020 Olympic team, in which case she will sit out next season. And there's no guarantee that she will come back to UCLA for what would be her 6th year.

Gotta get the win first to get to OKC. Will be interesting to see how long Rachel goes tomorrow, since she threw nearly 120 pitches tonight.
Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,126
#4 Florida State is out
Posted Sat, May 25 10:30 am
In response to Softball: Super Regional vs JMU 6pm ESPNU (Woochifer)
#13 Oklahoma State finishes the upset over the defending national champions. This eliminates another left-handed ace in Meghan King that UCLA might have had to face this postseason. (For the Super Regional, JMU's upset over Michigan meant that UCLA wouldn't have to face lefty Megan Beaubien)

OSU will now return to OKC, where they have a veritable home field advantage for the WCWS.