No. 1 seed Oklahoma brings home run power to Women’s CWS

Kinzie Hansen, a catcher and a second-team All-American, has 21 homers. Jayda Coleman, a freshman and a first team selection, has eight homers and 19 stolen bases. Shortstop Grace Lyons, a second-teamer, has 14 blasts.

Oklahoma won national titles in 2000, 2013, 2016 and 2017 and was the runner-up in 2012 and 2019. The Sooners will play in front of what will amount to a home crowd of roughly 13,000 at a newly expanded stadium just 25 miles from campus.

James Madison is a first-time qualifier. The Dukes will be confident — they won all their games on the road in regionals and super regionals to advance. Odicci Alexander has a 16-1 record and a 1.14 ERA with 186 strikeouts in 117 innings.

“I think what’s very important for us is that we stay grounded, we stay within ourselves, we don’t let anything affect us and we keep playing JMU softball,” James Madison coach Loren LaPorte said.

Oklahoma State is playing close to home, too, and the Cowgirls are responsible for one of Oklahoma’s losses.

First baseman Alysen Febrey and pitcher Carrie Eberle are first-team All-Americans. Febrey is batting .409 with 18 home runs and 59 runs batted in. Eberle is 25-3 with a 1.41 earned run average.