First Game: #3 Oklahoma vs. #6 Alabama
A morning session had originally been scheduled for today but with last night's rain delay, everything got pushed back. So instead, there was just one session today, in the evening and featuring the two games that were supposed to have been played last night, Oklahoma vs. Alabama and Michigan vs. LSU.
So instead of watching softball in the afternoon, I drove around nearby Edmond, Oklahoma running errands: getting cash from an ATM, going to Dick’s Sporting Goods to buy a much-needed seat cushion, and going to a Target to get some groceries. Edmond seems like a pretty nice community, probably one of the more desirable places to live in the Oklahoma City area.
Above: The ASA Stadium, northeast of Oklahoma City. This was my home for several days in early June. |
Around 4 p.m. I headed down to the stadium, and while standing in line, I met a nice, older couple from Dallas who’d driven up to watch the Sooners. They told me that a friend of theirs had driven here from Kansas City the day before just to watch the Thursday night game, which was rained out, but then had to drive back to Kansas City today – all that driving to watch a single inning of softball last night.
I found my seat in left field, said hi to my neighbors, and settled in to watch the continuation of the Oklahoma-Alabama game, which resumed in the second inning. It was a real pitcher's dual, a scoreless draw that went to extra innings (unlike baseball, there are seven innings in softball). Oklahoma then scored three runs in the eighth, much to the delight of the majority of fans (including me), beating Alabama. I figured that since I was selling my extra ticket, the longer Oklahoma stayed in the tournament, the better because it would jack up the ticket prices.
Sure enough, the next morning I was able to sell my right-field ticket for the next Oklahoma game for $75, which was great considering that I’d spent only $125 for the entire 9-session ticket. Heck, I’d already made enough to cover the cost of the ticket and then some, but that was only because Oklahoma had made the 8-team tournament. If they hadn’t, I would've probably taken a loss. But no matter, I didn’t buy the extra ticket to make money.
Oklahoma 3, Alabama 0. Alabama drops into the Loser’s Bracket.
Second Game: #2 Michigan vs. #10 LSU
Above: Scenes from the Michigan vs. LSU game, including Michigan's game-winning double in the 6th inning. (1:09) |
The second game was the one I’d been waiting for: Michigan vs. LSU. I was surprised at how many Michigan fans were in the stands, including a large contingent of hefty women sitting a few rows in front of me, all decked out in the maize-and-blue.
The game was a scoreless draw going into the sixth inning, but Michigan filled the bases and then scored two runs on a double, which was awesome. Michigan’s star pitcher, Megan Betsa, shut down the rest of the Ragin’ Cajuns and Michigan won 2-0, so I was happy. Very happy.
The game finished around 11 p.m. and I got back to the motel around 12, then was saddened to hear of the passing of The Greatest, Muhammed Ali.
After dinner, I posted my Saturday right-field ticket for sale, then I got to bed around 1:30 a.m.
Michigan 2, LSU 0. LSU drops into the Loser’s Bracket.
The 2016 Women's College World Series (WCWS): Day #2 (Friday)
