Kentucky's pitcher Kelsey Nunley, right, gives a thumbs-up to Nikki Sagermann after Kentucky defeated Louisiana-Lafayette 4-1 during the NCAA Women's College World Series softball tournament game in Oklahoma City on May 29, 2014.OKLAHOMA CITY - Kelsey Nunley threw a one-hitter, Lauren Cumbess homered and had an RBI double and Kentucky won the first Women's College World Series game in its softball program's history Thursday night, 4-1 over Louisiana-Lafayette.
Kentucky (49-14), which won twice at longtime softball power UCLA in the super regional, posted its first win in five tries against Louisiana-Lafayette (49-9-1).
The Wildcats will play the winner of Thursday's late game between Alabama and defending national champion Oklahoma today. ULL's Ragin' Cajuns will face the loser of the Alabama-Oklahoma game Saturday.
Lexie Elkins had the only hit against Nunley (30-9), the former Soddy-Daisy High School ace, slamming her 23rd home run of the season in the first inning. But the Cajuns never advanced a runner past second base after that.
Nunley outdueled Louisiana-Lafayette's Christina Hamilton (29-3), who threw a five-hitter but had her her six-game winning streak end.
Cumbess was 3-for-3.
Oregon 3, Florida State 0
Sophomore left-hander Cheridan Hawkins threw a one-hitter in the top-seeded Ducks' shutout win.
Alexa Peterson had a pair of hits, including a run-scoring double, for Oregon (55-7-1), which set a single-season program record for wins. The Ducks play Florida today.
Florida State (55-8), making its first WCWS appearance in 10 years, will face Baylor on Saturday in an elimination game.
Hawkins (34-4) gave up a leadoff single to Maddie O'Brien in the first inning. Courtney Senas drew a one-out walk two batters later, but Hawkins escaped and eventually retired 16 straight batters before a two-out error in the sixth.
FSU pitcher Lacey Waldrop (38-6), the Division I player of the year, didn't make it out of the sixth inning after giving up 10 hits.
Florida 11, Baylor 0
Hannah Rogers pitched a three-hit shutout as fifth-seeded Florida rolled.
Rogers (27-8) threw her fourth shutout of the postseason for the Gators, who have not allowed a run in six of their seven NCAA tournament wins this season. The run-rule win over Baylor (47-15) was the fifth of the tournament for Florida (51-12).
A two-run double by Bailey Castro staked Florida to a 3-0 lead after one inning against Baylor starter Whitney Canion (31-11). Kirsti Merritt hit a solo home run in the fourth for Florida, and pinch-hitter Chelsea Herndon capped the game with a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the fifth.