Jayda Coleman adds one more catch to her incredible OU highlight reel
OU senior centerfielder Jayda Coleman made a promise. OK, maybe not a promise, but she was determined to steal a home run at Love’s Field.
She wasn’t going to have a lot of time to do it, obviously. Just this one season. And she was going to have to do it despite the fact OU didn’t practice at Love’s Field for the majority of the season.
But she got the chance, and she took advantage in a 4-2 victory against Florida State on Friday in the Super Regional to send OU back to the Women’s College World Series.
“We do this at practice all the time, and she acts like she’s going to catch it and everyone tags up and the ball is going over the fence,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “She fakes us all out. So I’m looking and I’m like, it’s out. I’m thinking here she goes.
“I saw her jump, and then I saw her fall with the ball in her glove, and I’m not kidding you, and I know this is weird, but I just kind of had this little tear, like a little tear. Because I’m so expecting of it. But that was unbelievable.”
OU had just taken a 4-1 lead with a three-run top of the fifth. FSU’s Jaysoni Beachum already had one solo home run earlier in the game.
Let’s face it, she had a second one. Until Coleman brought it back.
“But I will have to say, I had 110% trust in Hannah Coor, because she was the one that was telling me how much space I had until the wall because I didn’t even look back at the wall at all,” Coleman said. “So having 100% trust in your left fielder or your right fielder is key to making those plays and that was a reason why I was able to make that play.
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“And just to see her face after I caught it, like, ‘oh my gosh you actually caught it’ was the best thing out of all, is watching all your teammates celebrate and then like she said, watching Cyd and Brito had a really good play. The best part about making those type of plays is watching your teammates celebrate and just watching how happy they are.”
It’s almost too fitting that it’s Florida State. Because it was FSU last season in the WCWS championship series when Coleman had another one of her famous leaping grabs.
‘Welcome to the club’
“I’m sure she has a Florida State highlight reel,” joked FSU head coach Lonni Alameda. “I’m sure she does. We can see it in our brains. She’s robbed us many times. Kalei was ‘Welcome to the club, Jaysoni.’ She robbed her last year too. I had a chance to watch Jayda in club ball and travel ball. I was one of those coaches that wanted to recruit her also.
“She’s a special player. She played shortstop for a long time and got the opportunity to come here and just roam the outfield like a legit athlete. It’s fun to see that. It’s fun to hear the roar of the crowd. Again, it’s against us again, but for us in softball moments of where the game’s growing, I think it’s just really cool to see that style of athleticism so year.”
Coleman had a hit and also scored a run in her final game at Love’s Field.
