OKLAHOMA CITY - All Kim Waleszonia could do was watch as the ball flew over her head and the game fell out of reach.
Louisana Lafyette All-American Holly Tankersly blasted what would turn out to be the game-winning home run to deep center field in the top of the eighth to help the Ragin' Cajuns (52-13) knock off No. 1 seed UF (67-4) 3-2 Thursday in the first round of the Women's College World Series.
Tankersly has hit 22 home runs this season.
"Honestly, I just closed my eyes and swung," Tankersly said .
UF coach Tim Walton said that his team's inability to make in-game adjustments contributed to the loss.
"At this level you have to get it done," Walton said. "You have to make adjustments, and we didn't do that."
Things did look good for the Gators early in the game, however.
They got things rolling early in the second when Corrie Brooks shot an RBI double down the left field line to bring in Tiffany DeFelice
It was the first hit in postseason play for DeFelice who hit a lead-off single to start the inning.
The pumped-up freshman slapped home plate in excitement after scoring the first run of the day.
Things picked up again for the Gators in the bottom of the fourth when Aja Paculba hit an RBI double to deep left field to put the Girls from Gainesville up 2-0.
But the Ragin' Cajuns would quickly respond.
Vanessa Soto pounded a two RBI double off the centerfield wall in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game.
"That's why we call her Vanessa Money," Louisiana-Lafayette coach Stefeni Lotief said.
One of the most remarkable plays of the day came in the bottom of the eighth inning when DeFelice fouled off 15 consecutive pitches before flying out to center field on the 21st pitch of the at-bat.
"It was a very long at-bat," she said. "It was tough."
For the first time all year, UF ace Stacey Nelson was outshined by her opponent.
Nelson stuck out six batters, but gave up eight hits on the day.
She was replaced by freshman Stephanie Brombacher in the top of the eighth inning with two outs.
Walton said that Nelson will start game two for the Gators.
"I don't get down on myself," Nelson said.
Freshman Ashley Brignac was brilliant for Lafayette, striking out a career high 15 batters in eight innings of work.
She struck out every member of the UF team.
Only two teams have ever gone on to win the WCWS after losing their first game. Texas A&M did it in 1983 and UCLA repeated the feat in 2003.
Now the Gators will look to do the same.
"This is a double-elimination tournament," Nelson said. "We can't come out with the attitude that we lost one game, so we are going to lose another."
Walton will try to refocus his team as it attempts to fight its way out of the loser's bracket.
"I'm not going to make excuses. We didn't do a good job, but we didn't come here to lose," he said.
