OKLAHOMA CITY — Rachel Lawson has seen her team accomplish unprecedented feats on big stages this season, but she still couldn’t predict exactly how the Wildcats would respond on the biggest of stages.An exchange with sophomore shortstop Christian Stokes illuminated that fact.”I didn’t know what to expect,” Lawson said. “In the middle of the (second) inning, Stokes goes, ‘Wow, look at all the people,’ and she was on deck. And I’m like, ‘Wow, look at the ball.’ “Stokes’ response ended up being all Lawson needed to know.”Don’t worry, I got this, Coach,” Stokes said.Stokes would pop out to end the inning, but her attitude saying everything about how the Cats are approaching their first-ever Women’s College World Series.Are the Cats going to take time to soak in this experience? Of course. Are they going to let that derail them from the task at hand? No way.”We just love being here and we talked about it amongst ourselves,” Lauren Cumbess said. “We just want to enjoy every moment. No one plays well under pressure, so we’re not playing with any pressure on ourselves.”UK certainly looked like a team free from pressure on Thursday night.Attacking and playing with poise from the first inning on, the Cats dispatched No. 6 Louisiana-Lafayette, 4-1. UK (50-17) played flawless defense behind a dominant Kelsey Nunley and capitalized on nearly every opportunity afforded them by Ragin’ Cajun ace Christina Hamilton, looking like anything but a team content simply to have made it Oklahoma City.”We’re going out there just trusting what we’ve worked on practice,” Cumbess said. “We think that we’re prepared to face anybody, just like all the other teams here that have been preparing for this day at the World Series.”Cumbess, finally playing in the Women’s College World Series as a senior after two Super Regional trips in her first two seasons, led the way.After Louisiana-Lafayette committed an error to extend the first inning and Griffin Joiner walked with two outs, Cumbess stepped to the plate. Showing no signs of nerves, Cumbess doubled into the gap in right-center for the first Women’s College World Series hit and RBI in school history.”With two outs we put our heads down and try to make something happen with two outs,” Cumbess said. “We always try to get a runner on. We scored so many times this season with two outs whether it’s by a walk or hit.”Three innings later, she led off the top of the fourth inning and blasted an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left to stake UK to a 3-1 lead. Nunley surely appreciated the insurance, but she didn’t need it.Tossing her eighth complete game and winning for the sixth time in NCAA play, Nunley allowed just one run to the potent offense of Louisiana-Lafayette (49-9-1). It came on the Ragin’ Cajuns’ lone hit — Lexie Elkins’ first-inning home run traveled deep into the bleachers at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.”I kind of expected at least, them to hit at least one good ball,” Nunley said. “I knew that they were a good hitting team and I know that home runs happen all the time. I just tried to stay calm and relax and kept throwing.””If they hit it, it goes far,” Lawson added.From that point forward, Louisiana-Lafayette didn’t hit it often. Taking special care not to give Elkins — who now has 23 homers — or any of her power-hitting teammates anything good to hit, Nunley walked five batters but protected the lead.”We were able to come through that, so I can live with the five walks, and I’m glad we only gave up one home run,” Lawson said. “They’re pretty good.”Nunley struck out seven and at one point retired eight straight batters. Only twice did a Ragin’ Cajun reach second base against the UK sophomore.”I don’t think we’ve really seen anybody like her,” Louisiana-Lafayette third baseman Samantha Walsh said.With her unique combination of electric stuff, toughness and durability, Nunley is all but certain to get the call again on Friday. The Cats will face No. 2 Alabama — which defeated Oklahoma, 6-2, to move into the winner’s bracket — once again as the underdogs.They’ll pay about as much attention to that as the pressure they’re supposed to be feeling.”We’re just trusting ourselves and what happens happens,” Cumbess said.” We’re just going for it.”