The win allowed the Oklahoma Sooners to win their fifth Women’s College World Series title.
What We Know:
- The Sooners’ Jocelyn Alo started Thursday’s game with a home run. After this, Jayda Coleman “poked one over the fence” in the second inning, giving the team an early 2-0 lead. Soon after, the Seminoles got in their only run in the third inning when the Sooners’ Tiare Jennings lost a popup, and Kalei Harding took her opportunity to score.
- Oklahoma responded automatically with Jennings scoring on a wild pitch by Florida State’s freshman reliever Emma Wilson. Coleman scored two with a “hard-line drive off the left-field wall to score two” and give the Sooners the 5-1 advantage.
- The Sooners acquired this win because of star pitcher Giselle Juarez. Before the game, the Oklahoma softball team lacked a dominant pitcher, but Juarez “answered the call.” In Game 2, she helped the team win 6-2 against the Seminoles. During Game 3, Juarez allowed one run on two hits.
- The crowd’s majority also stood up when Juarez took the circle in the seventh inning. ESPN writes that she caught the final out like a “popup into her glove.” After securing the catch, the other Sooners ran up to her, and “Boomer Sooner” played over the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium’s sound system.
“Honestly, I was kind of hoping it didn’t go in the sun and that they would let me catch it,” Juarez said. “But I mean, it felt so slow motion, and then just to look up after I caught it and see [Kinzie] Hansen running at me — surreal, awesome moment.”
- In contrast, Florida State University’s Seminoles softball team aimed to win their second title in three consecutive World Series under coach Lonni Alameda. However, the Sooners shocked them with their talent. Center fielder Dani Morgan told the media she felt pride in the team despite losing.
- Although the Seminoles did not win this time around, they made marks at the World Series. For example, freshman Kayley Mudge made 14 hits, a new record for the Women’s College World Series.
The Sooners’ other World Series wins were in 2000, 2013, 2016, and 2017, under coach Patty Gasso.
