Sooners knock off FSU Softball, 3-1, win third straight national championship
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Florida State softball team saved its best for last, but it wasn’t quite good enough.
Senior ace Kathryn Sandercock got the start in Thursday’s Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series Championship Series and delivered an admirable performance against the best team — and best offensive lineup — in the country.
But the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners blasted back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth inning to take the lead and then cruised to a 3-1 victory.
The win gave the Sooners a series sweep of the No. 3 Seminoles and Oklahoma’s third straight national championship. It is OU’s fifth national title in the past seven years.
Sandercock didn’t exactly cruise through the first four innings, but she did take the mound with a 1-0 lead in the fifth after first baseman Mack Leonard hit a solo home run to right field.
It was the Seminoles’ first run scored, and first lead, of the championship series. But it lasted mere minutes.
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OU first baseman Cindy Sanders led off the fifth with a solo home run to right field to tie the game, then shortstop Grace Lyons followed that up with a homer of her own to left. Suddenly, the Sooners had a 2-1 lead, and they promptly brought star pitcher Jordy Bahl in to close the game out.
Bahl pitched the final three innings to earn the save after picking up wins in all four of the Sooners’ first four WCWS victories.
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Florida State’s season ends with a record of 58-11 and a second-place finish for the second time in three years. The Seminoles also lost to Oklahoma in the 2021 championship series.
Sandercock finishes her senior season at 28-4 after suffering her first defeat in nearly three months. Her last loss came March 12 at Oklahoma State; she had recorded 21 straight wins since that defeat.
The Sooners, who have won an NCAA-record 53 straight games, finish with a 61-1 record and their seventh national championship in school history — all seven have come since 2000. They have won six in the last 10 years.
Both teams squandered opportunities to take control of the game in the early innings.
FSU’s Kalei Harding blasted what looked like a sure three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning, but she was robbed by a leaping grab from center fielder Jayda Coleman. Oklahoma had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the third and also failed to score.
All-Tournament Team
FSU catcher Michaela Edenfield, left fielder Kaley Mudge and pitcher Kathryn Sandercock were selected to the WCWS All-Tournament Team.
Stay connected with Warchant.com for complete postgame coverage.
Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.
