Oklahoma Wins Back-to-Back National Championships -Game 2 Recap
Florida and Oklahoma returned to ASA Hall of Fame Stadium on Tuesday, June 6, 2017, for Game 2 of the WCWS. Oklahoma came out as victors of Game 1 after a 17 inning record-setting battle. Coming into Game 2, Oklahoma is one game away from being back-to-back WCWS Champions.
Paige Parker earned the start for the Sooners in Game 2, which was no surprise after Paige Lowary started Game 1. Florida decided to go with right-hander Aleshia Ocasio in the circle. Ocasio hadn’t thrown a pitch in this Women’s College World Series. Her last two innings pitched were in Game 1 of the Super Regional against Alabama.
Parker led off the inning with a four-pitch walk to Amanda Lorenz. After a sac bunt and a pop fly, Kvistad who was moved down to the four spot, also drew a four-pitch walk. Janell Wheaton ended the inning grounding out to first base.
Freshman Nicole Mendes stepped into the box for the Sooners in the bottom of the first and blasted a 1-1 pitch, delivered by Ocasio, into the left field bleachers. Caleigh Clifton followed up with a single to right field. Ocasio buckled down and got out of the inning with minimal damage.
https://twitter.com/NCAAsoftball/status/872246795849539584
In the top of the second, Sophia Reynoso responded by blasting her third home run of the season to almost the same spot in the left-field bleachers. With the game tied 1-1, Justine McLean dropped a bloop single over first base and advanced to second on an OU error. With two outs, Parker walked Lorenz for a second time, bringing up Nicole DeWitt who dropped in a base hit to load the bases. Aleshia Ocasio stepped into the box and on a 3-2 count drove a ball through the 3-4 hole putting the Gators up 2-1. OU made a pitching change, bringing in freshman Mariah Lopez with bases loaded and two outs. A hit by pitch would score another run for the Gators extending their lead to 3-1. Lopez escaped the inning after getting Wheaton to fly out to left.
The Sooners responded in the bottom of the frame by loading up the bases with one out. The Gators made a pitching change and brought in Senior Delanie Gourley. Gourley got Mendes swinging at strike three for the second out. With a 3-2 count to the next batter, Gourley walked in a run making the score 3-2. Shay Knighten stepped up to the plate and hit a stand-up double which cleared the bases. The Sooners took back the lead 5-3 to end the second.
SHAY KNIGHTEN DOES IT AGAIN! The bases-clearing double gives @OU_Softball the lead! #WCWS pic.twitter.com/zaF0Cmiup3
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) June 7, 2017
Chelsea Herndon hit a solo-homerun in the top of the third chipping away at the OU lead.
With the score 5-4 Oklahoma, in the top of the fifth, another pitching change was made and Nicole Mendes took the mound for the Sooners. Mendes had only thrown 17.2 innings in the 2017 season for Oklahoma. Mendes sat the Gators down 1-2-3 in her WCWS pitching debut.
In the top of the sixth, Jordan Roberts punched a base hit through the 5-6 hole to lead off the inning. OU followed with another pitching change and brought in Paige Lowary with a runner on first and no outs. Chelsea Herndon grounded out, moving the runner from first to second. Justine McLean lined out to left for the second out. With the winning run on second, Lorenz stepped into the box and on a 2-2 count, Lowary got her with the strikeout to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Paige Lowary kicked it into gear with the finish line in sight. She delivered the final three outs in form of two strikeouts and a dribbler she scooped up and threw to first. Oklahoma won the game 5-4 to clinch their back-to-back Championship Title.
BACK-TO-BACK BOOMER❗️ @OU_Softball repeats as National Champions! #WCWS pic.twitter.com/heP8jPdlkV
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) June 7, 2017
