2019 WCWS Day One, Session Two: FL, OSU, OU, AL
#13 Oklahoma State 2, #5 Florida 1
The second session of the day set a new attendance record seeing 9,290 fans fill the Hall of Fame Stadium seats. That record setting crowd was in for a treat!
Long time teammates, friends, and colleagues Tim Walton and Kenny Gajewski met for the first time (of what is sure to be many more) on the Oklahoma City stage, embracing at the plate.
The Cowgirls’ polarizing star, Samantha Snow, wasted no time making her mark blasting a home run into the right center field bleachers. An already energetic, fired up team and fan base exploded. Oklahoma State held the very early 1-0 lead.
Not to be outdone, Florida smoked a solo-shot of their own to knot the game up at one a piece. The best part? Both home runs were hit to the exact same spot and caught by the same fan!
After the second inning, Florida’s Kelly Barnhill while Show and the Oklahoma State defense dominated the game. Show sprinkled six hits while allowing no walks while Barnhill struck out nine Cowgirls and issued only one walk of her own. She even reached the 1,200 “K” mark in the top of the first inning. The Florida ace also held a powerful Oklahoma State offense to two hits; unfortunately for the Gators, they were both home runs, both from Samantha Show who hit her second of the game in the top of the sixth inning.
The Gators were unable to plate of a run of their own despite their six hits; leaving five on base.
Oklahoma State’s victory marks their first since 1998, defeating Michigan, 3-1. Not only was it a milestone for the program, it also was the first step in setting up a “Bedlam” matchup on Friday. When asked about the possibility Gajewski said, “I think it would be disrespectful to Alabama to be talking about playing a team that hasn’t won yet. I’d rather just leave that alone … If we get to that point, you can call me in the morning time and I’ll talk to you about that.”
Well Coach, get ready, Bedlam is coming.
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#1 Oklahoma 3, #8 Alabama 2
The back-and-fourth affair between these two storied, and familiar, foes delivered; as it always seems to!
All three facets of the game shined on full display starting in the circle. Sooners’ ace, Giselle Juarez, pitched the complete game victory, striking out nine, walking only two, and surrendering only four hits for two earned runs. For the Tide, Montana Fouts also tossed the complete game, fanning five of her own and limiting Oklahoma to two free passes. Defensively both squads held their own and made some fantastic plays.
Oklahoma started fast, scoring in the bottom of the first. Caleigh Clifton collected her 50th RBI on the season scoring Sydney Romero on way of the sacrifice fly.
As it usually goes, timely hitting put the Sooners over the top. Alabama and Oklahoma traded hits and runs the entire game. In the top of the third, Claire Jenkins scored via an RBI from Bailey Hemphill, tying the game at one a piece.
In the bottom half of the same frame, Oklahoma punched right back. This time Jocelyn Alo delivered the RBI to score Romero, who was 2-for-3 on the evening.
The fourth inning went scoreless before Alabama yet again tied up the contest in the top of the fifth. This time a struggling Claire Jenkins (in a 0-for-19 slump to be exact) clicked and blasted this solo-shot.
When asked about the pitch and her ability to work through her recent struggles Jenkins said, “It was a change-up. I sat on it really deep. When I hit it, I just hoped it had enough to go out. I knew it was pretty high in the sky. Just hoped that it would make it out … I think it’s my team, them just keeping coming and telling me, You got this, just keep swinging, keep doing you, them having my back throughout this little short time, in postseason.”
All knotted up, the Sooners came up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Alo again put together a strong at-bat and drew an eight pitch walk. She was pinch run for by Raegan Rogers. Oklahoma’s next two batters recorded outs and were unable to move Rogers. Nicole Mendes then stepped to the plate, she had struggled in her previous at-bats, but she was ready to deliver.
In the postgame press conference head coach, Patty Gasso, was asked if she considered pinch hitting for Mendes.
“This is how it works,” she said. “Yes, I did. When I walk over and say it to J.T., and he said, No, something is going to happen. I say, Okay. I walk away. He’s always right. So I listen to him in those situations. You’re right when you say that she shines on this platform. She finds a way. May not look good, but she’s going to do something that’s going to be a game changer, and she did.”
With the victory, Oklahoma advances to Friday’s matchup with in-state rival, Oklahoma State. Also known as, “Bedlam”. Alabama enters the elimination bracket and will face SEC foe, Florida; a team the Tide swept in Gainesville during regular season play. When asked about what his team needs to do to regroup and move forward, head coach Patrick Murphy, said this:
“Just resiliency. I mean, everybody knows that she was going through a slump here, Claire, for weeks. It reminded me of Amanda in 2012. She had done the same thing. We were playing Arizona State on the Friday night. Amanda finally got a little Texas leaguer to fall. She hits the home run to beat Dallas in a great game, 2-1. I really thought that was going to be Claire tonight. She gets the little duck fart that falls, then hits the home run on a change-up. That was her first home run since we played South Carolina, like, March I don’t remember what it was. It’s been a while. She was stuck on 12 for two months. You could just feel the weight off her shoulders.”
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