College Softball News

Women’s College World Series Championship Game 1 Recap

Championship Game 1: Washington vs. Florida State

The pitching matchup for Game One of the Championship series would feature Washington freshman Gabbie Plain facing off against Florida State junior Meghan King. Plain holds a 22-4 record on the season with a 0.98 ERA and 174 strikeouts in 156.2 innings pitched. King is 24-6 with a 1.22 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 184 innings pitched. Both pitchers worked through a quick first inning, utilizing their defenses behind them.

FSU’s Morgan Klaevemann recorded the game’s first hit in the top of the third inning. She then stole second, an overthrow would advance her to third with no outs. Plain would settle in and retired the next three hitters.

Trysten Melhart led off the bottom of the third with an infield hit to short. Kelly Burdick laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that took a good play by third baseman Jessie Warren to get her out at first. Taylor Van Zee hit a single up the middle that the shortstop Cali Harrod kept in the infield. With runners on the corners and one out, Sis Bates was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Meghan King stepped up her pitching game big time and retired the number three and four hitters in the Washington lineup via strikeout to end the inning.

Plain struggled with her control in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, she walked Anna Shelnutt and Dani Morgan. She then retired Zoe Casas on a fly out to left field for the second out. Cali Harrod drew a 3-2 count and walked to load the bases. Klaevemann also drew a 3-2 count but would ground out to Sis Bates at short and a fielder’s choice for the last out.

Top of the fifth with one out, Jessie Warren punched a ball off the left center field wall for a double. With one out, Caryson Gordon would ground out to Bates, and moved Warren to third. Plain would retire the number three hitter Sydney Sherrill via fly out to left to end the inning.

Kelly Burdick led off the bottom of the fifth with an infield single. King retired Van Zee on a line out to left field for the first out. A stolen base by Burdick would move her to second. Bates dropped a bunt and would move Burdick to third with two outs. King retired DePonte on a ground out to second base to end the inning.

Florida State broke the 0-0 score in the top of the sixth inning on an Anna Shelnutt home run, her sixth of the season. Morgan followed the at bat with a single through the 3-4 hole. A stolen base would move Morgan into scoring position with one out. Sis Bates ended the inning going back on a flair hit into the outfield, making the catch, and doubling the runner off on second.

A two-out, Jessie Warren double in the top of the second would give the Seminoles a base runner in scoring position. Plain would get Gordon looking on an outside pitch to end the inning.

Taryn Atlee led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit up the middle for the Huskies. Melhart tried to lay down bunt but Warren was there to make the diving grab and double off the runner on first. Burdick kept the inning alive for the Huskies, recording an infield hit. Van Zee drew a 3-2 count, but King recorded the last out via ground out 1-3 to end it.

Florida State takes game one of the best-of-three Championship Series. Game two will take place on Tuesday June 5 at 7 p.m. CT.

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