Softball season ends in championship series

THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA – One night after losing 16-3 in the opening game of the Women's College World Cup Series, Oklahoma's softball team pushed UCLA to its final game on Tuesday night.

The Sooners, the top ranked and top ranked, were far from forcing extra innings, but a single in two in the last third of the seventh inning marked the decisive point of the 5-4 UCLA win ahead of a crowd of 8,373 at the United States Hall of Fame Stadium.

"As you know, we have probably had one of the worst games (Monday) we have ever played," said the head coach of the OU, Patty Gasso. "To come back as we did, I could not be more proud of this group. They fought. We played an amazing and exceptional team. They are solid from top to bottom in their range. They had a phenomenal pitcher on the mound. They are very well trained. It was hard.

"They were on a mission. We were on a mission. But what we have done today, I will never forget.

Shay Knighten, senior of the OU, who, two years ago, managed a victorious race against Florida in the 17^th In the championship series, we had a home win of two solo withdraws, just over the wall, in the center-left, with two outs in the seventh inning to tie in at 4.

When asked where she ranked in her career moments, an emotional Knight said, "She ranks pretty well." This season has been very special. It was really cool to be able to get out of this way, to be able to run around the basics. You just saw the Sooner Nation, his teammates, everyone there, so happy and excited. He must rank at the top. "

Standing in the box of the coaches of the third goal, a demonstrator Gasso smiled while Knighten doubled her head coach to go to the marble, where delusional teammates were waiting for her.

"I know I became very animated," Gasso said afterwards, a smile once again appearing on his face. "J & # 39; was fired. I do not really show much emotion, but I think I left on that one. "

Unfortunately, their joy was short-lived as UCLA's Kinsley Washington, who scored six goals for eight in the championship series, conceded the title to win the title with two outs and a runner at second base.

The home pitch of Falepolima Aviu, the left-wing player of the OU, was slightly higher than the third goal line. Spin-runner Jacqui Prober dipped and barely defeated receiver Lynnsie Elam's medal.

The sequence ended the most successful senior class in the history of softball OR. The group won national titles in their first and second year seasons, placing fourth in junior and second in senior.

"They were at one stroke to potentially win it again," said Gasso. "This is the best senior class we have ever had. It's very obvious. All of them here. On top of that, just the way they share their hearts. You hear them praise God, you could go. Really? 'It's on their heart. That's what they do. This is what we do. "

Caleigh Clifton, senior second baseman, said, "(Monday) was just a character game. If it proved anything about our character, how much we were fighting, I mean, it was such a close match. That's what we wanted for this next game. We did a good job knowing that we did not have our best stuff yesterday, but we were going to bring them today, and we did it. "

Senior third base player Sydney Romero, a National Player of the Year finalist, shot a solo shot in the third goal to put the Sooners on the board. Romero and junior Nicole Mendes both went 2 for 3 to the plate.

The team that scored the first goal each game at WCWS this year was victorious. Tuesday completed this trend, UCLA took a 2-0 lead at just four launches in the match during two solo tours.

The first four rounds of UCLA were held at home solo. The Bruins also hit four home runs in Game 1.

OR never led Tuesday, but tied the score in the fourth inning and again in the seventh decisive.

The Sooners (57-6), third in all-time national titles behind UCLA and Arizona (eight), were looking for their fifth national championship. OR finished for the second time as a national finalist. In 2012, Alabama beat the Sooners by the same score of 5-4 in the deciding match.

UCLA (56-5) has now won 12 National Softball Championships, more than any other school.

Romero, Mendes and Jocelyn Alo have been named in the tournament team.