Game 2 will be getting underway shortly... The Sooners are one game away from not only winning their third straight NCAA championship but also from setting a record for fewest losses in a championship season (a potential 61-1 record), which would replace the 1992 UCLA squad's mark of 54-2... Kathryn Sandercock, who was held out last night, is starting for the Seminoles...
Top 1 -- OU goes down 1-2-3...
Bottom 1 -- Sooners start Michigan transfer Alex Storako in the circle... Storako greeted by single from FSU's Kaley Mudge... Second batter bunts, OU 3B-person throws ball into center field trying to get Mudge at second... Seminoles with runners on first and second and none out... OU does not allow a lot of scoring opportunities, so Florida State really has to capitalize when it can (especially with Storako [1.06 K/inning] not being as much of a strikeout pitcher as Jordy Bahl [1.31])... Liner to 3B for first out... Hard grounder back to Storako, bobbled briefly, so only play is to first... FSU with runners on second and third with two out... Grounder to second ends Seminole threat...
Top 2 -- OU leadoff hitter gets infield single on slow roller... Full count on next batter... Easy pop-up to Sandercock, runner doubled off first... K to retire the side...
Bottom 2 -- Mack Leonard, playing 1B tonight after being last night's FSU starting pitcher, leads off... East pop to SS... Fly to left for second out... First K for Storako ends the inning...
Top 3 -- Still scoreless... Leadoff walk followed by single off the wall, runners on first and second... Dribbler in front of home plate loads the bases with none out... 0-2 count on Coleman but, as I've pointed out before, that doesn't faze Oklahoma... Grounder to first, fielder throws home for fielder's choice, one out... Tiare Jennings up... Ball to SS for another fielder's choice at home, two outs... Running catch in left leaves FSU unscathed...
Bottom 3 -- Leadoff walk... Grounder to third, fielder's choice for out at second... Oppo line-single to left by Jahni Kerr, putting runners on first and second with one... Fly out to wall in CF for second out... Grounder to 3B, fielder steps on bag for force-out to end threat...
Top 4 -- 1-2-3 inning for OU...
Bottom 4 -- Per ESPN graphic, when FSU batters have had two strikes during the WCWS, they have gone 0-17... No sooner does that graphic appear than Leonard hits a solo-shot (with two strikes) for a 1-0 Seminole lead (video)... No further scoring...
Top 5 -- Cydney Sanders responds with a homer to tie it 1-1... Grace Lyons follows with another homer to put OU up 2-1... No further scoring...
Bottom 5 -- Bahl in to pitch... Soft liner back to Bahl for first out... Mudge up... Fly to shallow center for second out... Kerr up... Flies to right to end the inning, 2-1 OU...
Top 6 -- Leadoff infield single (hit deep into hole between SS and 3B)... Brito singles on flare to CF, runners on first and second with none out... Runners bunted over to second and third, one out... Grounder to SS, tags runner heading toward third for second out, run scores from third, runner on first... 3-1 Sooners... Fly to left ends the half-inning...
Bottom 6 -- Foul out behind home plate for first FSU out... Grounder to 3B for second out... K to end inning...
Top 7 -- OU goes quietly...
Bottom 7 -- FSU down to its final three outs to keep its season -- and title hopes -- alive... Seminoles go down 1-2-3... Here's a video of the final out...
Congratulations to Oklahoma on an historic season! This has been my 18th year of blogging on college softball and I hope visitors to this site have enjoyed it...