Sooners bounce back, force third game
OKLAHOMA CITY — Jocelyn Alo knew her hit was gone as soon as she made contact.
Oklahoma’s slugger blasted a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning, and the Sooners beat Florida State 6-2 on Wednesday night to force a decisive Game 3 for the Women’s College World Series title.
It was Alo’s 33rd home run of the season. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year added to her school record. But this one was different.
“I did know it was out,” Alo said. “And I think the last time I circled the bases that quickly was probably my freshman year, my firstever home run.”
The final game will be played Thursday afternoon. Oklahoma (55-4) is seeking its fifth national championship. Florida State (49-12-1) is trying for its second title in four years.
Alo sent Kathryn Sandercock’s 2-0 pitch over the
right-center field fence, giving the Sooners a 3-2 lead. Her blast fired up the crowd of 12,115 mostly Sooners fans at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, which is about 25 miles from Oklahoma’s campus.
The homer gave the Sooners the Division I single-season record for home runs with 159, breaking the mark Hawaii set in 2010.
Giselle Juarez pitched a complete game for Oklahoma. She gave up two runs in the first inning, then threw six shutout innings and allowed just two hits the rest of the way.
“My hitters came up to me and they were, like, ‘We’ve got you, we have your back,’” Juarez said. “And I think for me, it was all about keeping them in that game. They had my back. They’re always going to have my back.”
Juarez improved to 4-0 in the tournament and has surrendered just three earned runs in 241⁄3 innings. Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso didn’t say if Juarez would start Game 3.