Florida takes title in softball again

Florida won its second straight national championship behind Lauren Haeger’s complete game in a 4-1 victory over Michigan on Wednesday night at Oklahoma City.

Haeger gave up five hits and struck out five. She reached base on all four of her plate appearances, earning most-outstanding-player honors. Florida became just the third program to repeat as Women’s College World Series champion, and the first since Arizona in 2006-07.

Michigan (60-8) was going for its first title since 2005. Haylie Wagner, who shut out Florida on Tuesday to keep the Wolverines alive, got the loss.

The Gators (60-7) scored all their runs in the first two innings. Justine McLean had two hits and Taylor Schwarz knocked in two runs for Florida. Haeger singled in Kelsey Stewart in the bottom of the first to give Florida a 1-0 lead. It was the first earned run against Wagner in 20 innings at the World Series. Schwarz’s single with two outs knocked in Nicole DeWitt and Haeger to make it 3-0.