Casas, Seminoles extend season

from the Women's College World Series Saturday night.

UF struggled against potent No. 4 Oklahoma, falling 2-0 in an elimination game.

The Gators were in a tough spot after giving up a four-run lead against UCLA earlier in the WCWS.

The Bruins beat Florida 6-5 late Friday night. UCLA used a six-run sixth inning to beat Florida State 7-4 on Thursday, then put up a five-run fourth against UF Friday.

“Once someone gets it started, we're on fire,” UCLA pitcher Rachel Garcia said.

The pitching matchup featured the two most recent USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award winners as Garcia, this year's winner, got the best of Florida's Kelly Barnhill. Garcia struck out 15 while Barnhill struck out 13.

Florida coach Tim Walton was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing with the umpire about the strike zone. Walton was not suspended and coached Florida's elimination game Saturday.

Walton was happy early on — Kayli Kvistad's tworun homer in the third inning put Florida up 4-0.

Barnhill threw a perfect game the first three innings and struck out the first eight batters she faced, but UCLA got it going in the fourth. Madeline Jelenicki fouled a pitch off and the ball was caught for the second out, but the Bruins sent Aaliyah Jordan home on the play, and she was ruled safe on a close call at the plate for the second run of the inning.

“It wouldn't have been a good thing if she got thrown out at the dish right there,” UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “But we have been aggressive.”