Washington takes out Oklahoma
Florida State beats UCLA twice to advance to WCWS final series
ASSOCIATED PRESS
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma came through under pressure so often in recent years at the Women’s College World Series. The Sooners’ moment never came on Sunday. Taran Alvelo shut out the two-time defending national champions and Washington eliminated Oklahoma from the Women’s College World Series with a 3-0 victory.
Oklahoma entered the World Series as the nation’s highest-scoring team, but Washington shut out the Sooners twice in a four-day span. Oklahoma (57-5) was trying to join UCLA as the only programs to win three straight titles.
“I think Washington is an outstanding team, and they beat us twice, flat-out beat us,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said. “They earned everything that they got. No doubt, no doubt.”
Julia DePonte had three hits and two RBIs. The Huskies (52-8) will try to win their second national title starting today, when they face Florida State in the best-of-three championship series. The Seminoles won twice on Sunday to eliminate UCLA. Washington won the title in 2009. Washington’s pitching is set up for the championship series. Its ace, freshman Gabby Plain, hasn’t pitched since Friday and is well rested.
Alvelo was Washington’s ace until she suffered a stress fracture in her ribs earlier this season. Tarr didn’t hesitate to start Alvelo against the Sooners, despite Plain starting Washington’s first two World Series wins.
“We need her,” Tarr said of Alvelo. “We are not where we are today without her. Gabbie Plain has had a phenomenal season, and she’s amazing, too. We’re not Washington without Taran Alvelo. She has performed how she’s needed to perform every time we’ve given her the ball. She absolutely deserved to start this game today, no matter what was going to happen.”
Oklahoma started No. 2 pitcher Paige Lowary on Sunday, but ace Paige Parker replaced her early and gave up one run in four innings in her final college game. She threw two shutouts Saturday and finished her career with 10 World Series victories.
FLORIDA STATE 12/3, UCLA 6/1: Florida State defeated UCLA twice on Sunday to advance to the WCWS championship series.
The Bruins (58-7) needed just one win to advance because they had beaten Florida State earlier in the tournament, but their pitching fell apart.
Florida State (56-12) has never won a national championship.
UCLA’s Rachel Garcia threw 111 pitches and took the loss in the first game. She started the second game, but only lasted an inning before Selina Ta’amilo stepped in. The second batter she faced, Cali Harrod, hit a home run to put the Seminoles up 1-0. Ta’amilo faced three hitters before Garcia returned to the circle. Morgan Klaevemann scored on an error, then Jessie Warren hit a two-run homer to put the Seminoles up 4-0.
UCLA’s Taylor Pack hit a two-run homer in the second to cut Florida State’s lead to 4-2, but Sydney Sherrill hit a three-run blast in the fourth to push the Seminoles’ lead to 7-2. Florida State’s Carsyn Gordon cranked a three-run homer in the fifth to make it 12-4.
Garcia re-entered to pitch the sixth, and she shut the Seminoles down. UCLA’s Bubba Nickles, who had run into the wall earlier while trying to prevent a home run, hit a solo shot of her own to make it 12-6.
Meghan King, who got the win in the first game, closed the second for the Seminoles.