Oklahoma, Florida State advance to WS title series

OKLAHOMA CITY — Kaley Mudge went 5 for 5, and Florida State beat Alabama 8-5 on Monday night to advance to the Women’s College World Series final.

The 10th-seeded Seminoles will play top-seeded Oklahoma in a best-of-three series starting Tuesday. The Sooners beat Odicci Alexander and James Madison 7-1 in the other semifinal on Monday.

Oklahoma (54-3) is going for its fifth national title. Florida State (48-11-1) won its only championship in 2018. Both teams lost their World Series openers this year before winning four consecutive elimination games.

Alabama’s Montana Fouts, who threw a perfect game against UCLA on Friday, got into trouble early on against Florida State.

Elizabeth Mason connected for a three-run homer in the first for the Seminoles. Mudge’s single knocked in Josie Muffley in the second. Kalei Harding tacked on a two-run single in the third, making it 6-0 and chasing Fouts.

Third-seeded Alabama (52-9) closed to 8-5 with three runs in the fifth, including Bailey Hemphill’s two-run homer. But the Seminoles held on.

In the early game, Giselle Juarez struck out 11 in another stellar performance for Oklahoma.

Behind Alexander’s pitching, unseeded James Madison surprised Oklahoma on the opening day of the tournament Thursday. The Sooners won two games on Saturday, and then beat James Madison on Sunday to force the winner-take-all game for a spot in the championship series.

Alexander, who pitched complete games in wins over Oklahoma and No. 5 seed Oklahoma State to reach the semifinals, lasted into the fifth inning Monday. The crowd of mostly Oklahoma fans gave a tearful Alexander a standing ovation as she left the field.

“It was amazing,” she said. “I mean, it’s more than just a game. To see them all clapping for me and cheering me on, I mean, it was a great moment, and it warmed my heart.”