OKLAHOMA CITY – Thanks to Jordy Bahl’s dynamic pitching and boundless energy, Oklahoma is on the verge of a third straight national softball championship.
Bahl threw a two-hitter and strikeout 10 and Oklahoma defeated Florida State 5-0 Wednesday night. The top seeded Sooners (60-1) took a 1-0 lead in the Women’s College World Series best-of-three championship series to claim their seventh national title on Thursday.
Bahl was constantly on the move Wednesday, cheering for her teammates and helping set a mood that spread throughout the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex. She was the starting gun for the Sooners when she scored as a pinch runner for Oklahoma’s second run.
“We needed a spark,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said. “We needed some kind of spark. I think when Jordy gets going it will give our team momentum.”
Bahl is 4-0 in the World Series and has not allowed a run in 21 2/3 innings. The sophomore helped Oklahoma extend its Division I winning streak to 52 games.
Oklahoma’s Tiare Jennings set the career World Series record for runs hit with a sixth-round single that hit Rylie Boone and made it 5-0. Her 29 RBIs broke the record set by Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo last year.
Boone doubled twice and Kinzie Hansen and Alyssa Brito both scored twice for the Sooners.
Mack Leonard, a senior who had pitched just 37 1/3 innings this season, caught the start and conceded the loss for Florida State (58-10). She gave up a run and a hit but didn’t get the running support she needed.
“I thought Mack pitched really well,” said Florida State coach Lonni Alameda. “We had our chances there. We had a few turns, had our chances.”
Kathryn Sandercock, the team’s ace, did not play. Alameda said she never considered putting them in the game.
“We’re definitely sticking to the plan we’ve had all year,” she said. “I think they (Oklahoma) are a really good team when it comes to making adjustments. I also had to see what we had from our other pitchers.”
The game started an hour late due to lightning near the stadium, then was delayed again in the first inning and started two hours after the original start time.
Even during the delays, Bahl couldn’t relax.
“I was pacing a lot and trying to stay mentally trapped,” she said. “‘Okay, when do we start playing? Will you cancel?’ I was very worried about what would happen.”
The Sooners began calming Bahl in the fourth round. Haley Lee was hit with a punch, ending Leonard’s night in the circle. Makenna Reid filled in for Florida State, but Hansen doubled her and scored for Bahl, who ran for Lee.
Brito scored with a single for Hansen. Alynah Torres hit a short chopper and scored the first throw, hitting Brito to extend Oklahoma’s lead to 3-0.
In the fifth round, Hansen’s one-off shot by Jayda Coleman made it 4-0.
Even when the state of Florida saw glimmers of hope, they were wiped out. Kalei Harding scored what appeared to be a double strike in the sixth set, but Coleman threw them out second by several steps.
Jennings’ RBI made it 5-0. Oklahoma would have added three more runs in the sixth, but Florida State left the fielder Kaley Mudge jumped up and reached over the fence to make a spectacular hold that robbed Lee.
It wasn’t enough, and now, for the first time at this World Series, Florida State is in a position where it absolutely needs to win.
“I mean, we have to play our best game,” Alameda said. “That’s all we have. With our backs against the wall. Regardless, it’s been an incredible season. To get where we are right now – I’ve told the kids not to hang their heads.”
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