Florida State came within a game of winning the school’s second NCAA softball tournament, but couldn’t control the long ball hitters of Oklahoma, falling 5-1 in the decisive Game 3 of the Women’s College World Series championship round.
After winning the first game of the best-of-three series on Tuesday, the Seminoles couldn’t take down No. 1 ranked Oklahoma. The Sooners hit two more home runs Thursday, extending their NCAA record to 161.
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Unlike the first two games of the series, Oklahoma (56-4) took an early lead on a first-inning home run by Jocelyn Alo, her national leading 34th of the year. An inning later, another long ball, this time by Jayda Coleman, who hit her ninth of the year.
JAYDA COLEMAN WITH THE BASES-CLEARING DOUBLE!
— ESPN (@espn) June 10, 2021
She makes it 5-1 for the Sooners! @OU_Softball #WCWS pic.twitter.com/0Ylt4pkpwx
Florida State (49-13) cut the lead to 2-1 with a single run in the top of the third, scored when the Oklahoma infield lost a pop-up off the bat of Sydney Sherrill in the sun. Kalei Harding scored, but the Noles couldn’t solve Oklahoma lefty Giselle Juarez, who allowed only two hits and one run while striking out seven in a complete-game win to click the national championship for Oklahoma.
It’s the fifth championship for Oklahoma, all of them coming since 2000.