OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Oklahoma may not have been the top seed in this NCAA Tournament, but it was still considered a heavy favorite in the field, vying for its fourth consecutive national championship. That fate was threatened in a 9-3 loss to fourth-seeded Florida in Monday’s semifinal that snapped a 20-game NCAA Tournament winning streak for Oklahoma, the nation’s longest active streak.
The Sooners, who had allowed four or more home runs only twice before this season, allowed four home runs in the loss, two of which were hit by Gators leadoff hitter Skylar Wallace. Oklahoma allowed nine or more runs just once before this season in a 9-4 loss to BYU in April. The Gators finished with 10 hits compared to Oklahoma’s seven.
OU starting pitcher Nicole May was pulled after two innings, in which she allowed six hits and four earned runs. Kierston Deal came on in relief for 3 2/3 innings before Karlie Keeney came in for the final out.
“We have a staff. I have to show the staff that I believe in them,” OU coach Patty Gasso said of her decision to start in May. “What I also thought was that if we weren’t going to win this game for some reason, then we would have Kelly (Maxwell) rested and ready to play Game 2, which should have been happening right now. So that may have been counterproductive for me (laughs).
“But it wasn’t like that because I have to pitch to my pitching staff. I can’t keep trusting Kelly to see us through to the end.”
The loss marks the Sooners’ seventh loss this season. Oklahoma is now 0-9 when trailing by more than four runs at any time in a Women’s College World Series game.
game player
Wallace hit two home runs and former Sooners player Jocelyn Erickson flexed her former team by scoring twice, but center fielder Kendra Falby had a second inning for the record books. In the top of the inning, Falby caught a deep fly ball hit by a running Rylie Boone.
Incredible.
There it goes 🤯
📺KeynoteUSA | @kendrafalby pic.twitter.com/nVbahyZPV2
– Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) June 3, 2024
In the bottom of the inning, Falby sped around the bases for an inside-the-park home run after getting a hit past Boone in left field. He was the first inside-the-park home run in the WCWS since 2014.
“I knew a blow was coming. I didn’t think it was going to be that one,” Falby said. “I’ve had really good at-bats all weekend. He was just addressing them directly to the people. (Assistant coach Aric) Thomas made jokes, Don’t tell them right. Today I continued with my plan, I trusted myself.
INSIDE THE HOME RUN PARK 🏃♀️#WCWS x 🎥 KeynoteUSA / @GatorsSB pic.twitter.com/woXZWfAwUQ
– NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 3, 2024
What this means for the WCWS group
With the victory, Florida forces an elimination game on Tuesday against the Sooners. The game was postponed a day after Monday’s three-hour delay due to weather conditions.
The schedule adjustment puts the Sooners in an unfavorable position, especially if Texas beats Stanford in Monday’s second semifinal game to advance to the championship series. Tuesday was originally scheduled as an off day, but now the Sooners will have to beat Florida and return the next day to play Game 1 of the championship series.
If Texas loses, both elimination games will be played on Tuesday.
Florida isn’t necessarily problem-free either. The Gators were already out of the losers’ bracket, meaning Tuesday’s game will be their third day in a row. If Florida advances to the finals, that streak would only extend.
If Oklahoma is looking for a silver lining, perhaps it can channel the energy it found after its last loss in the NCAA Tournament. In 2022, the Sooners lost 7-3 to UCLA in the WCWS semifinals before coming back to post a 15-0, five-inning victory in the elimination game and win the national title.
Take it from OU receiver Kinzie Hansen, who shared an overwhelming takeaway from what she learned about her team’s ability to bounce back this season.
“The Sooners play better after they hit us in the mouth,” Hansen said. “That’s what I’ve learned this season.”
(Kendra Falby Photo: Nathan J. Fish/USA Today)
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