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Gator Softball Falls in Game 1 of Record Setting WCWS

Shelby Williams June 6, 2017 College Softball, College World Series, Feature Sports News, Gators Softball 2,094 Views

A five-hour, 17 inning-long game lead to a loss for the Florida Gator softball team in Oklahoma City on Monday night. In game one of the championship series at the Women’s College World Series, the Gators lost 7-5 to Oklahoma in front of more than a record eight thousand fans. 17 innings is the most innings ever played at the Women’s College World Series and the most ever played in Florida softball program history.

The Bats Came Alive in the Fourth

The fourth inning produced the first runs of the game. Things were quiet early on, but for the Florida Gators, it didn’t stay that way for long. Aleshia Ocasio got the bats going as she sent in Nicole DeWitt with a RBI single. In the fourth, the one run was answered by Oklahoma as the bats woke up for both teams.

The sixth inning brought more trouble for Florida after OU put up one more run on the board, taking the lead for the first time in the game.

After a quick first inning of work, Florida rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Janell Wheaton walked to lead off the home half of the seventh.

After Ocasio replaced her via a fielder’s choice, shortstop Sophia Reynoso was down to her last strike when she recorded a RBI double to extend the game.

Extra Innings

A two-run home run by the Sooners Fale Aviu put the Gators behind at 4-2, but they obviously weren’t fazed by it at all. None other than Amanda Lorenz came in to save the inning for the Gators. How exactly? A two-run double of course. Florida had to pull out something special to try and defeat the defending champions, and Amanda Lorenz did just that.

OU loaded the bases a couple times but the pitching remained flawless for the Gators until the 17th inning. Kelly Barnhill and DeLaine Gourley both kept OU from scoring and shut down their hopes of ending the game before the 17th.

Barnhill came back to the circle, but things had to end somewhere and  Shay Knighten of OU did just that. Her three-run home run brought the score to 7-4. Florida was able to push one run across in the bottom half of the inning but left the bases loaded as OU grabbed the first game of this best-of-three series.

What’s Next

Things aren’t over yet. Florida still has another chance Tuesday night at 8 p.m. If they win, they could force a game three.

 

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