Florida faces major opportunity in WCWS elimination game vs. Oklahoma
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Florida produced the unthinkable on Monday, taking down reigning national champion Oklahoma at the Women’s College World Series. Fueled by Skylar Wallace, the Gators beat the Sooners 9-3 and snapped OU’s 20-game winning streak at the NCAA Tournament.
However, that win by Florida is just the first step in slaying the Oklahoma giant.
The two sides will face off again Tuesday in a win-and-in matchup to reach the WCWS Finals. Texas awaits after going 3-0 in Bracket 1 to reach the best-of-3 Finals.
For Tuesday’s game, FanDuel has the Sooners at -260 to win while Florida is a +196 underdog. Fans can check out the line movement, latest odds and trends, and get in on the action with SDS’s real money sports betting apps. Tuesday’s first pitch is set for 2 pm ET on ESPN, though weather in Oklahoma City has provided plenty of delays.
Below is a brief look at how each team found their way to Tuesday’s game and what’s at stake:
How they get here
Upon arriving in Oklahoma City, Florida opened the WCWS with a bang, shutting out Oklahoma City 1-0 behind a solo home run from Katie Kistler and a complete game shutout from Keagan Rothrock. However, the Gators’ stay in the winner’s bracket was brief after getting blown out by Texas, 10-0.
Facing elimination, Rothrock again went the distance again, allowing 3 earned runs (4 total) to Alabama with 5 strikeouts. Korbe Otis led the way offensively with 3 runs scored, setting the table for Jocelyn Erickson who drove in 4 runs with 2 hits, including a home run.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma entered the WCWS with another dominant performance, beating Duke 9-1 in their opener. Kinzie Hansen led the way with 3 RBI while Alyssa Brito, Alynah Torres and Cydney Sanders each drove 2.
Things were a bit tighter in Oklahoma’s next game with the Sooners clawing past UCLA with a 1-0 shutout. Tiare Jennings provided the firepower with a solo home run while Kelly Maxwell was dominant from the rubber. Maxwell went the distance without allowing a run, striking out 11 in the process.
In Oklahoma and Florida’s first matchup, Skylar Wallace and Reagan Walsh were the offensive leaders for the Gators. Wallace drove in 3 with a pair of home runs while Walsh drove in 4 and provided a back-breaking 3-run home run in the 4th.
Rothrock was again solid for the Gators, limiting Oklahoma’s offense to 3 runs in a complete game with Florida winning 9-3. Now, the two sides will meet again to determine who gets the chance to face Texas.
What’s at stake?
For Oklahoma, a historic streak of dominance is on the line in Tuesday’s game. The Sooners have appeared in every WCWS Finals since 2019, a string of 4 straight (The 2020 postseason was canceled due to COVID.)
Oklahoma is also riding a streak of 3 straight national championships, tied for the longest streak in NCAA history. UCLA is the only other program to win 3 straight titles (1988-90), and another national title for the Sooners would set the streak.
Another national title would also tie Oklahoma with Arizona for the most all-time titles at 8 apiece. UCLA leads the country with 12 but has not won a championship since the 2019 WCWS with a win over the Sooners.
Meanwhile, Florida is in search of its first WCWS Finals appearance since 2017 and the 6th in program history. The Gators last made the Finals in 2017 (a loss to Oklahoma) and have not won the title since back-to-back championships in 2014-15. Florida is 1 of 6 programs to win 2+ WCWS titles.
Can Florida get a bit of revenge for 2017 in bringing Oklahoma’s streak to a halt, or will the Sooners get another chance to continue their dominance?
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
