The Woman’s College World Series is the ultimate goal for any college softball player. After battling through the regular season, regionals and super regionals, only 8 teams remain and get take on Oklahoma City and all its glory. This year, 2017, it was the #1 ranked Florida Gators, the reigning champs Oklahoma Sooners, ranked #10 in the country, the #3 Oregon Ducks, #5 UCLA Bruins, #9 Texas A&M Aggies, #15 Baylor Bears, #6 Washington Huskies and the #13 LSU Tigers.
In the field of eight, 2 teams remained undefeated, #1 ranked Florida Gators and the reigning champs, Oklahoma Sooners. This was the final that everyone predicted. The Florida Gators missed the 2016 WCWS because the Oklahoma Sooners knocked them out during super regionals, but this year, they were back and they were better. Leading the country in not only team ERA but having the 2017 National Player of the Year in Kelly Barnhill on their side wasn’t bad either. The Sooners were on the bounce back from a bad start to the season. Finally coming together as one, these were, hands down, the two best teams in College Softball.
Neither the Gators nor the Sooners were going down without a fight. Game 1 heated up in the bottom of the 4th inning when the Gators scraped across 1 run to take the lead. However Oklahoma had an answer and came back to score 2 runs in the top of the 5th. Fast forward to the bottom of the 9th inning and the gators are down 2-1. Down to their last strike, Sophia Reynoso hits a double to score pitcher turned utility Aleshia Ocasio. The game was tied and they were moving on to extra innings. It was scoreless until the top of the 12th inning when Oklahoma’s Fale Aviu smashes a 2-run homerun to give OU the lead but Florida didn’t back down and matches their two runs in the bottom of the inning. We go scoreless until the 17th inning. Shay Knighten blasts a 3-run home run to give OU the lead and eventually seal the win for her team. This game turned out to be the longest game in WCWS history. With a total of 496 pitches thrown and 4 different pitches used, this game will go down in history for not only being the longest game in history, but one of the most entertaining.
With such an entertaining Game 1, Game 2 couldn’t disappoint and the series was just beginning. We endured a regular 7-inning game with another great shot by Shay Knighten to seal the series and National Championship for Oklahoma. The college softball season had come to an end. Oklahoma repeated their win, 1 of now only 5 teams to do so, and in the process both teams took a huge step for woman’s rights. Game 1 kicked an MLB game between the Nationals and Dodgers off of ESPN and in this day and age that was UNBELIEVEABLE step for female athletes and their respective sports. Florida didn’t get redemption against OU for the previous season but they gained some WCWS experience. With only 4 graduating seniors for Florida, this could be an frequent matchup in the upcoming years. I smell a rivalry brewing.
