Florida softball coach Tim Walton walks off the field after a time out during Tuesday's elimination game of the Women's College World Series against the Oklahoma Sooners at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. [SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN-USA TODAY NETWORK]

Women’s College World Series: Gators Fall Short In Semifinals

Jackson Colding June 4, 2024 College Softball, Feature Sports News, Gators Softball, Gators Sports, NCAA, SEC, Softball 294 Views

The No. 2 national seed Oklahoma Sooners eliminated the No. 4 national seed Florida Gators 6-5 in eight innings Tuesday in the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

Three home runs in the first three innings were not enough for the Gators (54-15) to beat the three-time champion Sooners (57-7), who advance to the championship finals against Texas. Jayda Coleman hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to send the Sooners to the final and avenge a 9-3 loss to the Gators on Monday that forced the If-Necessary Game.

Gators Get Going Early

Jocelyn Erickson started the scoring with a two-run home run (her 15th) in the top of the first to give Florida a 2-0 lead.

After Oklahoma hit a two-run home run to tie the game in the bottom of the first, Ariel Kowalewski responded with a two-run home run (her 8th) in the top of the second to make it 4-2.

Semifinal Game 2 Box score

Reagan Walsh hit a solo home run (her 19th) in the third to make it 5-2. UF hit seven home runs against Oklahoma in the two games.

However, Oklahoma ace Kelly Maxwell (22-2) limited UF to one hit in the remaining five innings. She pitched eight innings and gave up five runs on four hits while striking out eight batters. She walked five.

Sooners Have Another Gear

UF starter Keagan Rothrock (33-9) pitched her 28th complete game of the season. She gave up six runs on 12 hits in seven innings and struck out three batters and walked five.

After Erickson’s home run, Ella Parker hit a two-run home run to make it 2-2.

Cydney Sanders hit a two-run home run in the fourth to cut UF’s lead to 5-4.

Parker hit a RBI single in the sixth to tie the game and Coleman finished it with her blast two innings later.

Up Next

The Gators, who won their sixth SEC Tournament title last month, advanced their farthest in the Women’s College World Series since 2017 by finishing third.

Even though they will lose starting seniors Katie Kistler and All-American Skylar Wallace, most of the team will be returning for the 2025 season: All-Americans Korbe Otis, Erickson (SEC Player of the Year), Walsh and Rothrock (SEC Freshman of the Year).

The Sooners will seek their fourth consecutive national trophy when they take on top-seeded Texas (55-8), which sent Florida to the loser’s bracket last Saturday, in a best-of-three final starting Wednesday night.

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About Jackson Colding

Jackson Colding is a second-year journalism sports and media student at the University of Florida.

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