OU softball vs Florida recap: Sooners rally past Gators into WCWS finals against Texas (2024)

Coach Patty Gassoand the second-seeded OU softball teamwill look to bounce back from their first loss of the Women's College World Series on Tuesday against fourth-seeded Florida to clinch a spot in the championship series.

The winner will face top-seeded Texas in a best-of-three series starting Wednesday night at Devon Park.

Here's what you need to know when the Sooners (56-6) take on the Gators (54-14):

Finals game 1:OU vs Texas softball game time, streaming info

OU softball live score updates vs.Florida

More:Mussatto: OU softball isn't ready to give up its Women's College World Series crown yet

Final: OU 6, Florida 5 | Jayda Coleman's walk-off home run sends Sooners to WCWS finals

Jayda Coleman blasts an opposite-field home run to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning.

It'll be OU and Texas in the best-of-three WCWS finals, starting Wednesday night.

More:OU softball rallies past Florida into WCWS finals on Jayda Coleman's walk-off home run

Mid-8: OU 5, Florida 5 | Kelly Maxwell works a 1-2-3 frame

Kelly Maxwell gets the Gators to ground out three times in the top of the eighth.

The top of the order is due up for the Sooners.

More:Relive OU softball's run to three straight WCWS titles with our 'Crimson Empire' book

End 7: OU 5, Florida 5 | Keagan Rothrock escapes trouble to send WCWS semifinal to extra innings

Keagan Rothrock got Kinzie Hansen to ground out to lead off the bottom of the seventh.

Kasidi Pickering followed with a double to right-center, setting the stage for Rylie Boone, OU senior and "chaos coordinator."

The Gators intentionally walk Boone.

Cydney Sanders struck out and Avery Hodge flew out to left to end the inning.

We're heading to extra innings.

Mid-7: OU 5, Florida 5 | Kelly Maxwell shuts down Gators

Kelly Maxwell worked a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, including a strikeout of Jocelyn Erickson.

We're heading to the bottom of the seventh all tied up at 5-5.

End 6: OU 5, Florida 5 | Ella Parker ties it up for Sooners

After Cydney Sanders lined out to second to lead off the inning, Avery Hodges doubled to right to give OU the tying run in scoring position.

But Jayda Coleman popped out to left for the second out.

Florida ace Keagan Rothrock then walked Tiare Jennings to bring up Ella Parker, who singled home Hodges to tie it up.

Alyssa Brito lined out to right to end the inning.

It's 5-5 heading to the seventh.

Mid-6: Florida 5, OU 4 | Kelly Maxwell works out of trouble

Kelly Maxwell got out of trouble after giving up an infield single to Kendra Falby and walk to Ava Brown, forcing a ground out against Skylar Wallace to end the inning.

The Sooners trail 5-4 with six outs to work with.

End 5: Sooners can't take advantage after quick start

Ella Parker gave the Sooners a jolt, then a scare.

But the Sooners couldn't take advantage with a runner on second and no outs.

After Parker reached second, Alyssa Brito flied out to left, Kinzie Hansen moved pinch-runner Maya Bland to third with a fly out to left and then Rylie Boone flew out to left to keep Florida's lead at 5-4.

More:OU softball slugger Ella Parker collides with Florida's Skylar Wallace in WCWS semifinal

Mid-5: Kelly Maxwell escapes without further damage

Kelly Maxwell walked Jocelyn Erickson and Reagan Walsh with two outs but this time, the walks didn't come back to bite the Sooners.

Each of the first two runners put on base via a walk had come around to score on home runs. This time, though, Maxwell came back to get Katie Kistler to line out to center to end the threat.

End 4: Cydney Sanders cuts into Florida's lead

When she gets hold of one, no one has more power on OU's roster than Cydney Sanders.

Sanders got a hold of one in the fourth inning, belting Keagan Rothrock's 1-0 offering over the center field fence for a two-run home run to cut OU's deficit to 5-4.

Kasidi Pickering started the inning with a single and two batters later, Sanders hit the Sooners' second two-run homer of the day.

Mid-4: Kelly Maxwell retires the side in order

After giving up home runs in each of the first three innings, Kelly Maxwell retired the Gators in order in the fourth.

Maxwell struck out two in the inning and is up to seven strikeouts in the game.

End 3: Sooners quickly retired

After scoring two in the first, and threatening in the second, OU went down quietly in the third off Keagan Rothrock, with a grounder and two quick fly balls to end the inning with Florida leading 5-2.

Mid-3: Kelly Maxwell's strikeout streak ends with third home run

Reagan Walsh reached out and poked Kelly Maxwell's first pitch of the at-bat barely over the wall in left to extend Florida's lead to 5-2.

Before that, Maxwell had struck out five consecutive Gators, including Jocelyn Erickson.

The home run was the third allowed by Maxwell in the game. Maxwell allowed just 12 all season and had allowed multiple home runs just twice.

End 2: Sooners can't break through

Tiare Jennings got just under one, flying out to left to end the inning after the Sooners put runners on the corner with two outs in the second.

OU trails Florida, 4-2.

After the first two batters were retired, Avery Hodge and Jayda Coleman had back-to-back singles, Coleman's of the bunt variety, before Jennings just missed on Keagan Rothrock's 2-2 offering.

Mid-2: Florida keeps up HR barrage

Ariel Kowalewski belted a two-run home run off Kelly Maxwell after Maxwell walked the leadoff hitter in the second to put Florida back in front by two.

Kowalewski's homer was the sixth of the last two games for the Gators against the Sooners.

The Sooners have surrendered 47 home runs this season, after allowing just 38 combined over the previous two season.

Maxwell came back to strike out the next three hitters to get out of the inning without further damage.

End 1: Ella Parker's two-run homer ties it

OU's offense took awhile to get going in Monday's game.

Tuesday, the Sooners appeared to make some adjustments on Gators starter Keagan Rothrock.

Tiare Jennings hit a hard grounder to left center for a double with one out and then freshman Ella Parker, who had two hits off Rothrock on Monday, crushed a 1-0 pitch well over the center field wall to tie the game.

The home run was Parker's 13th of the season.

The Sooners threatened further damage, with runners on first and second with one out, but Kasidi Pickering grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Mid-1: Former Sooner Jocelyn Erickson takes Kelly Maxwell deep

SEC Player of the Year Jocelyn Erickson, who transferred from OU to Florida in the offseason, belted Kelly Maxwell's 1-1 pitch out to right field to give Florida an early 2-0 lead.

Maxwell started the inning by walking Skylar Wallace, who homered twice in Florida's win over the Sooners on Monday. Two batters later, Erickson hit the home run.

Pregame update: Kelly Maxwell starts for Sooners

After Patty Gasso chose to start Nicole May in the circle in Monday's loss to Florida, Gasso went with Kelly Maxwell in the circle for the must-win game Tuesday.

Maxwell (21-2, 1.86 ERA) was exvellent in her last outing, throwing a two-hit shutout in Saturday's 1-0 win over UCLA.

Keagan Rothrock, who threw a complete game against the Sooners on Monday, will once again be in the circle for Florida.

OU softball highlights vs.Florida

More:OU softball coach Patty Gasso outfoxed herself by not starting Kelly Maxwell vs Florida

What time does OU softball vs.Florida start?

  • Date:Tuesday, June 5
  • Time:1 p.m. CT
  • Where:Devon Park, Oklahoma City

More:Oklahoma softball assistant JT Gasso's 'Boone slap' gives Sooners another offensive weapon

What channel is OU softball vs.Floridaon today?

More:OU softball slips up vs Florida with shot at WCWS finals on the line, forcing rematch

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OU softball vs Florida recap: Sooners rally past Gators into WCWS finals against Texas (2024)
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