OKLAHOMA CITY — No. 1 Oklahoma (54-3, 16-1 Big 12) defeated James Madison (41-3, 17-1 CAA) 7-1 in the Women’s College World Series to advance to the national championship on Monday in Oklahoma City.Â
Senior Giselle Juarez made her third appearance of the WCWS on Monday, and despite giving up a home run on the first pitch of the game to JMU left fielder Kate Gordon, she pitched seven innings, allowed just four hits and totaled 11 strikeouts without giving up another run.
The Sooners were hitless heading into the fourth inning, until senior right fielder Nicole Mendes hit a leadoff triple off Second Team All-American pitcher Odicci Alexander, who eclipsed 1,000 pitches this postseason in the game. OU took a 2-1 lead in the inning from a wild pitch to score Mendes and a two-out single by senior infielder Jana Johns.Â
The floodgates opened for the OU offense in the bottom of the fifth inning, when it extended its lead to 6-1. Four runs were scored after a pair of two-RBI doubles from sophomore Mackenzie Donihoo and freshman Jayda Coleman.Â
The Sooners tallied 10 hits as a team, two from Donihoo, Coleman, Mendes and sophomore catcher Kinzie Hansen, and one from senior utility Jocelyn Alo and senior third baseman Jana Johns. Â
Alo added a home run in the bottom of the sixth, raising her nation-leading total to 32 this season. OU is also three home runs away from tying the all-time record for most team home runs in a season of 158 set by Hawaii in 2010.Â
OU won four consecutive games to move up from the loser’s bracket after dropping its first game of the tournament to the Dukes on Thursday. The Sooners will now play in game one of the national championship against the winner of Florida State-Alabama at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
