SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
From start to finish it was a merry go-round that brought a sixth NCAA national softball Division 1 World Series championship, and it was so overwhelming that top-ranked Oklahoma was celebrating ahead of the final out.
“They wanted to have a join celebration and asked if I would allow it,” I said, “and even Texas joined in and it was different and a happy time.”
Usually, teams don’t have a remarkable time from start to finish, a grand old total of 60 wins, and it was a special time. There were cheers from each and every of the Sooners, some were hugging and wiping away tears, especially Jocelyn Alo, the two-time player of the year, the collegiate career home run winner, and some of her family in the stands who were handed yet another yellow ball that Aloy hit into over the fence.
Oklahoma, which came away wtth 59 wins against only three loses, and needed just two more wins to frame this sixth national title, its fourth in the last of six times, and once again to finish top of the heap behind a capacity turnout that filled the stands at the Hall of Fame Stadium.
With senior righthander Hope Troutwein in the circle for the fourth straight game, it was a fired-up, unseeded Texas that made its way to this level, but never stood in the way. Twice it made a slight stir, in the first inning scoring a run, and then Trautwein shut the door.
Then it took a flop as it took the field with its right-handed senior Haiily Dolcini as the starter, and being the winner back on April 23 when the Longhorns halted a 28-game Sooner win streak in Austin, but not this time.
Sophomore Jayda Coleman took the first pitch fastball and lined it into a two-base double to the right-center fence. Up stepped Alo and she clouted a first-pitch rise ball over the bench in far left and it was already 2-0. Sophomore Tiera Jennings followed up with a corner curve and stroked it into a double to the left field fence, and right behind came senior Grace Lyons with a first-pitch single through the middle to score Jennings and gone when Dolcuni
Down 4-0, head coach Mike Whie brought in freshman Sophia Simpson, she walked a batter and fanned a better, and an error by senior Janae Jefferson made it 5-0.
In the top of the second, Trautwein set the side down in order, and senior Janis Johns led off by hitting one past the third base line and sped to second. Junior Lynnsie Elam lined an out to Jennings at second, but senior Grace Green singled in Johns via a bounder past senor junior McKenzie Parker and freshman Mia Scott made a wild throw past third base and totaled the score 9-0.
With no run-rule because of the level of play this was here, it would bring the final score it was at it.
Said Gasso: “Well we now needed one more to hoist another trophy. I might make some changes and every player of mine will no doubt be in this game.”
But the first inning was annoying. Gasso started freshman righty phenom Jordy Bahl in the circle and the home plate umpire made some miscues. He allowed a foul ball to be in play, ruled a close call safe at first base, and after a caught popup at second, Bahl walked a batter to load the bases, and when the bags were full again, the batter, senior Lauren Burke backed away from a tight pitch that almost hit her and got the base on balls.
Now it was 1-0 and that frame ended with Gasso given the home plate umpire a few stares.
Quickly, it didn’t take long for the score to turn in a rout. Senior Estella Czech was in the circle for the Longhorns and up came Coleman with a dart on a second pitch that got her to second base in left field. Up came Alo and the ball was again a two-run shot to deep right-center, followed by Jennings with a triple down the left field line.
Junior Rylie Boone bunted her way past first to score Jennings, Johns walked and up came Snow, who only had three home runs all season, and took a shot out a hanging curve to send it over the fence in right and it was now 4-0. Sophomore Alyssa Brito, who transferred from Oregon State before the season, whacked a shot into left center and Elam hit one over the fence in left, followed by junior Kenzie Hansen’s sending a rise ball over the fence in left and it was 9-0.
In came Coach White and out came Czech and in came junior Lauren O’Leary to land in the circle. Now, Texas was out of pitches, no more left in the bullpen, and pity poor Longhorns had to play on.
“That’s quite a team they have out there,” he said about Oklahoma, “but we made a good final run, got into this best-of-three and it was just to much for us. Not a bad link in their lineup.”
Bahl finally got time in the circle after the forearm injury had sidelined her. She went five innings and sophomore righty Nicole May finished up. It was one for all and all for them, Boomer Sooners at their best.
The final score was 16-1 and Gasso went with everybody. She sent freshman Sophia Nugent, hadn’t seen much action her first season, to the plate and she earned a full-count walk. She sent freshman Hannah Coor in as a pinch-runner in the fourth inning, freshman Turiya Coleman in to run for Hanzel in the sixth and each one received big ovations from the home crowd, plus freshman Quincee Lilio came up to pinch-hit for Elam, walked, stole a base, and also jumped in joy.
And so there was numerous cheers, applauds, hugs, racing to the stands to exchange high-fives and shakes, and it first wound down to that sixth inning when Gasso gave the okay for the early celebration.
It was happy days a clear again, and it figures to be more on the circle. The Sooners will graduate Johns, Snow, Trautwein, Elam, Lyons, but with five starters returning and a five-star quartet of recruits on the way.
