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Oklahoma softball: Sooners win; ‘Let’s Play Two’

By Chip Rouse

TUCSON, AZ - APRIL 13: Softball with the Arizona Wildcats logo during a college softball game between the UCLA Bruins and the Arizona Wildcats on April 13, 2018, at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, AZ. UCLA Bruins defeated Arizona Wildcats 7-6. (Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ - APRIL 13: Softball with the Arizona Wildcats logo during a college softball game between the UCLA Bruins and the Arizona Wildcats on April 13, 2018, at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, AZ. UCLA Bruins defeated Arizona Wildcats 7-6. (Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Oklahoma softball staved off elimination in the Women’s College World Series with 2-0 shutout of Arizona State on Saturday.

Senior pitching ace Paige Parker led the way for the two-time defending national champions with a masterful two-hit, complete-game performance to record her 30th win of the season. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, with the Sooners facing elimination after a 2-0 opening-round loss to Washington.

The Sooners will rest up for several hours before going after it again on Saturday evening, with No. 2-seeded Florida the opponent.

There is plenty of recent history between Oklahoma and Florida. The Sooners defeated the Gators a year ago in the championship final of the WCWS. Few OU or Florida fans will forget the epic 17-inning marathon between the two teams in game one of the championship series last season.

OU’s Shay Knighton was the hero in the 17-inning WCWS win over Florida last year, blasting a three-run home run in the top half of the 17th to break a 4-4 tie.

Sooner freshman Jocelyn Alo’s towering home run to right center field on the first pitch of the third inning provided all the runs Oklahoma would need in a close game that remained a one-run margin all the way to the sixth innings.

OU senior catcher Lea Wodach, drove in Caleigh Clifton from second base with a single in the sixth to add an insurance run.

Knighton had a couple of hits for the Sooners, as the Oklahoma bats were held relatively silent for a second straight game. OU managed six hiits off of two Arizona State pitchers, with Alo’s the only extra base hit.

No. 4-seeded Oklahoma improved it’s season record to 56-4. It was the Sooners’ second win over Arizona State this season.

OU posted a 7-2 win over the Sun Devils in the Mary Nutter Classic in mod-February. Arizona State’s season came to an end on Saturday with the loss to the Sooners. The Sun Devils finished the season with a 48-13 record.

First pitch in the Oklahoma-Florida World Series rematch is a 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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