OU softball makes history, completes the three-peat
OKLAHOMA CITY – One last Jordy Bahl strikeout, and the dogpile championship celebration was on for OU softball.
Head coach Patty Gasso and players said all season they didn’t care about the numbers.
They didn’t care about the individual numbers. All the honors and accolades. They didn’t care about the winning streak. What Oklahoma cared about was winning the national championship.
A team that simply wouldn’t be denied. The Sooners closed the book on a legendary 2023 season with a 3-1 victory against Florida State to win the Women’s College World Series on Thursday night.
It’s officially time to celebrate as how sweet it is to three-peat, with OU claiming its third consecutive national championship.
OU finishes with a ridiculous 61-1 record and on a 53-game winning streak. A streak that has seen the Sooners forced to play from behind before. So when it happened again at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, you know they didn’t flinch.
Down 1-0 in the top of the fifth, OU finally got to FSU star pitcher Kathryn Sandercock. It started with an opposite field home run by Cydney Sanders. That was followed up by a solo home run by team captain Grace Lyons.
Now with a lead, there was no doubt who was getting the call. It was time once again for Jordy Bahl to cement her incredible run at the WCWS.
Bahl pitched the final three innings, not allowing a run. She went 4-0 in 24.1 innings in her five WCWS appearances. She struck out two in the seventh to seal the deal once and for all.
Alex Storako got the start and went the first four innings. She gave up three hits, a home run, walked one and struck out two.
Both teams had to show some mettle because the third inning was an absolute wild ride. OU loaded the bases with no outs and was unable to score.
FSU’s Kalei Harding had a three-run home run but was robbed by Jayda Coleman. Just add it to her resume of sensational momentum-changing plays in her three seasons at OU. Tracked it the entire time, left her feet to catch it at the height of her jump. Hey, she’s done this before.
Alynah Torres added an RBI in the sixth for more insurance.
The Sooners are in the record books. Again. The 53-game winning streak is an all-time record, breaking the 47-game mark by Arizona in 1996-97. Now the Sooners join UCLA as the only two programs to win back-to-back-to-back national championships. The Bruins accomplished the feat from 1988-90.
OU had some real scares in the Super Regional against Clemson and at the WCWS against Stanford and Game 2 vs. FSU. But a team that was not afraid to lose also simply would not allow itself to taste defeat.
Every single time there was someone ready to step up and play hero. A complete team, a team for the ages. And most importantly, now, a national championship team.
