OU softball vs. Florida State: Three keys for Sooners in WCWS championship series

Justin Martinez, Oklahoman
·3 min read

Top-seeded OU will face third-seeded Florida State at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the championship round of the Women's College World Series.

Wednesday's contest is the first game of a best-of-three series that continues with a second game at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and a third game, if necessary, at 7 p.m. Friday.

OU reached the championship series by surviving Stanford, 4-2 in nine innings on Monday. Florida State then advanced to the title match later that evening with a 5-1 win over fourth-seeded Tennessee.

Both OU and Florida State enter the finals with a perfect 3-0 record in the WCWS.

Here are three keys to the championship matchup:

More: Tramel: OU survives Stanford star NiJaree Canady, and Sooners' WCWS road now gets easier

Seminoles lean on Sandercock

Florida State's Kathryn Sandercock (32) throw a pitch during a softball game between Oklahoma State Cowgirls and Florida State in the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in in Oklahoma City, Thursday, June, 1, 2023.
Florida State's Kathryn Sandercock (32) throw a pitch during a softball game between Oklahoma State Cowgirls and Florida State in the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in in Oklahoma City, Thursday, June, 1, 2023.

Florida State reached the WCWS finals thanks in large part to the stellar pitching of Kathryn Sandercock.

The senior appeared in all three of the Seminoles' games and got credited with two wins. She boasts nine strikeouts and just one allowed run in a combined 13 ⅔ innings pitched.

Sandercock (28-3) ranks fourth in the nation in both victories and win percentage (.903), and she's familiar with the Sooners.

Sandercock appeared in all three games against OU during the championship round of the 2021 Women's College World Series. The Sooners emerged victorious, and Sandercock posted a 1.87 ERA with four earned runs given up in 9 ⅔ innings pitched.

Sandercock then pitched two innings in Florida State's 5-4 loss to OU on March 14. She surrendered one run and three hits.

More: Why OU softball cherishes every home run hit at the WCWS: 'That’s what motivates us'

Bahl-ing out

OU's Jordy Bahl (98) pitches during a 5-4 win against Florida State on March 14 at Marita Hynes Field in Norman.
OU's Jordy Bahl (98) pitches during a 5-4 win against Florida State on March 14 at Marita Hynes Field in Norman.

Florida State isn't the only team with an ace up its sleeve.

OU has leaned on Jordy Bahl during its WCWS run. The sophomore has been credited with all three of the Sooners' wins, and she hasn't surrendered a run in a combined 14 ⅔ innings pitched.

Bahl booked OU's ticket to the WCWS finals with a stellar showing against Stanford on Monday. She racked up six strikeouts in four innings pitched to help her team earn a 4-2 victory.

OU has other pitching options such as Nicole May and Alex Storako. May ranks fourth in the nation in ERA (0.82), while Storako ranks eighth (1.12).

But when the lights are at their brightest, the Sooners will surely turn to Bahl.

More: How does OU softball stay in the moment and relieve stress? 'Celebrate the little things'

Florida State's high-powered offense

Florida State outfielder Kaley Mudge (6) hits a home run in the fourth inning during a softball game between Oklahoma State Cowgirls (OSU) and the Florida State Seminoles in the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, on Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Florida State outfielder Kaley Mudge (6) hits a home run in the fourth inning during a softball game between Oklahoma State Cowgirls (OSU) and the Florida State Seminoles in the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, on Thursday, June 1, 2023.

No team has had an answer this WCWS for Florida State's offense.

The Seminoles are averaging a tournament-high 5.3 runs per game, which is just better than the Sooners' average of five runs per game.

Junior Kaley Mudge leads the way for FSU with four RBIs and one run on .400 hitting, while sophomore Michaela Edenfield boasts three RBIs and two runs on .375 hitting.

Few teams can hang with OU's offense, which ranks first in the nation in runs per game (8.2) this season. But Florida State is capable of keeping up, and it'll look to stay hot at the plate in the championship series.

—Justin Martinez, Staff writer

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball vs. Florida State: Three keys for Sooners in WCWS finals

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