“Kelsey (Stevens) and Jayden (Chestnut) did a fantastic job yesterday, and I couldn’t be more proud of them”, Parker said.
Advertisement
“Emily shouldn’t be feeling this way because we didn’t have her back and that’s what I have to say about that”, the All-American third baseman and SEC player of year concluded while almost breaking down in tears. We came up a little short and it wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but you guys being here still supporting us means the world to the 10 seniors and the 30 girls on the team.
The stress of this past week was extreme, so she had nothing left when the Women’s College World Series was over – but she and her team got something grand.
Yet those players work just as hard and care just as much as their football counterparts without a massive payday waiting when their college careers end.
Oddly enough it was a Carosone error that allowed for the Sooners’ runs in the first inning. Parker was the victor in Game 1, a 3-2 decision, and Gasso felt it would have been unfair to Parker to start her on Tuesday.
“We talked about the amount of freshmen that we have and how important they’re going to be on this team and they welcomed them with open arms”, Gasso said.
Oklahoma’s other national championships came in 2000 and 2013.
Oklahoma led 7-0 after scoring six runs in the top of the second, but Auburn scored five runs with two outs in the bottom of the inning.
To the seniors, I say that you did in fact clinch a national championship for Auburn – just not this season. “That’s never happened before, but it happened today”, Carosone said. On a 2-0 pitch she sent a deep drive to left field but Howard made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Knighten of her third World Series home run. Then Parker spent the rest of the night putting Auburn away.
Jade Rhodes cut the lead in half with a solo home run in the fourth inning, but that was the last threat.
Against the best pitcher in the country, Oklahoma’s Paige Parker, Shea worked the count full. OU shut-out Alabama to open the week, held off a late rally by MI to win 7-5, and advanced to the championship series with a 7-3 win over LSU on Sunday night.
Advertisement
In their final game as Sooners, they took to the background.
