A two-run sixth inning provided MI with the edge it needed to top the Tigers 2-0 in LSU’s opening game of the Women’s College World Series.
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The contest will air on ESPN2 with Beth Mowins, Michelle Smith and Jessica Mendoza on the call from the booth, with sideline reporter Holly Rowe.
The Wolverines got a leadoff single in the sixth from Abby Ramirez and a Sierra Romero walk put U-M runners on first and second with one out.
However, Oklahoma would score three more runs in the 6th and 7th innings and a 7th-inning rally by MI came up short as the Sooners went on to win by a score of 7-5. Burroughs closed out the game by getting a pop out behind first base to secure the win.
Gasso knew that losing meant coming back to play an elimination game at noon Sunday. She’s also has 18 doubles and 12 home runs this season.
LSU has six players hitting above.300 in Bell, Simmons, Jaquish, freshman Amber Serrett, junior Bailey Landry and junior Constance Quinn. LSU’s staff of Carley Hoover, Allie Walljasper, Sydney Smith and Baylee Corbello have combined for a 1.83 ERA over the course of the year, holding opponents to a.217 batting average.
Alex Kossoff opened the FSU third inning with an infield single, chopping the ball over the head of MI third baseman Lindsay Montemarano.
Leading the way in numerous categories is Hoover, who is 20-8 on the season for LSU, as in 177.2 innings of work the sophomore and Second Team All-SEC pick has struck out 214 batters with 18 complete games, three solo and two combined shutouts and two saves.
The shutout of MI marked the third WCWS shutout in FSU history – 1-0 vs. Fresno State on May 23, 1990 and 2-0 against Washington on May 29, 2004. She took the loss for the Wolverines, but gave up just one hit and struck out four.
Smith has a 13-3 record with a 0.95 ERA and 76 strikeouts, while Corbello is 6-0 on the season with a 2.26 ERA. Betsa would pitch seven scoreless innings, striking out eight.
Oklahoma led 4-0 in the fourth inning when Michigan’s Aidan Falk hit a two-run homer to spark a three-run inning.
After knocking off No. 6 Alabama and No. 2 MI on successive nights this weekend, No. 3 seed Oklahoma (54-7) will square off Sunday night against the victor of an elimination game earlier in the day between No. 16 Georgia and No. 10 LSU. This win pushes FSU’s CWS record to 2-1, and advances them to the Semi-Final round Sunday night at 7 PM. The Tigers took two of three from the Crimson Tide in the teams’ March regular-season series in Baton Rouge, La.
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Five pitches later, Blanco’s big bat advanced the Wolverines to the winner’s bracket of the Women’s College Series.
