The University of Florida softball team fell to Arizona State in the Championship Series of the Women’s College World Series, dropping a 7-2 decision in game two as the Sun Devils swept the series.
For Arizona State it was the Sun Devils’ second national title in four years, while the Gators fell just shy, dropping the Championship Series for the second time in three years, ending an incredible run.
Needing to win three game in two days to reach the Championship Series, the Gators couldn’t recapture the form that saw them outscore Alabama 25-4 in a two-game sweep on Sunday to reach the finals. Arizona State outscored the Gators 21-5 over the two-game sweep, giving the Pac 10 its sixth straight national champion.
Florida got off to the start it needed to tonight, getting a lead-off double from Michelle Moultrie. The hit was her 13th of the WCWS tying a series record for most hits. After being bunted over to third, Brittany Schutte drove a deep sacrifice fly to left to give the Gators their first lead of the series, 1-0.
The Gators were 42-1 this year when scoring first.
Arizona State responded quickly, however, getting a pair of singles from Krista Donnenwirth and Mandy Urfer to open the second. A fielder’s choice loaded the bases with no one out. Starting pitcher Stephanie Brombacher then walked Alix Johnson with the bases loaded to tie the game 1-1. Katelyn Boyd made the Gators pay with a two-run single to put the Sun Devils up 3-1.
The Sun Devils added to the lead in the top of the third when Alix Johnson delivered a two-out RBI single to make it a 5-1 game. Boyd singled in a run in the top of the fifth to make it 6-1. Annie Lockwood made it 7-1 with a deep shot to left center in the top of the sixth inning.
Florida added a run in the bottom of the seventh when Tiffany DeFelice singled in a run to close out the scoring.
Moultrie earned co-Outstanding Player of the WCWS, hitting four home runs and collecting 13 hits, both tying WCWS records. She shared the honor with starting pitcher Dallas Escobedo of Arizona State who went 5-0, including a 3-0 mark against the Gators.
