Gators back to Oklahoma City for WCWS
She’s had the hot bat through the postseason and Jaimie Hoover came through again with a walk-off RBI single to lead the Florida Gator softball team back to the Women’s College World Series.
It’s the third consecutive and 10th time overall that the Florida Gator softball team will spend part of its June in Oklahoma City.
An RBI single in the bottom of the eighth capped off a strong NCAA Super Regional for the No. 5 Gators as they got past Southeastern Conference rivals Tennessee, 2-1 to win the best-of-three series.
https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1132760508401049605
Now, the Gators join three Pac-12, two Big 12, one Big 10 and fellow SEC team Alabama in the College World Series, set to begin May 30.
Florida has drawn into the second bracket where they will join No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 8 Alabama and No. 13 Oklahoma State. The Gators will take on the Cowgirls at 7 p.m. May 30. Oklahoma and Alabama will play at 9:30 p.m.
Bracket one will feature No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Washington, No. 6 Arizona and No. 7 Minnesota. The first game of the tournament will be the Huskies against Arizona followed by the Golden Gophers – who are making their first appearance in the Women’s College World Series – taking on UCLA.
However, the road back to Oklahoma City was not paved with gold for the Gators.
The Volunteers held strong after being shutout, 3-0 in game one of the Super Regional. Tennessee came back and took an extra-innings win in game two, forcing the third and decisive game three.
Starting pitcher Kelly Barnhill was looking to shake off the dust after a rough game two. She did so by holding Tennessee scoreless until a solo home run from Haley Bearden in the top of the seventh tied the game.
Kelly Barnhill keeping the Lady Vol bats quiet through 4!
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 26, 2019
Florida 1, Tennessee 0 - Mid 4#NCAASoftball | @GatorsSB pic.twitter.com/p2Y51vamDP
But, Florida came back in the bottom of the eighth after SEC career walks leader Amanda Lorenz doubled to left and Kendyl Lindaman was intentionally walked. Hoover responded with the walk-off single to left-center.
https://twitter.com/GatorsSB/status/1132747658123022336
Hoover, in her first three at-bats, had struggled striking out all three times. For Hoover, it was the fifth straight game in the postseason she has had an RBI.