Softball Live Blog: Oklahoma Takes on Florida for Spot in the WCWS Champ Series

After an extensive rain delay, Oklahoma and Florida are finally taking the field at Devon Park in Monday's WCWS semifinals.

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

OKLAHOMA CITY — Ryan Chapman and John Hoover offer their real-time observations as the Oklahoma Sooners take on the Florida Gators at Devon Park, formerly USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Newest posts are at the top. Just keep the browser open and refresh often for Chapman and Hoover’s updates throughout this afternoon's contest. 

4:41 p.m.

That’ll do it for this one. 

The Sooners fall 9-3 to Florida, and both teams will return to Devon Park tomorrow to decide who advances to the WCWS Championship Series. 

— RC 

4:20 p.m.

Oklahoma can’t plate a run. 

Sanders struck out, Hodge grounded into a fielder’s choice and Coleman flew out short of the warning track. 

Florida needs to runs to end this one early in the bottom of the sixth. 

— RC 

4:17 p.m.

Oklahoma’s not going down without a fight.

Back-to-back singles from Hansen and Boone start the sixth and Tim Walton went to meet with Rothrock before Sanders stepped in. 

Hansen tried to get the crowd going as she trotted over to talk with Gasso, but the OU fans in Oklahoma City are understandably shellshocked. 

— RC 

4:11 p.m.

Skylar Wallace’s two-run shot has Florida up 9-3 and the Sooners are in danger of getting run-ruled for the first time since April 16, 2015 when Baylor beat OU 8-0 in the six innings.

— RC 

3:54 p.m.

Oklahoma had a little something cooking after Avery Hodge’s double, Tiare Jennings’ home run, Ella Parker’s single and Alyssa Brito’s walk. But Kasidi Pickering grounds out to the Rothrock for the third out to end it.

At least OU showed a pulse that inning. Maybe something good comes of it in the next two at-bats in the sixth and seventh.

— JH

3:48 p.m.

Tiare Jennings pulls a pair back for the Sooners. 

She hits a two-run shot to bring Hodge home and cut the deficit down to 7-3. 

All of that warning track power finally got cashed in for the two-out bomb. 

— RC 

3:27 p.m.

Not sure the throw was going to beat Falby to the bag anyways, but Tiare Jennings was just lucky that the ball bounced right back to Cydney Sanders after she sailed it well right of the OU first baseman. 

Florida has a leadoff baserunner with the top of the order rolling back around, a big spot for Deal to try and keep the Sooners in this one. 

— RC 

3:21 p.m.

First break of the day that went OU’s way. 

Pickering was able to move over to second after Jocelyn Erickson dropped the pitch, and that extra 60 feet was necessary to score off Hansen’s single. 

All of that came with two outs to cut the deficit to three after the early avalanche of Oklahoma miscues. 

— RC 

3:20 p.m.

After Parker’s single, Alyssa Brito flies out, Kasidi Pickering grounds out and Kinzie Hansen pounds a ground ball up the middle to bring home Parker and cut Florida’s lead to 4-1.

— JH

3:13 p.m.

Ella Parker breaks up the no-hitter with a sharp single back up the middle.

Maybe something positive has started.

And a freshman shall lead them.

— JH

3:09 p.m.

As Kinzie Hansen might say, it’s been almost a month since Oklahoma was kicked in the teeth like this.

Gators take a 4-0 lead with a run on three hits in the third inning.

Sooners are not sharp on defense, at the plate or in the circle.

Last time we saw this was a 6-2 loss to Oklahoma State back on May 4.

— JH

3:00 p.m.

After back to back singles surrendered by Nicole May, Patty Gasso has made a pitching change.

Kierston Deal is the Sooners’ next pitcher.

— JH

2:54 p.m.

The Sooners have sent three balls to the warning track already, the only issue is they’ve all been caught. 

Won’t matter if the defense keeps coughing up runs, though. 

— RC 

2:52 p.m.

Just saw a post on Facebook: “May is getting hammered.”

Come on. This game should be 1-1 if Jennings makes a quicker throw and Boone doesn’t make an ill-advised dive and Pickering just tags up.

Can’t blame May for any of those.

— JH

2:47 p.m.

Poor defense and one missed spot from Nicole May. 

Really no clue what Boone was trying to do there. I know Kendra Falby is not a typical nine-hole hitter, but you can’t allow that to happen with two outs and let the lineup turn over. 

Skylar Wallace punished OU for playing around, as a senior of her caliber does. 

Long game, but the Sooners are playing some sloppy softball. 

— RC 

2:48 p.m.

Early pick for MVP: Gators CF Kendra Falby. She robbed Rylie Boone of extra bases and saved at least one run in the top of the second, then victimized Boone with an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the second. Kid can fly, and she’s playing with amazing confidence.

— JH

2:44 p.m.

Such a dangerous decision by Rylie Boone there to dive for a ball down the line, just a flare single by Kendra Falby that dropped in front of Boone and scooted to the wall for an inside-the-park home run.

Gators lead 2-0, and Skylar Wallace makes it 3-0 with a solo home run — over the wall this time — off Nicole May and into the right field bleachers.

Gators are playing with intent.

— JH

2:36 p.m.

For the second time this year, Kasidi Pickering made a back-breaking mistake on the bases. 

In second Texas contest, she got caught sleeping on the bases and it cost the Sooners a run in a 2-1 defeat. 

Today, there was no reason for her to not be tagging up on that Boone play. It should be 1-1. The freshman has to be more aware on the bases. 

— RC 

2:35 p.m.

Pickering leads it off with a four-pitch walk and gets to second on a wild pitch by Rothrock. Kinzie Hansen’s groundout to Rothrock sends Pickering to third with just one out and Rylie Boone hits a rope to deep center field — but Kendra Falby makes a spectacular running, reaching catch, and Pickering was halfway home. She couldn’t tag, had to go back and didn’t score as Cydney Sanders strikes out to end the inning.

Man, what a crucial mistake.

— JH

2:27 p.m.

One run, two hits, two runners stranded. Nicole May and her teammates not necessarily at their best in that inning. Now the lineup has to do something it didn’t last game: come to life.

Hard to do against Keagan Rothrock.

— JH

2:24 p.m.

Boy, Nicole May was quite sure she had struck out Katie Kistler. She was halfway to the dugout.

Instead, it was ball four, Gators on first and second, two out.

— JH

2:23 p.m.

Sooners get a pick-me-up when Jocelyn Erickson strikes out, but Reagan Walsh’s two-out single scores Korbe Otis from second base. Otis beat out a throw from Tiare Jennings at first, then stole second on a close throw by Kinzie Hansen. 

That’s being super efficient and aggressive.

OU trails 1-0.

— JH

2:21 p.m.

Florida strikes first here in Oklahoma City. 

Reagan Walsh’s blooper gave Korbe Otis enough time to get home from second. 

Couple of little blips from Tiare Jennings, one on the initial single from Otis and the other on not applying the tag when she stole second, proved costly. Neither amounted to an error, but both were plays Jennings should have made. 

Gators up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. 

— RC 

2:12 p.m.

After an emotional walk drawn by Jayda Coleman, the Sooners 2-3-4 hitters go quietly.

I'm strapped in for a really good game today.

— JH

2:06 p.m.

We are underway in OKC. And yes, Ryan NAILED the re-start time of 2:06 p.m.

He'll be insufferable for the next six months at least.

— JH

1:59 p.m.

Finally, we are here. 

First pitch between the Sooners and the Gators coming right around the corner. It was supposed to get rolling at 11 a.m., but the weather had other ideas.

— RC 

1:24 p.m.

The big question today for Oklahoma is who will start in the circle?

Patty Gasso is rolling with Nicole May.

Elsewhere, no Alynah Torres. Avery Hodge will start at second base. 

The rest of the lineup is as expected. Oklahoma is one win away from a fifth-straight WCWS Championship Series berth.