Joley Mitchell hit a pair of solo home runs and Teagan Kavan threw a two-hit, complete-game shutout as sixth-seeded Texas beat third-seeded Florida 3-0 in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series on Thursday in Oklahoma City.
Texas will take on rival Oklahoma on Saturday. Florida will face Tennessee in an elimination game on Friday after the Sooners beat the Volunteers in walk-off fashion in Thursday’s second game.
Mitchell got the scoring started with a leadoff homer in the top of the second inning off Keagan Rothrock, driving a 2-2 offering out to left.
Mitchell then blasted Rothrock’s 2-1 pitch out to right-center to kick off the sixth, with Gators center fielder Kendra Falby just missing a home run-saving catch.
It was Mitchell’s first multi-home run game of the season and the 15th and 16th of the season for the graduate student.
The next batter, Katie Stewart, chased Rothrock (16-7) with a line-drive homer to right to make it 3-0.
Florida didn’t have a hit until Korbe Otis’ infield single with two outs in the fourth. Taylor Shumaker beat out a slow roller to third with one out in the sixth for the second hit.
Kavan (25-5) created plenty of soft contact, with just one strikeout and two walks.
–Field Level Media