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Oklahoma Sooners defeat Florida State 5-1 to clinch Women’s College World Series title

From left, Oklahoma’s Jana Johns, Jayda Coleman and Grace Lyons celebrate following Coleman’s home run against Florida State in the second inning of Game 3 of the NCAA Women’s College World Series Thursday in Oklahoma City. (AP photo)

OKLAHOMA CITY — Giselle Juarez re-emerged as the star pitcher Oklahoma needed to complement its high-powered offense, and now the Sooners are national champions again.

Juarez threw her second consecutive complete game, and Oklahoma beat Florida State 5-1 on Thursday afternoon for its fifth Women’s College World Series title.

The Sooners lacked a dominant pitcher heading into the series but Juarez answered the call, allowing one run on two hits in the decisive Game 3. Oklahoma won Game 2 6-2 behind Juarez, who went 5-0 at the World Series and was named Most Outstanding Player. The left-hander allowed four runs in 31 1/3 innings.

Juarez, a super senior, was a first-team All-American in 2019 but had surgery on her left arm last year and struggled to regain her form.

“The beginning of the season wasn’t great for me, but I just kept grinding and trusting God’s plan for myself. He had this moment planned for me,” Juarez said.

Oklahoma's Giselle Juarez reacts after striking out Florida State's Cassidy Davis to end the first half of the first inning of the final game of the NCAA Women's College World Series softball championship series on Thursday in Oklahoma City. (AP photo)

Much of the crowd stood when Juarez took the circle in the seventh inning. Fittingly, the final out was a popup into her glove.

“Honestly, I was kind of hoping it didn’t go in the sun and that they would let me catch it,” she said. “But I mean, it felt so slow motion, and then just to look up after I caught it and see (Kinzie) Hansen running at me — surreal, awesome moment.”

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