No. 10 Oklahoma defeated No. 1 Florida, 7-5, in a marathon 17-inning first game of the Women’s College World Series. After a wild series of extra innings that saw both starting pitchers come back in and both teams score two runs in the 12th inning to keep things going, a three-run home run for Oklahoma first baseman Shay Knighten in the 17th finally put things in motion to send everyone home:
Florida threatened to extend the night in the bottom of the 17th, loading the bases with one out and scoring once from there, but Oklahoma’s original starting pitcher Paige Lowary ended things with a swinging strikeout on her 139th pitch of the night.
Game 2 in the best-of-three series is tomorrow. (Technically, later today.)