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 the winner of Thursday’s Oklahoma-Tennessee matchup on Saturday. Florida will play the Oklahoma-Tennessee loser in an elimination game on Friday.
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
