After playing a 15-inning marathon to stave off elimination, second-seeded Florida ran into a quick turnaround at the Women’s College World Series. To make matters worse, the Gators had to go up against NCAA strikeout leader Blaire Luna.
Luna struck out 14 in a one-hit shutout, Kim Bruins hit a three-run home run and fourth-seeded Texas beat Florida 3-0 on Sunday to eliminate the second-seeded Gators.
Luna (32-6), the nation’s strikeout leader, gave up only a one-out single to Taylore Fuller in the fourth inning down the left-field line. The Gators (58-9) were playing about 12 hours after prevailing 9-8 over Nebraska in the fifth World Series game ever to go 15 innings or longer.
“I really don’t think that had anything to do with today’s performance,” UF coach Tim Walton said. “I think Blaire Luna had everything to do with today’s performance more than anything. She was very good.”
Luna threw a no-hitter in the super regionals for Texas (51-9) but didn’t make it out of the third inning during the Longhorns’ 10-2 loss to rival Oklahoma on Saturday. She was in command against Florida from the start, earning the Longhorns the chance to play Tennessee on Sunday night.
UF starter Hannah Rogers (33-7) gave up five hits and walked four but couldn’t match Luna’s performance.
Bruins provided the Longhorns’ only offense with a drive that just barely cleared the left-field fence in the top of the fourth inning.
Also Sunday
Tennessee 2, Texas 1: Lauren Gibson hit a solo homer in the first inning, the Renfroe sisters — Ivy and Ellen — combined on a five-hitter, and the seventh-seeded Lady Vols (52-10) reached the Women's College World Series finals by beating the Longhorns on Sunday night.
Washington 4, Michigan 1: Kimberlee Souza's infield single in the sixth inning ended up bringing in the go-ahead run when it was misplayed by the eighth-seeded Wolverines (51-13), and the 11th-seeded Huskies (45-16) won in an elimination game.
Washington advanced to face top-seeded Oklahoma late Sunday, needing to beat the Sooners twice to reach the finals.
