The Florida State University women's softball team celebrates its win at the 2018 Women's College World Series on June 5, 2018 in Oklahoma City.
Florida State made history on Tuesday night, giving the ACC its first-ever Women’s College World Series title with an 8-3 win over Washington in Oklahoma City. FSU also won Monday’s first game of the best-of-three series 1-0.
This was Florida State’s 10th appearance in the WCWS and their first time playing in the championship round.
After a shaky first inning in which it seemed Washington came ready to force a Game 3, Florida State simply dominated.
The Seminoles returned Meghan King to the mound in Game 2 after she pitched a five-hit shutout in Game 1 on Monday night. It was her first time pitching four days in a row, and after giving up a leadoff base hit on the first pitch, some sloppy defense and errors by No. 6 Florida State staked No. 5 Washington to a 3-0 lead to start things off.
FSU’s Anna Shelnutt hit a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, however, and that put the Seminoles right back in it.
Trailing 3-2 with runners on first and second in the bottom of the second, Elizabeth Mason crushed a ball bobbled by Washington’s right fielder for a two-run triple to give the Seminoles the lead. Jessie Warren hit an RBI single to score Mason and Florida State took a 5-3 lead.
The Huskies left the bases loaded in the fourth inning.
Mason struck again in the bottom of the fourth, driving a two-run home run to give FSU a 7-3 lead from which the Huskies couldn’t recover. Gabbie Plain replaced Taran Alvelo on the mound for Washington, but faced Warren immediately and she blasted a solo home run, the 83rd of her career, to make it 8-3.
The Huskies were seeking their second national championship under coach Heather Tarr, an assistant coach with USA Softball.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.