OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — National player of the year Keilani Ricketts struck out 16 in a two-hit shutout, Georgia Casey homered and Oklahoma beat top-seeded California 3-0 on Friday night in the winners’ bracket at the Women’s College World Series
Lauren Chamberlain drove in the first two runs with a double in the third inning and a single in the fourth. Casey’s drive to straightaway center for Oklahoma’s NCAA-best 97th home run of the season made it 3-0 in the sixth inning.
Ricketts (35-7) dazzled with a sharp fastball and a biting changeup, keeping the Golden Bears (57-6) off balance throughout the night. She finished three strikeouts shy of Cat Osterman’s World Series record of 19 strikeouts in a seven-inning game.
The fourth-seeded Sooners (52-8) are off until Sunday, needing one more win to reach the finals. California will face an elimination game Saturday.
