by Bill Plummer
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OKLAHOMA CITY -- After being shutout the night before, the Florida
Gators came back with a vengeance Wednesday night before a crowd of
7,680 to defeat Michigan in the final game of the NCAA Championship
Series and win the 34th annual Women's College World Series, 4-1.
Pitcher Lauren Haeger allowed one run and scattered five hits as the
Gators repeated as national champion and became only the third team to
repeat, joining UCLA and Arizona. Haeger was named the Most Outstanding
Player of the WCWS and also won the USA Softball Collegiate Player of
the Year and is only the third player to win both awards. She finished
the year 32-2.
Haeger compiled a 4-1 mound record in the Series allowing six earned
runs in 36 innings. She also batted .571 hitting three homers, driving
in six runs and walking six times as the Gators finished the year 60-7.
It marked the third year out of the last four years that an SEC team has
won the WCWS.
"When you work hard good things happen to you," said Haeger."I am so
thankful to be a Gator. It's been a great time."
In repeating as national champion, Florida joined UCLA and Arizona with
Arizona winning in 2006-07.
"We used it as motivation," said Haeger."We realize this isn't going to
be handed to us and we really needed to work hard. Michigan is a great
team. And we just had a different attitude today. You could see it in
our eyes. You could see it in each other, you will hear it in our
conversations. We were a different team. We were who we are today. And I
couldn't be more proud of my teammates."
In Tuesday's loss Michigan attacked early and scored the game's only run
in the first inning. On Wednesday, the Gators turned the tables and
scored three times in the bottom of the first and once in the second for
all the runs they would need. Michigan scored a run in the fifth on an
RBI single to center field by second baseman Sierra Romero with two out.
In the first, the Gators scored an RBI single by Haeger and a two-run
single to left field by Taylor Schwarz, scoring Haeger and and Nicole
DeWitt. In the second, the Gators added another run on an RBI double by
Kelsey Stewart to left field scoring Justine McLean, who had singled to
open the inning, went to second on a throwing error by the third baseman
and advanced to third on a sacrifice by Aubree Munro.
"That first inning obviously broke our back," said Michigan head coach
Carol Hutchins.
Haylie Wagner, who had shut out the Gators Tuesday evening, took the
loss and finished the year 25-3. She allowed four hits and four runs.
She didn't strike out or walk anyone. Wagner was relieved by Megan Betsa
who hurled four innings allowing only one hit and no runs. She walked
three and struck out eight.Michigan finished the year 60-8 and was
seeking its second NCAA national title after winning in 2005.
Michigan had five players named to the All Tournament team including
Wagner, Kelsey Susalla, Sierra Romero, Kelly Christner and Abby Ramirez.
Florida had Aubree Munro, Kelsey Stewart and Haeger. Joining them were
Carlee Wallace and Branndi Melero of Auburn, and Ally Carda of UCLA.
The attendance Wednesday upped the overall attendance to a record 78,078
breaking the previous mark of 75,960 in 2012. Four of the ten sessions
in the 2015 WCWS also were records and the attendance for the third game
was the fourth highest. This was only the fourth time that the WCWS
reached the third game.
