Women’s College World Series: Oklahoma beats Oregon to advance to finals against Florida

Shay Knighten singled in two runs in the fifth inning to help defending champion Oklahoma beat Oregon 4-2 on Sunday in the Women’s College World Series semifinals.

The Sooners (59-9) will play top-seeded Florida on Monday night to start the best-of-three championship series. The teams have combined to win the past four national titles, but are meeting for the first time in championship.

Paige Parker (26-5) earned the win, and Paige Lowary got the save.

Danica Mercado’s two-run homer in the top of the fifth put the Ducks (54-8) up 2-0. It was her fifth homer of the season.

Oregon’s Megan Kleist (21-4), who earned a win and a save in elimination games Saturday, took a shutout into the fifth before unraveling. After Knighten’s hit in the bottom of the fifth, Nicole Pendley followed with a double to score Knighten and chase Kleist.

Florida 5, Washington 2: Delaney Gourley was nearly perfect, giving Florida a chance for its third national championship in four years.

Gourley struck out 10 while throwing a two-hitter, helping the top-seeded Gators beat the Huskies in the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series.

Gourley (22-4) had two strikes on Julia DePonte with two outs in the seventh before DePonte hit a two-run homer for the Huskies (50-14). The two unearned runs were the first runs Florida has given up in the World Series.

Gourley was fine with it. The senior was happy with Florida’s win in her first World Series start.

“Today, to just come out and start a game — my team had my back,” she said. “I was really excited. We were all really confident before the game. We just came out on fire.”

Kayli Kvistad homered and drove in three runs for the Gators (58-8).