Oklahoma defeats Auburn for its 3rd national softball title

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Paige Parker pitched a complete game to help Oklahoma defeat Auburn 2-1 Wednesday night for its third national softball title.

Parker put the Tigers down in order in the seventh to improve to 5-0 at the Women’s College World Series.

Auburn’s Emily Carosone, the star of Tuesday’s comeback win with a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth, couldn’t follow it up.

In the bottom of the first, she committed an error on a grounder by Shay Knighten, and Caleigh Clifton scored for the Sooners (57-8) when Carosone lost control of a throw to first. Knighten then scored on a slow-bouncing infield single by Fale Aviu to make it 2-0.

Auburn (58-12) loaded the bases with no outs in the third, but Parker struck out Carosone, then the Sooners turned a double play to get out of the inning unscathed.

Jade Rhodes’ solo shot in the top of the fourth made it 2-1, but Parker regained control.