OKLAHOMA CITY — Alabama outlasted persistent rain showers and the Oklahoma Sooners in winning Game 3 of the 2012 Women’s College World Series 5-4 to notch the first softball national championship in Crimson Tide history.
Rain had delayed the start of the game by three hours, and when it returned in the 4th inning, the floodgates opened for the Tide.
Oklahoma led 3-0 early thanks to home runs from Keilani Ricketts and Lauren Chamberlain, but Alabama rallied for four runs in the rain-interrupted fourth inning. Alabama plated a run on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 3-1, but umpires pulled the players off the field after the play. A 10-minute break, during which Alabama players riled up their crowd with chants and cheers, just seemed to fire up the Tide more. Amanda Locke and Courtney Conley drove in runs in the rally before Jazlyn Lunceford’s slow roller brought a run across thanks to a throwing error.
Alabama added another run in the 5th on Jackie Traina’s RBI single, then held on after Lauren Chamberlain’s second home run of the night made it a 5-4 game with two outs in the 7th. But Traina was able to strike out Ricketts for the final out to set off wild celebrations among the Alabama players and their fans.
Kevin Kugler and Leah Amico called the action on the Westwood One Radio Network.
