Mitchell homers twice to lead Texas over Florida 3-0 in Women's College World Series' opening game
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Joley Mitchell homered twice and Teagan Kavan allowed just two hits to lead sixth-seeded Texas past No. 3 seed Florida 3-0 on Thursday to open play at the Women's College World Series.
Mitchell homered in the second and sixth innings off Florida ace Keagan Rothrock, becoming the first Texas player to hit multiple home runs at the World Series.
Texas (52-11) will play the winner of Thursday's game between Oklahoma and Tennessee on Saturday. Florida (48-16) will play the Oklahoma-Tennessee loser on Friday in an elimination game.
Back-to-back home runs by Mitchell and Katie Stewart in the sixth ended Rothrock's day. She was pulled after throwing 105 pitches. Three of the five hits she allowed were home runs.
Mitchell's first home run traveled 250 feet to left field.
The Gators were hitless through three innings against Kavan, who improved to 25-5. Florida finally broke through in the fourth inning when Korbe Otis lined a base hit off Mitchell's glove at first base.
Texas led 1-0 in the fifth but threatened against Rothrock, putting runners on first and second with two out. She struck out Reese Atwood looking to end the inning.
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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