The matchup is set. Oklahoma and Florida State will faceoff for the 2021 National Championship. The title series begins on Tuesday night and could go as late as Thursday afternoon in the best-of-three faceoff.
Let’s compare the two teams and see how they stack up at each position.
Catcher
Oklahoma: Lynnsie Elam
Florida State: Anna Shelnutt
Edge: Florida State
Elam has taken over the starting catcher’s role during the Women’s College World Series, and her experience is a positive quality for OU behind the dish. For FSU’s veteran backstop, though, Postseason Anna is waiting to make her debut on the biggest stage in the postseason. Shelnutt and Elam are both veterans, but Shelnutt is a pressure-tested backstop and her veteranship comes in handy behind the plate with the Noles’ pitching staff. She gets the slight edge here.
First Base
Oklahoma: Kinzie Hansen
Florida State: Elizabeth Mason
Edge: Draw
Hansen, who caught for the Sooners during much of the year and even some in this World Series, has become the starting first baseman for the Sooners this series. Her bat is one of the most potent in the Sooner lineup, but her inexperience at first base has shown at times. Mason’s bat is one of the hottest this postseason and she is a veteran of the Seminoles’ postseason runs. Both players are important catalysts to their respective teams’ success; this one is a draw.
Second Base
Oklahoma: Tiare Jennings
Florida State: Devyn Flaherty
Edge: Oklahoma
In just her first season as a Sooner, Tiare Jennings has become one of the nation’s most exciting players. Her bat went cold against James Madison, but she remains one of the most potent hitters in the nation and she does it from the leadoff spot in the lineup. Flaherty is a young star in her own right, and is batting .292 with five home runs on the year. Jennings and OU get the edge at second base.
Third Base
Oklahoma: Jana Johns
Florida State Sydney Sherrill
Edge: Florida State
Some in the home crowd on Tuesday night will root for Sherrill individually, a native of the Sooner State, who also happens to be the leading hitter for FSU. Sherrill’s batting average fell below .300 during this WCWS, but her abilities at the plate are well-documented. Johns, the former South Carolina transfer, bats toward the bottom of the OU order and has struggled defensively this week. Sherrill, the veteran of the 2018 Noles’ run, gets the edge here.
Shortstop
Oklahoma: Grace Lyons
Florida State: Josie Muffley
Edge: Oklahoma
Lyons and Muffley are both high-quality shortstops, though Lyons’ bat is also dangerous. Muffley’s athleticism has impressed, even when she might not have been able to complete a play, and Lyons’ skill at shortstop is equally impressive. The offensive prowess of Lyons gives her the edge in a battle of two sturdy defenders.
Outfield
Oklahoma: Mackenzie Donihoo/Jayda Coleman/Nicole Mendes
Florida State: Kaley Mudge/Dani Morgan/Kalei Harding
Edge: Oklahoma
For Oklahoma, their outfield includes two stars in Coleman and Mendes. But it’s Donihoo who has headlined the Sooners’ World Series offense, with three home runs and a number of clutch hits to her credit in Oklahoma City. On the grass for FSU, Kaley Mudge has quietly had a really solid performance in the WCWS, including a 5-5 performance against Alabama on Monday night. The sheer power in the OU outfield, though, gives the Sooners the edge.
Designated Player
Oklahoma: Jocelyn Alo
Florida State: Cassidy Davis
Edge: Oklahoma
With no offense to Cassidy Davis, who is both a quality hitter and able to come up in the clutch for the Noles, Jocelyn Alo is the National Player of the Year and one of the most potent hitters in softball history. Against James Madison on Monday, Alo’s first two at-bats resulted in outs but both were a few feet from going over the outfield wall. She added a solo shot later in the game.
Pitching
Oklahoma: Giselle Juarez, Shannon Saile, Nicole May
Florida State: Kathryn Sandercock, Caylan Arnold, Danielle Watson
Edge: Draw
Pitching has been a weak spot for Oklahoma this year, but Giselle “G” Juarez has looked sharper than ever in her appearances in the Women’s College World Series. Kathryn Sandercock has been sensational in the WCWS, leading the Noles on another trip up through the loser’s bracket. Both staffs boast a trio of quality hurlers, and both have an opportunity to lead their team to victory if they can stymie the opposing offense.
