College Softball World Series 2015: Michigan vs. Florida Game 1 Score and Recap

The Florida Gators moved one step away from repeating as Women's College World Series champions, taking Game 1 of the 2015 championship series in a 3-2 thriller over the Michigan Wolverines.

Florida surprised by going with Aleshia Ocasio on the mound instead of ace Lauren Haeger, but it paid off as Ocasio logged six innings on two earned runs to notch her third win in as many appearances against Michigan this year. Haeger didn't get a chance to throw any pitches, but her two-run home run in the first inning and an RBI double in the third got the Gators through Monday's championship opener.

NCAA Softball recapped their win:

The Wolverines were behind the eight-ball trailing 3-0 for most of the contest, but Abby Ramirez's two-out, two-RBI single pulled Michigan to within one swing of tying it up. They gave up a golden opportunity to advance the tying run in the top of the seventh as the Gators tried to pull a double play, before Delanie Gourley shut the door with a late strikeout and groundout to seal Florida's win.

It helped the Gators to not just snap Michigan's incredible streak coming into this one, but also continue a streak of their own, as told by Scott Carter of GatorZone.com:

After helping to pitch the Gators' way into the championship series, Haeger got a much-needed breather from the mound for Game 1. But she wasn't about to let that get in the way of her making an impact.

As the designated hitter, Haeger struck early to give Florida an edge. She jacked a two-run homer into the stands, again giving way to comparisons to an all-time great, as Pat Dooley of GatorSports.com noted:

Although Haeger couldn't make her usual two-way impact, Ocasio looked more than capable of shouldering the load on the mound. She put together a slew of up-and-down frames early in the game to maintain the 2-0 advantage.

The top of Florida's lineup got it done again in the bottom of the third, putting a runner on for Haeger to bring in the third run of the game on an RBI double. She made good for the second time on two at-bats, cushioning the Gators' lead to 3-0.

Alonzo Adams/Associated Press

The Wolverines were in a position they've become familiar with at Oklahoma City—they had twice overcome deficits to win at the College World Series. But that didn't stop head coach Carol Hutchins from issuing an ultimatum for her team on a mid-game broadcast interview to "figure it out or they're gonna lose," provoking an apt response from ESPN's Curt Schilling on the call:

Michigan seemed to heed its head coach's advice, making one last furious charge to get back in it.

After avoiding trouble for most of the game, Ocasio got jumped on early in the sixth as the Wolverines loaded up the bases. She had a chance to close the door with two outs, but Ramirez shot a two-RBI hit through tight defense to make it a 3-2 game.

Ramirez took advantage of the Gators' shift to get Michigan on the board, as told by John U. Bacon:

The Wolverines got one last chance in the top of the seventh and looked to take that opportunity when a runner advanced to third with no outs. But when the runner opted to stay at third instead of going home on the Gators' unsuccessful double play turn, a strikeout and groundout halted Michigan's run and ended the game.

It didn't come easy for Florida Monday night, especially late in the game. But the Gators got it done, and that leaves them in quite the favorable position entering Tuesday's Game 2 with Haeger now fresh and almost certainly starting.

Three of the 10 teams that lost Game 1 since the tournament shifted to a three-game championship series ended up winning, so the Wolverines can hold their heads high knowing what they're about to attempt has been done before. But they'll have to go through Haeger—on the mound and at the plate—in order to get to a decisive Game 3.