Grace Lyons describes emotions of fifth inning home run
It is hard to imagine a better way for Oklahoma shortstop Grace Lyons to cap off her memorable college softball career than what happened Thursday night in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series finals versus Florida State.
The redshirt senior stepped up to the plate in the top of the fifth with the game tied at one after Cydney Sanders blasted a solo home run. Kathryn Sandercock worked the count to 1-2 before Lyons smashed a homer over the fence to give the Sooners a 2-1 lead.
“It’s surreal,” Lyons said after the victory. “Today I definitely was thinking of the possibility that it was my last game, playing in this uniform. Just the emotions that come with that.”
It was the 11th time that Oklahoma had hit back-to-back homers on the season.
The homer proved to be the eventual game-winner. Oklahoma scored an insurance run in the sixth inning to go up 3-1. Women’s College World Series Most Outstanding Player Jordy Bahl, who had entered in the fifth inning, shut down the Seminoles in the bottom of the seventh to secure the national championship.
It was 53rd straight win for the Sooners this season and the third straight national championship victory. The only other school to repeat as a national champion three years in a row was UCLA from 1988-1990.
Lyons, who was the team captain this year, finished her final game in an Oklahoma uniform going 2-for-3 at the plate.
“The home run was awesome, but just the feelings of coming home to my team and just the joy that a home run can’t bring,” Lyons said. “It’s all from the Lord. I think it was just a genuine joy as I rounded just knowing that it was a total team effort, and that team is something special.”
Lyons leaves Oklahoma with a trophy case full of awards and accolades. In addition to being a three-time national champion, Lyons leaves as a three-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, 2022 first-team All-American, 2021 second-team All-American and three-time All-Big 12 player.
She finished her career with a .354 batting average and 59 home runs, 41 doubles, 206 RBI, 227 runs scored and 97 walks.
“It’s so cool to know that these players saw that my legacy, my intention and my legacy was going to be different,” Lyons said. “That means so much to me, more than any softball hit, home run, play, like that speaks volumes.”
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