A decision that proved to be a mistake:  Florida put a damper on Oklahoma’s championship celebration on Friday night. 

OU responded by taking the lead in the first inning, but a pair of walks hurt starting pitcher Kierston Deal in the second inning as Florida’s star freshman Taylor Shumaker hammered a grand slam to put the Gators in front.

The Sooners staged a rally in the fifth, but the Gators held on to close out a 9-4 win at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL.

Deal was unable to build on her outstanding start against Texas.

The left-hander got into trouble in the first inning after allowing a pair of walks. A pitch clock violation extended the bottom of the first, and Reagan Walsh canceled out Gabbie Garcia’s RBI-single in the top of the first with a base hit of her own to knot the game up at 1-1.

The wheels fell off for Deal in the second.

She issued a one-out walk on four pitches then a single. Both runners moved up 60 feet on a fielder’s choice, and with first base open, the Sooners (43-6, 17-6 SEC) opted to pitch around Jocelyn Erickson.

That decision proved to be a mistake.

Shumaker smacked the first pitch she saw, clearing the wall in the deepest part of the park in straightaway center, to give the Gators (42-13, 13-10) a 5-1 lead.

The grand slam prompted a pitching change from Patty Gasso, as she moved off Deal and to Isabella Smith.

Deal nearly shut out Texas’ explosive offense last Saturday, but she lasted just 1 2/3 innings on Friday, allowing three runs, four walks and five runs while striking out just one of the 12 batters she faced.

Smith got out of the second, and she steadied things until the offense could work its way back into the game.

Hannah Coor ignited the offense with a leadoff double in the fifth to bring the top of the order up.

Kasidi Pickering drew a walk, then Parker made it four straight games with a homer after obliterating Florida starter Kara Hammock’s delivery to the same spot Shumaker hit her grand slam.