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Alyssa Brito contributed at the plate and in the field to help Oklahoma’s juggernaut softball team claim another national title Thursday.
The former Pacifica High standout doubled in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning and made a diving catch in the bottom of the inning in the Sooners’ 10-5 victory against rival Texas that clinched the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma (59-3) claimed its second consecutive national title and sixth overall.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – JUNE 9: Alyssa Brito #33 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after scoring against the Texas Longhorns in the fourth inning during the NCAA Women’s College World Series championship finals at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex on June 9, 2022 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 10-5. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
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Oklahoma’s Alyssa Brito, center, celebrates at second base behind Texas’ JJ Smith, left, and Estelle Czech (22) after hitting a double during the fifth inning of the second game of the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball finals Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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Oklahoma’s Alyssa Brito (33) attempts to catch a ball hit for a home run by Texas’ Mia Scott during the seventh inning of the second game of the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball championship series Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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Oklahoma’s Alyssa Brito (33) celebrates as she runs in from the outfield after the fifth inning of the second game of the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball championship series against Texas on Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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Jocelyn Alo #78 of the Oklahoma Sooners is handed the NCAA trophy as Alyssa Brito #33 and the rest of the team celebrate their win over the Texas Longhorns during the NCAA Women’s College World Series finals at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex on June 9, 2022 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 5-2. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
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Alyssa Brito #33 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after scoring against the Texas Longhorns in the fourth inning during the NCAA Women’s College World Series finals at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex on June 9, 2022 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma leads 10-2 in the seventh inning. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
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Oklahoma’s Alyssa Brito dives across the plate to score as Texas catcher Mary Iakopo applies a late tag during the fourth inning of Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series finals on Thursday night in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
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Oklahoma’s Alyssa Brito dives across the plate as Texas catcher Mary Iakopo takes a throw during the fourth inning of Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series finals on Thursday night in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
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Oklahoma outfielder Alyssa Brito makes a diving catch against Texas during the second game of the NCAA softball Women’s College World Series finals in Oklahoma City, Okla., Thursday, June 9, 2022. (Ian Maule/Tulsa World via AP)
Brito, a sophomore in her first season with the Sooners after transferring from Oregon, played a major role Thursday and throughout the season.
Her double to left gave Oklahoma a 3-2 lead in the fifth. She closed the bottom of the inning by charging to make a diving catch in left field.
HAVE A NIGHT, @alyss_33
ESPN2#WCWS x @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/Z8fpRRffK1
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) June 10, 2022
ESPN2Pacifica softball coach Tony Arduino said after the game that he was thrilled to see Brito shine on the national stage.
“To be honest, it is what I expected her to do in college,” he said. “The amount of time and effort she put into her craft was something special. I’ve been coaching high school sports — baseball and softball — for 15-plus years and have never seen someone compete like her on a daily basis.
“She wanted to win at everything she did and proved that tonight. So happy for her, couldn’t happen to a better person.”
Brito went 2 for 4 with two doubles in the finale and finished the season hitting .368 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs.
She earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors as a shortstop at Oregon in 2021.
Brito’s high school career began at Foothill as a freshman.
At Pacifica, she rose the ranks as a sophomore and some of her junior season under the late coach Mark Campbell, who died in March 2019.
Brito starred at shortstop for the Mariners but played a few games at center field near the end of the COVID-shortened 2020 season after Lillyanna Martinez was injured.
“She came to my classroom one morning and she said she would move to center field to help the team,” Arduino recalled. “I did it reluctantly and she was awesome out there for two or three games before the season ended.”
Alyssa Brito was awesome again Thursday.
NOTES
Oklahoma’s reserves featured former county standouts Sophia Nugent (Los Alamitos) and Hannah Coor (Esperanza). Catcher Mary Iakopo (Los Alamitos) was a key player for Texas.
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