By Big12Sports.com
NORMAN, Okla. — Down to its final strike in the seventh inning, Oklahoma tied Clemson on a three-run home run off the bat of Kinzie Hansen and Tiare Jennings provided the go-ahead run on a solo blast in the ninth to secure the 8-7 victory on Saturday afternoon at Marita Hynes Field.
The Sooners earned the comeback victory to advance to their seventh consecutive Women’s College World Series and 16th overall, while also moving into sole possession of the longest NCAA Division I all-time win streak at 48 games.
“I would never bet against this team because they have a willpower,” said Oklahoma head softball coach Patty Gasso. “You could look at Jayda (Coleman) and (Rylie) Boone and all these guys are just in with every pitch and the momentum is on every pitch.”
Oklahoma opened the game with back-to-back home runs from Coleman and Jennings, the 10th time in 2023 OU has gone back-to-back.
The Sooners held the two-run advantage through three and added two additional runs in the fourth.
Junior third baseman Alyssa Brito joined Coleman and Jennings with a solo homer to center field. With the bases loaded after two hit-by-pitches and a walk, sophomore pinch hitter Sophia Nugent put the ball in play, scoring the Sooners’ second run of the inning.
Down four runs, Clemson needed a spark and closed the gap on a three-run home run by Maddie Moore.
The Tigers captured the lead on a two-run blast by McKenzie Clark in the fifth and added another on a bases-loaded walk with one out. Clemson tacked on an additional run on a fielder’s choice.
After both programs were held scoreless in the sixth, the Sooners were down to their final three outs as the away team for the second game of the Super Regionals.
With one out, Jennings reached on a fielder’s choice. Redshirt senior designated player Haley Lee gave the Sooners a pair of runners on a single to right and Hansen knotted the score with a three-run homer to right with two strikes, swinging the momentum back in the Sooners’ direction.
Reliever Jordy Bahl, who entered in the seventh, continued her dominance in the circle, retiring the side to earn her 18th victory of the season. Bahl pitched three innings and allowed only one hit to the 10 batters she faced.
Clemson’s Valerie Cagle pitched the final three innings and earned the loss, allowing four runs on four hits.
Jennings finished 2-for-5 at the plate with two home runs and Hansen led the Sooners with three RBI. It was the second postseason game this year Jennings has hit multiple home runs, the third time of her postseason career and the 12th multi-homer game of her career.
Oklahoma joins Oklahoma State as the two Big 12 programs to reach this year’s WCWS. The 2023 WCWS will be held June 1-9 at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. Game times and TV designations will be announced once they become official.
Thirteenth-seeded Texas fell 9-0 to fourth-seeded Tennessee in the Knoxville Super Regional to conclude its season with a record of 45-15-1.
