The Oklahoma Sooners got off to a hot start and never looked back in their game one matchup with the Texas Longhorns, taking the opener of the [autotag]Women’s College World Series[/autotag] championship 8-3.
[autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] picked up right where she left off on Monday when she threw 148 pitches over eight innings and threw another gem. Through five innings, the Texas Longhorns had only mustered one run, a solo shot in the first inning. Though Texas did some damage in the sixth, Maxwell allowed just one earned run in her complete game.
The Sooners got going offensively early in this one. Jayda Coleman was hit by a pitch, and [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] hit a two-run home run. It was the 98th home run of her career and 11th in the Women’s College World Series.
Texas cut the deficit in half on a Mia Scott home run to right field. Maxwell settled in to limit the damage and had a 1-2-3 second inning. And the Sooners rewarded her with some insurance in the top of the third.
[autotag]Ella Parker[/autotag] led off the inning with a single, and with one out, Kinzie Hansen drove a 2-1 pitch to left-center field to give Oklahoma a 4-1 lead. True freshman [autotag]Kasidi Pickering[/autotag] followed it up with a home run of her own to extend the lead to 5-1.
In the top of the fifth, the Sooners added to their lead when Hansen doubled, and Pickering forced an errant throw on a close play at first base, allowing Hansen to score to make it 6-1.
Pinch-hitting in the top of the sixth, [autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag] was hit by a pitch, and [autotag]Avery Hodge[/autotag] was brought in to pinch run. Hodge took second on a wild pitch and then third base when Reese Atwood lost track of how many outs were in the inning and lobbed the ball up in the air. That became a huge moment in the inning as Jennings singled to bring Hodge in for the 7-1 lead.
Texas made things interesting in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs and threatened for more before Maxwell locked it down to limit the damage.
The Sooners went ahead 8-3 in the top of the seventh when [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] doubled and then advanced to third on a fielder’s choice. Atwood got aggressive again and tried to pick Brito off at third base, but the ball hit the Sooners third basemen. Brito scored to extend the Sooners lead.
Maxwell locked in and earned a 1-2-3 inning, striking out the final two hitters, including a called strike three on Viviana Martinez to end the game. Maxwell earned the 23rd win of the season and put Oklahoma one win away from capturing their fourth-straight national title.
She allowed just one earned run on four hits and four walks and recorded eight strikeouts for the second straight day. It was another fantastic performance and the Sooners offense provided more run support against a really good Texas pitching staff.
Jennings led the way on her birthday with a 2-for-4 effort with three RBIs. Parker and Hansen each had two hits as well.
More: How to Watch Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns in the Women’s College World Series Championship
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