Oklahoma Sooners rally for 8-7 win over Clemson, advance to Women’s College World Series

Kinzie Hansen tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a three-run home run and Tiare Jennings won it in the ninth with a solo shot to send the Oklahoma Sooners to the WCWS.

The Oklahoma Sooners started hot but needed late-inning heroics to beat the Clemson Tigers, 8-7, and advance to the Women’s College World Series.

Jayda Coleman and Tiare Jennings opened the game with back-to-back home runs to give the Sooners a 2-0 lead.

Clemson settled and held Oklahoma in check in the second and third inning. In the top of the fourth, Alyssa Brito put the Sooners up 3-0 with a solo home run. Later in the inning, after Oklahoma loaded the bases, Sophia Nugent came in and drove in a run with a fielder’s choice to make it 4-0.

The Tigers responded in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run home run from Maddie Moore to make it 4-3. In the fifth inning, Clemson erupted for five runs, first taking the lead on a two-run home run from McKenzie Clark. The Tigers weren’t done, loading the bases and picking up a pair of runs to put Clemson ahead 7-4 and seemingly in control.

After a scoreless sixth, the Sooners came up in the seventh and had to face USA Softball National Player of the Year finalist Valerie Cagle. Rylie Boone led off with a single but Coleman and Jennings couldn’t follow suit. With two outs in the seventh and Oklahoma still down three, Haley Lee singled to put two on for Kinze Hansen.

Facing two strikes, Hansen came up clutch with a three-run home run to tie the game.

Jordy Bahl came in for the bottom of the seventh and shut the door on the Tigers, pitching three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out three.

In the top of the ninth, Tiare Jennings wasted little time putting the Sooners up with a solo shot to lead off the inning. It was Jennings second home run of the game and the one that sent the Sooners to Oklahoma City.

Clemson was able to get a hit in the bottom of the ninth despite Jayda Coleman’s diving attempt, but Bahl closed the door on the Tigers’ rally to give the Sooners the win. She was absolutely nails in the win, shutting down a Clemson offense that had been productive in the series.

With the win, the Sooners set a Division I record for consecutive victories with their 48th in a row. They haven’t lost since February and continue to prove you can never count Oklahoma out, no matter the deficit.

The Sooners advance to the Women’s College World Series in hopes of defending their back-to-back national championships.