Tag: Alyssa Brito

Oklahoma’s senior class pulled off the unthinkable with four-peat

Five of Oklahoma’s seniors earned four national title during their time with the Sooners. An absolutely unbelievable run.

Winning one championship in sports is difficult. Winning two straight puts you in the history books forever. Winning three in a row means you’re a legend. But winning four straight? That’s unheard of in team sports, only being accomplished by a small handful of times throughout history.

“People say, ‘Let’s go win one,’” OU coach Patty Gasso said. “You’re like, ‘OK.’ It’s not like that. It’s very difficult. Everything has to go right. The thing about them is they’re resilient. They have a lot of pride in that.

The 2024 senior class for the Oklahoma Sooners softball team will finish their college careers not knowing how it feels to walk away from a season without a championship.

[autotag]Rylie Boone[/autotag], [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag], [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] and [autotag]Nicole May[/autotag] now have four rings. They’re joined in this senior class by [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag], [autotag]Karlie Keeney[/autotag], [autotag]Riley Ludlam[/autotag], [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] and [autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag], all transfers who started their careers elsewhere.

“This one was the hardest one that I’ve ever had to work for in my life,” Jennings said via The Oklahoman. “This team, the adversity that we went through, we did it and we overcame everything.”

Oklahoma’s senior class finished with as many national championships as [autotag]NCAA Tournament[/autotag] loses, as OU finished off Texas on Thursday night. It was an 8-4 victory in Game 2 of the [autotag]WCWS[/autotag] final to win championship number eight, tied for the second-most all-time.

The Sooners won their unprecedented fourth-straight championship, giving [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag] a record-tying eight rings. Half of them have now come in succession.

The Sooner seniors wowed many inside and outside the world of sports with a career sweep of national championships, but a quote from their head coach tells their story better than anyone else can.

“This is the best senior class that has ever played the game, and I’ll stand behind that as long as I live,” said Gasso of their incredible run.

Patty Gasso has built a historic dynasty in Norman, and this senior class has pulled off something few imagined could ever be done. And we may never see another run like this again. But given what Oklahoma’s done, who’s to say they can’t run it back.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Oklahoma Sooners beat No. 1 Texas 8-4, win 4th straight national championship

The Oklahoma Sooners made history as the first team to win four consecutive national championships with their 8-4 win over the Texas Longhorns.

The Oklahoma Sooners made history in their 8-4 win over the Texas Longhorns. The Sooners won their fourth-straight national championship, and this senior class capped off the most successful run in softball history.

The Texas Longhorns got the scoring going in the top of the second on Kayden Henry’s RBI single. But [autotag]Kasidi Pickering[/autotag] answered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to put the Sooners up one.

The Longhorns tied the game up in the third off of starter [autotag]Karlie Keeney[/autotag]. [autotag]Peytn Monticelli[/autotag] came in with the bases loaded and kept the game tied 2-2. Texas then took a 3-2 lead in the fourth.

In the bottom of the fourth, however, the Sooners began to take control. Consecutive singles by [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag], [autotag]Kasidi Pickering[/autotag], and [autotag]Rylie Boone[/autotag] set the stage for [autotag]Cydney Sanders[/autotag]. Sanders proceeded to launch a double to the right-center gap to clear the bases and put Oklahoma up 5-3.

[autotag]Nicole May[/autotag] took over in the fifth and had a dominant outing with a 1-2-3 inning and got two outs in the sixth before [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] came in with runners on second and third. Maxwell induced a ground ball by Mia Scott, and a Texas run scored to make it 5-4. But Scott got caught off the bag, and [autotag]Avery Hodge[/autotag] flipped the ball to Sanders to get the final out of the inning and leave a runner stranded on third.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Sooners ran away from the Longhorns. Boone earned a one-out single, Sanders walked, and Hodge was hit by a pitch to load the bases. [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] added to the Sooners lead with an RBI single through the right side of the infield. With two outs in the inning, [autotag]Ella Parker[/autotag] continued her incredible postseason with a two-RBI single to put Oklahoma up 8-4.

In the top of the seventh, Maxwell went up against the heart of the Texas lineup. Maxwell got Viviana Martinez to fly out and struck out Big 12 Player of the Year Reese Atwood before getting Katie Stewart to ground out to [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag], who made a perfect throw over to Sanders to get the final out and send the Sooners into the record books.

Maxwell earned her second save of the NCAA Tournament and earned Most Outstanding Player, going 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA to lead the Oklahoma Sooners to the national championship.

It’s the Sooners’ eighth national title and their seventh since 2013. With four straight national titles, Oklahoma is the only program to accomplish this feat. The Sooners move into a tie for second with the Arizona Wildcats for most national titles.

Seniors [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Rylie Boone[/autotag], [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag], and [autotag]Nicole May[/autotag] will go down as the most decorated class in softball history, with four national championships in their career.

With eight national titles, [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag] is now tied for the most in the history of the sport.

It was an incredible run for the Oklahoma Sooners, who lost just one game during the postseason, dating back to their Big 12 tournament title run. In the two games against Texas the Sooners outscored their Red River Rivals 16-7 to win the national title.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Oklahoma Sooners beat Texas Longhorns 8-3 in game one of WCWS Final

Sooners hit three home runs and Kelly Maxwell pitched another great game to lead Oklahoma to an 8-3 win over Texas in game one of the Women’s College World Series championship.

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

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

What did Alyssa Brito say to Jayda Coleman before walk-off home run?

Alyssa Brito took a moment with Jayda Coleman before her walk-off home run to reflect on what matters most.

The Oklahoma Sooners fell behind early in their elimination game against Florida but found a way to rally to tie the game and force extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning, [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] propelled the Sooners to their fifth-straight championship series with a solo home run to win the game.

But that wasn’t the first big moment for Coleman. She had an opportunity to tie the game in the sixth inning, instead hitting a shallow pop fly. Ella Parker did tie the game, which set the stage for Coleman’s heroics, but you could see the frustration settling in for Oklahoma’s star centerfielder.

“Yeah I had been a little frustrated all game,” Coleman said. “I just wanna do anything to help my team, and I wasn’t really able to do that.”

So, before Coleman led off the bottom of the eighth inning for Sooners, fellow senior Alyssa Brito came to her and prayed with Coleman.

Coleman said, “And Brito, you know, she slowed me down, and she prayed over me. And she was just like, surrender it all. Don’t try to control anything. Just go for it. No matter what, I’m not justified by whatever the at-bat is. So even if I hit a home run, Jesus loves me. If I would’ve struck out, Jesus still loves me. I think that just really just put me into my foundation.”

Faith has been at the center of the Sooners’ program for years. The team often has a prayer circle after the game that often includes players from the other team.

Brito and Coleman took a moment in the middle of a high-stakes game, right before a high-leverage situation, to reflect and remember what’s most important to them and where their security lies.

 

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners win over UCLA Bruins

The best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners thrilling win over UCLA 1-0 in the Women’s College World Series.

The Oklahoma Sooners moved on to the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series with a thrilling 1-0 win over the UCLA Bruins. [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] threw a game for the ages, with 11 strikeouts over seven shutout innings.

[autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] provided the only offense the Sooners needed with a solo home run in the third inning. It was her 23rd of the season and fourth of the NCAA Tournament. In a game where the Sooners were able to get runners on base but couldn’t cash in, Jennings’ home run was just what the doctor ordered.

UCLA’s defense took away hits from [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] and [autotag]Kasidi Pickering[/autotag] that likely would have gone for extra bases and scored runs. Instead, the Bruins kept the Sooners from pulling away.

But it didn’t matter as Maxwell was masterful throughout the game. Even when she did get in a little bit of trouble, she found a way to work out of the inning. She’d been great for the Sooners in 2024 but took her game to another level in the win over the Bruins.

“Kelly decided to throw one of the best games of her life today,” Gasso said. “There was no way we would be pulling her after the job she was doing.”

Maxwell was absolutely phenomenal in the win, stifling a UCLA offense that was red-hot coming into the game. The Sooners are now one win away from the championship series.

Here’s a look back at the Oklahoma Sooners win over UCLA in our latest photo gallery from the [autotag]Women’s College World Series[/autotag].

Oklahoma Sooners power past Duke 9-1 in Women’s College World Series opener

A trio of two-run homers from Kinzie Hansen, Alynah Torres, and Cydney Sanders paced the Sooners in their 9-1 run-rule win over the Duke Blue Devils to open the Women’s College World Series.

The Duke Blue Devils came into their opening game of the [autotag]Women’s College World Series[/autotag] against the Oklahoma Sooners as the No. 3 team in RPI. And the Oklahoma Sooners made quick work of the ACC Champions, earning a 9-1 run-rule win.

Duke actually struck first with a lead-off home run in the second inning from Francesca Frelick to put the Blue Devils up 1-0. The Sooners threatened in the bottom of the second, but even with runners at the corners and just one out, couldn’t push a run across the plate against starter Cassidy Curd.

But in the third inning, the Sooners got a pair of two-run home runs from [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag] and [autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag] to take a 4-1 lead. It was Hansen’s sixth WCWS home run of her career, moving her into third all-time. It was the first Women’s College World Series home run of Torres career.

 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Sooners really pulled away when Cydney Sanders hit a two-run home run to drive in Rylie Boone to go ahead 6-1. Hansen picked up her third RBI of the day when she drove in Maya Bland for a 7-1 lead. The home run was Sanders’ 14th of the season and her first since April 16 against Tulsa.

Oklahoma went down in order in the bottom of the fifth but earned the run-rule win in the sixth with an offensive barrage.

[autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] led off the inning with a double, and Tiare Jennings singled and advanced to second. With runners on second and third with nobody out, [autotag]Ella Parker[/autotag] and Riley Ludlam popped out, bringing up [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag], who put her stamp on the game with a two-run walk-off single to end the game.

[autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] had a solid outing to allow just one run but ran into trouble in the fourth when she walked two batters and hit a batter to load the bases. But [autotag]Kierston Deal[/autotag] came in to end the bases loaded threat and allowed just two hits over her 2.1 innings pitched.

Maxwell went 3.2 innings pitched and allowed one run on one hit but walked four and struck out four to earn the win.

Coleman, Hansen, and Brito each had two hits in the game to lead the way for the Sooners, who had four extra-base hits in the win.

Among the eight teams in the Women’s College World Series field, Duke had the lowest ERA and opponent batting average. The Sooners knocked them around for 11 hits, three walks, and nine runs. It’s the eighth time in their 10-game winning streak that the pitching staff has allowed two runs or fewer and the seventh time Oklahoma has scored six or more runs.

The Sooners now move on to a Saturday matchup with No. 6 seed UCLA.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

5 Oklahoma Sooners earn NFCA All-American honors

Led by Tiare Jennings fourth first-team selection, five Sooners earned NFCA All-American Honors.

The Oklahoma Sooners head into the Women’s College World Series with one of the most talented teams in the nation. On Wednesday, five Sooners were selected to the Natioinal Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American Teams.

[autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] and [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] earned first-team selections. For Jennings, it was her fourth first-team honor and is the sixth Sooner to earn that distinction. Jennings joins a who’s who of players in Oklahoma history. Norrelle Dickson, Keilani Ricketts, [autotag]Lauren Chamberlain[/autotag], Paige Parker, and [autotag]Jocelyn Alo[/autotag] also earned four first-team selections in their Sooners career.

Jennings is hitting .372 on the year with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs. It’s been a historic season for the Sooners infielder, who’s climbed into the top three in career home runs.

It’s the second consecutive first-team selection for Brito who had another phenomenal season for the Sooners. Brito is hitting .406 with 18 home runs, 13 doubles, and 59 RBIs this season and has been phenomenal at third base.

Centerfielder [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] joined Jennings with her fourth All-American selection, earning a nod for the second team. Coleman was arguably the biggest snub from the first team as the game’s best centerfielder. In 2024, she’s hitting .394 with 12 home runs, 42 RBIs, and has scored 68 runs. She leads the Sooners with a .532 on-base percentage.

[autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag] also earned a second-team selection with nine home runs and 35 RBIs and was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. This is Hansen’s third All-American selection.

After a phenomenal first year in Norman, [autotag]Ella Parker[/autotag] earned a third-team All-American pick, which is Oklahoma’s first for a freshman since Coleman and Jennings earned selections back in 2021. Parker is hitting .419 with 12 home runs, 14 doubles, and 57 RBIs.

Oklahoma was one of five teams to earn multiple first-team selections, joining Florida, Duke, Virginia Tech, and Tennessee. The Sooners also tied with the Gators with the most All-American selections.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Oklahoma Sooners playing their best softball heading into the Women’s College World Series

Riding a nine game winning streak, the Oklahoma Sooners are playing their best softball heading into the Women’s College World Series.

Ten games ago, the Oklahoma Sooners dropped their second straight game to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in their Bedlam series. The Sooners were outscored 12-5 by Oklahoma State in the two losses, dropping their second Big 12 series of the season.

But in the third game of the series on the last day of the regular season and with the Big 12 regular season title out of the picture, the Sooners began looking like the team that’s won three straight national titles.

They carried a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning. Oklahoma State tied it up in the top of the sixth and the Sooners responded in a way only they know how, putting up six runs in the bottom of the inning and getting a much needed win ahead of the Big 12 tournament.

That was the first of current Oklahoma’s nine-game winning streak. During the streak, the Sooners have outscored their opponents 69-16. In their nine games, the OU has held their opponents to two runs or fewer seven times and scored six runs or more six times.

They’ve turned it on at the right time of the year, taking a more aggressive approach at the plate and on the base paths. They’re putting more pressure on opposing pitching staffs and taking advantage of mistakes in the field. It’s the effort and the approach of a veteran team that knows what it takes to win in May and June.

From [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag], and [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] at the plate to [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] and [autotag]Nicole May[/autotag] from the circle, the Sooners are rolling right now heading into the Women’s College World Series.

They’ll open with a tough matchup against ACC Champion Duke, but the Sooners are looking like a team ready to make more history.

More: Women’s College World Series By the Numbers

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners 11-3 win over the Florida State Seminoles

The Sooners earned a big win over Florida State in game one of the Super Regionals, and here are the best photos from the action.

The Oklahoma Sooners got off to a roaring start in their super regional matchup with the Florida State Seminoles. They struck first with a [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] home run and ran away from the Seminoles in an 11-3 win on Thursday evening.

Jennings is now tied with Sooners legend Lauren Chamberlain for third all-time in career home runs.

[autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] had a pair of home runs and [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag] added to the power display to give the Sooners four home runs in the win. In total, OU recorded 11 hits, 8 walks, and no strikeouts.

On a night when [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] wasn’t her sharpest, the offense picked her up with a fantastic showing in their first game of the Super Regionals.

“You know what, Kelly fought her rear-end off for this (victory),” Patty Gasso said after the win. “That’s a tough-hitting team. It’s like facing our own team. They swing. One thing they’re so good at, they probably hit 40 foul balls. Their at-bats lasted forever. I credit them for just being tough hitters, but I also credit Kelly for having to bear down and get through it. Holding them to three runs is big-time.”

Brito had a huge night, reaching base in all four plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with a walk, two home runs, and three RBIs. The home runs were her first since April 26 against UCF. [autotag]Kasidi Pickering[/autotag] also reached base four times in her 2-for-2 night with two walks and an RBI.

Now the pressure shifts to Florida State to try and extend the series to a game three. With the way the schedule sets up, Oklahoma may get an extended break if they were to close out the super regional with a win on Friday night. OU vs. Florida State was just one of two matchups to play on Thursday night, so the Sooners could get an extra day of rest ahead of the Women’s College World Series if they can secure the series tonight.

The Sooners and Seminoles will to Love’s Field at 7 p.m. CT and the game can be seen on ESPN2.

Here are the best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners 11-3 win over FSU.

Oklahoma Sooners run-rule Seminoles to open Norman Super Regional

Powered by Alyssa Brito’s two home runs, the Oklahoma Sooners beat Florida State 11-3 to take game one of their Super Regional matchup.

The Oklahoma Sooners came to play in their super regional opener against Florida State, earning an 11-3 walk-off run-rule win in five innings on Thursday evening.

[autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] worked around a bases loaded jam in the first inning against the Seminoles and then one of the greatest hitters the game has ever seen stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the first to help the Sooners strike first.

With one out, [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] took the 1-0 offering out of the park for her 22nd home run of the season and third in four NCAA tournament games. Oklahoma led 1-0 after one inning.

Maxwell settled in with a 1-2-3 second and [autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag] added to the lead with a two-strike double to bring in [autotag]Rylie Boone[/autotag] for a 2-0 advantage through two innings.

In the top of the third, Maxwell’s control got away from her a bit as she hit her second batter of the game and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with just one out. Florida State cashed in with a two-run single from Devyn Flaherty to tie the game at two.

But the Sooners responded as only they know how in the bottom of the inning. [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] hit the first of two home runs to regain the lead for Oklahoma. Then OU took advantage of a FSU error to plate two more and retake control of the game 5-2.

But they weren’t anywhere close to done. In the bottom of the fourth, the Sooners pulled away completely. Brito hit her second home run of the day, this time a two-run shot after [autotag]Ella Parker[/autotag]’s one out single.

[autotag]Kasidi Pickering[/autotag] singled ahead of Kinzie Hansen, who hit her 10th home run of the season, which made it 9-2. [autotag]Cydney Sanders[/autotag] capped off the scoring with an RBI single to give Oklahoma a commanding 10-2 lead and put the run rule in effect heading into the fifth.

Florida State was able to scratch out a run in the top half of the inning. But Seminoles pitching walked four batters in the bottom of the fifth and the Sooners took home the 11-3 win in walk-off fashion.

It was a rough outing for Maxwell, but she battled to give the Sooners offense a chance to take control of the game. She gave up three runs on four hits and six walks in an uncharacteristic performance for the Sooners ace.

Alyssa Brito led the way at the plate with a 3-for-3 day with two home runs and three RBIs. The home runs were her first since April 26 against UCF. She’s now up to 18 homers on the season with 59 RBIs.

Oklahoma and Florida State will play game two of the series on Friday night at 7 p.m. CT. Broadcast information is still to be determined. The Sooners are now one win away from reaching the Women’s College World Series for the eighth time and fourth straight season.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.