Tag: Lauren Chamberlain

Oklahoma Sooners beat UCLA Bruins 1-0

Kelly Maxwell recorded a career high 11 strikeouts as the Oklahoma Sooners beat the UCLA Bruins 1-0 in the Women’s College World Series.

The No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners softball team came into a marquee matchup against fellow softball blue-blood UCLA after beating Duke on Thursday. Saturday’s game against the No. 6 Bruins was a much closer battle, but the Sooners moved on to the NCAA semifinals with a 1-0 win.

After a scoreless first two innings, OU struck first with a solo home run by [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

It was Jenningsโ€™ 96th-career home run, which put her in third on the all-time list, passing former Sooner [autotag]Lauren Chamberlain[/autotag]. Jennings trails only Miami (OH)’s Karli Spaid and OU legend [autotag]Jocelyn Alo[/autotag].

The story of the rest of the game was Oklahoma’s [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag]. The pitcher shut down the Bruin offense with a career-high 11 strikeouts and pitched a gem of a shutout.

UCLA managed to get runners in scoring position in the third and sixth innings, but Maxwell’s career day turned the Bruins away at every turn. The top of the sixth inning, in particular, may have been Maxwell’s finest moment. With two on base for the Bruins, she forced a pop out and got a strikeout to thwart the UCLA threat.

Maxwell faced UCLA’s All-American Maya Brady four times on the afternoon and got the better of Brady each time. The first three were strikeouts before forcing a groundout that ended the game in the top of the seventh.

The Bruins will face Stanford in an elimination game on Sunday night, while the Sooners will wait until Monday for their next game.

[autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag]’s team is one win away from the championship series, and their next game will come against either Alabama or the loser of Saturday night’s Florida–Texas game.

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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 alsoย tied with the Gators with the most All-American selections.

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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.

Tiare Jennings solidifying herself as one of the all-time greats

She might not get all of the love that the others before her got but there is no question Jennings is one of the all-time Sooner greats.

[autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag] has coached some of the best players college softball has had to offer. Whether that’s [autotag]Lauren Chamberlain[/autotag], [autotag]Jocelyn Alo[/autotag], [autotag]Shelby Pendley[/autotag], [autotag]Keilani Ricketts[/autotag] or [autotag]Kristin Vesely[/autotag] the list goes on and on.

One player who isn’t mentioned as much as she should be alongside the best all-time is [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag]. Jennings has hit 88 career home runs, which is currently seventh in NCAA history and climbing. She’s just eight away from passing Chamberlain for second place, which would give Oklahoma the top three home run hitters in the history of the sport.

Jennings also ranks No. 7 in career runs batted in. She would need 37 more RBIs to break that record.

Patty Gasso discussed where Jennings ranks among the great players she’s coached. “You think of Alo and Chamberlain, big-time home runs. Just everyone has seen these big, long 300-foot home runs,” Gasso said. “Tiare you want her in clutch situations because she handles it so well. She’s a great two-strike hitter. She doesn’t strike out a lot. She doesn’t get nervous. She doesn’t try to overswing. She doesn’t try to show off. She’s just very team-oriented. ‘What can I do to help this team?'”

On the season, Jennings is hitting .446 with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs.

Sooner Nation has had the opportunity to witness greatness on the diamond at Marita Hynes Field for more than two decades. This year at Love’s Field, Jennings is putting together another strong season on the way to one of the best careers of all time.ย  When it’s all said and done, she’ll be among the best to play the game. Can she cap off her incredible career winning a fourth national championship in four years?

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Tiare Jennings named top second baseman by D1Softball

Tiare Jennings has had a historic career which is why it’s no surprise she tops D1Softball’s second baseman power rankings.

We have now reached less than two weeks before the start of the 2024 softball season. The Oklahoma Sooners are once again the favorite to be crowned national champions.

A big reason why is they are loaded at just about every position. Earlier this week, we told you about Kinzie Hansen being named the top catcher in the sport, but now another Sooner has been named top at her position.

[autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] was named the top second baseman by D1Softball (subscription required). Jennings has had an incredible career, starting when she first stepped on the diamond back in 2021 as a true freshman.

Since then, she’s only expanded upon that. She has a career batting average of .427 with 73 home runs and 245 RBIs. She would need 84 RBIs to become the all-time RBI leader in NCAA history, passing Arizona’s Jenny Dalton. She has had more than 84 RBIs twice in her career.

She won’t be able to catch Jocelyn Alo as the home run queen, but she does have a chance at passing [autotag]Lauren Chamberlain[/autotag] for second place all-time. She would need 23 home runs to do that, which is also something she’s done twice in her career.

This year could be a year of making history. Oklahoma could be the first team to win four straight national championships, and Jennings could make some history of her own.

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Oklahoma Softball greats, fans honor Marita Hynes Field in its final homestand

Former Sooners greats and fans share on social media about the final weekend of softball at Marita Hynes Field.

As the Oklahoma Sooners host their super regional matchup with the Clemson Tigers in an effort to defend their back-to-back national championships, they say goodbye to the place they’ve called home for the last 25 years.

With Oklahoma’s Love’s Field set to open in time for the 2024 home slate, the Sooners are playing their last series at Marita Hynes Field in Norman. It’s been the home to national champions and national players of the year. It’s been the place where Patty Gasso has established the legend that’s made her the face of college softball.

With the weekend to say goodbye to Marita Hynes Field, Oklahoma softball greats of the past and fans shared what they felt about one of the legendary sites of collegiate athletics.

WPF and Lauren Chamberlain announce expansion for 2023 with the addition of the OKC Spark

Lauren Chamberlain announced planned expansion of the Women’s Professional Fastpitch in 2023 with the addition of the OKC Spark.

The growth of softball in the United States is undeniable. Over the last several years, the Women’s College World Series has become one of the hottest events on the sports calendar. And that’s not just in Oklahoma.

In 2022, the WCWS outperformed the College World Series in the ratings, providing further evidence that women’s sports can be incredibly popular.

Capitalizing on that popularity, the Women’s Professional Fastpitch announced plans to expand, adding a team in the softball hotbed of Oklahoma City. Joining the Smash It Vipers and the USSSA Pride in 2023 will be the Oklahoma City Spark.

Lauren Chamberlain, commissioner of the WPF and Oklahoma Softball legend said told Jenni Carlson of the Oklahoman, “it was a no-brainer” to add the Spark to Oklahoma City.

With the incredible following that Oklahoma and Oklahoma State softball have in the state and the numbers that descend on Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series, a professional team makes all the sense in the world for the burgeoning league.

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Every Oklahoma Sooner to win Big 12 Athlete of the Year

From football to softball, basketball to gymnastics, here are the 15 athletes who have won Big 12 Athlete of the Year.

With Jocelyn Alo taking home the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year award, that makes 15 Sooners who’ve been recognized as the Big 12’s best.

Football leads the way with six awards, followed by softball with four. women’s gymnastics has recorded three Big 12 Athlete of the Year awards, while men’s and women’s basketball each has won the award once.

Josh Heupel got the ball rolling back in 2000-2001 after helping the Oklahoma Sooners win the 2000 national championship. Jocelyn Alo is the most recent recipient of the athlete of the year award after a dominating season at the plate for Oklahoma.

With Alo bringing home another Athlete of the Year award, let’s take a look at every Sooner to win the Big 12’s award.

Jocelyn Alo adds to her list of accomplishments with Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year award

Jocelyn Alo was named Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year after hitting .511 with 34 HRs and 85 RBIs in 2022 to help OU win the national championship.

The incredible legend of Oklahoma Softball’s [autotag]Jocelyn Alo[/autotag] continues to grow after an incredible season that helped the Oklahoma Sooners win their second consecutive national championship.

In a season where she hit .511, with 34 home runs and 75 RBIs, Alo was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year for the second time and won the ESPY for Best Collegiate Athlete, Women’s Sports.

Off on her professional career with the Smash It Vipers and getting set to participate in the Japan Series with the USWNT, Alo was awarded Big 12’s Female Athlete of the Year award for 2021-2022.

Alo is the third Sooner in a row to take home the award, with gymnasts Anastasia Webb and Maggie Nichols taking home the trophy in the two seasons before Alo.

Oklahoma has dominated the award as 15 Oklahoma Sooners have been awarded Big 12 Athlete of the Year in the 26-year history of the conference. Previous winners also include Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, Buddy Hield, and Lauren Chamberlain, and Keilani Ricketts.

In Alo’s final season at OU, she set the all-time NCAA home run record with 122 home runs and became the most feared hitter in college softball. She leaves a legacy on the sport and in Norman as one of the greatest athletes Oklahoma has ever had.

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ESPN’s Beth Mowins says Tiare Jennings the ‘frontrunner’ for Collegiate Player of the Year in 2023

ESPN softball analyst Beth Mowins puts Oklahoma Sooners’ Tiare Jennings out front in 2023 Collegiate Player of the Year discussions for 2023.

It was a tremendous year for Oklahoma Sooners softball as they complete their quest for back-to-back national championships, sweeping Texas in the championship series. It’s their sixth national championship in program history. It was a record-setting season that had the nation marveling at the offensive output and the pitching carried its weight throughout 2022 as well.

With the season now over, the Sooners say goodbye to several super seniors, most notably the NCAA’s all-time home run queen, [autotag]Jocelyn Alo[/autotag]. But that doesn’t mean they’re slowing down by any stretch of the imagination.

While Jocelyn Alo deserves all the recognition for what she’s done at the plate, the woman hitting right behind her is a dominant offensive force in her own right; Tiare Jennings.

Jennings, who just completed her sophomore season hit 29 home runs and drove in 87 RBIs. This a year after hitting 27 home runs with 92 RBIs as a freshman. Yes, that’s 56 home runs and 179 RBIs in two seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners. While her “Bash Sister” has gobbled up the national player of the year awards, Tiare Jennings was a worthwhile option in her own right.

According to Beth Mowins, who took part in ESPN’s college softball roundtable to conclude the 2022 season, Tiare Jennings is the frontrunner for collegiate player of the year in 2023, saying, “I’m going to go way out on a limb and say that Tiare Jennings has put herself as the front-runner for national player of the year.”

Mowins was being a bit facetious, but her bold prediction certainly isn’t that bold. Jennings, the 2021 national freshman of the year, and a two-time first-team All-American has a chance to be the best hitter in softball over the next couple of years with Alo now playing professionally.

She finished the 2022 season first in RBIs (again), and third in home runs. While her batting average was lower than the .462 she hit as a freshman, she still hit an incredible .401 and went on a tear in the NCAA tournament.

In the postseason, Jennings hit .486 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs. She also added four doubles and 14 runs scored to win her second national championship in as many years with the Oklahoma Sooners.

With 56 home runs in two years, she has a great chance to pass former Sooners great Lauren Chamberlain for No. 2 all-time during her senior season. Jennings could also end up as the second player in NCAA history to surpass the 100 home run mark.

She’s off to an incredible start to her Sooners career and she’s just getting started. While there are concerns about who’s hitting behind her to provide the protection that she provided Jocelyn Alo, Jennings has proven that she’s one of the best players in college softball and will only get better.

Tiare Jennings Photo Gallery