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The Oklahoma Sooners face the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a top 25 showdown, but what are the other top games this weekend.
The 2024 softball season is off and running, and tournament play from coast-to-coast continues this week.
The Oklahoma Sooners are heading west for the annual Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic for a five-game slate. Additionally, some fantastic matchups are happening in Austin, Raleigh and in Athens.
But what are the best matchups happening this weekend? Here’s a look at eight games we’re looking forward to.
The Oklahoma Sooners were well-represented in D1 Softball’s top 100 players ahead of the 2024 season.
The top team in the nation for the last three seasons is reloaded and ready to defend their crown in 2024.
Riding a 53-game winning streak, the Sooners enter the season as the No. 1 team in the nation and look to win a record-setting fourth-consecutive national title.
Though they experienced some turnover, like the loss of Jordy Bahl to Nebraska, the Sooners are still the most talented team, top to bottom. They have a deep lineup and once again a deep pitching staff thanks to Patty Gasso and Jennifer Rocha’s recruiting at the high school ranks and via the transfer portal.
Seven Sooners were represented in D1Softball’s preseason top 100 players (subscription required) in college softball. Oklahoma claimed two of the top six spots, four in the top 15, and six players in the top 26 in the nation. Five of those six are returning from the 2023 season.
Stanford was the only other team with multiple players in the top 15, with [autotag]NiJaree Canady[/autotag] ( No. 4) and [autotag]Taryn Kern[/autotag] (No. 12). Former Sooner [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] came in at No. 2 in the nation behind Clemson’s Valerie Cagle at No. 1.
Here’s where the seven Sooners landed in the annual preseason ranking.
Taking a way-too-early stab at the 2024 season, D1Softball shared their predictions on which teams make the Women’s College World Series next year.
Coming off a national championship three-peat it should come as no surprise that the Oklahoma Sooners are expected back in the Women’s College World Series in 2024.
Looking ahead to 2024, D1Softball issued its way-too-early predictions (subscription required) for which teams make next year’s WCWS.
Of course, Oklahoma is expected to be in the mix.
Even without Bahl, the Sooners aren’t going away. Oklahoma still brings back a lot of talent from its 2023 roster. Every major contributor returns for the back-to-back-to-back champions aside from Bahl, Alex Storako, Haley Lee and Grace Lyons. Kierston Deal’s role will likely increase and become the second arm alongside Nicole May. Expect the Sooners to also add another big-time pitcher through the portal like they have done in the past few seasons. Jocelyn Erickson or Sophia Nugent can fill the designated player role. Who plays shortstop is a big question, but there are plenty of candidates – and potential transfer additions – that could take over. – Brady Vernon, D1Softball
Nugent entered the portal, but Oklahoma has options on the bench to replicate Haley Lee and Grace Lyons’ production from 2023.
From their No. 1 scoring lineup, the Sooners return everyone but Grace Lyons in the batting order. Jayda Coleman and Tiare Jennings lead the way for a squad hoping to do what no team has done: Win four in a row.
But they’ll have to do so without staff ace Jordy Bahl, who entered the transfer portal on Monday after two years with the Sooners.
Still, Oklahoma has Nicole May, who was fantastic in 2023, finishing with a sub-1.00 ERA. They’ll also put more on Kierston Deal’s plate after she showed well in relief in 2023.
Here’s who D1Softball is predicting to be back in Oklahoma City in 2024.
Oklahoma found the magic one more time in their 4-2 win over the Stanford Cardinal to advance to the Women’s College World Series championship.
At this point, what more is there to say about the Oklahoma Sooners? We are witnesses to one of the greatest runs in collegiate athletics of all time.
Their 4-2 win over Stanford was another feather in the cap of one of the greatest teams in the history of college softball. And they earned their win in a way that’s becoming all too commonplace for the Oklahoma Sooners: a clutch hit from one of their best players with two strikes in the at-bat.
They did it on Thursday against NiJaree Canady, and they did it again in the top of the ninth when Tiare Jennings took the 0-2 pitch to the gap in right-center to score two and put the Sooners ahead for good.
It was a moment of a player harnessing a short memory and making a play in the biggest moment of the game.
Tiare Jennings was 0-4 on the day and was 0-5 against Canady in the two games in the Women’s College World Series.
And that’s why Stanford head coach Jessica Allister elected to walk Jayda Coleman. The Cardinal had Jennings’ number, but this time Tiare answered the call.
“Tiare has this ability to get locked in like nobody I’ve ever seen as well,” Patty Gasso said after the win. “Her swing just looked kind of easy. It looked pretty free and easy and ran right into it at the right time.”
Oklahoma’s lineup creates lose-lose situations for opposing coaches. Pitch to Jayda Coleman, who hit a home run earlier in the game, or to Jennings, who had struggled against the Cardinal. In Jennings’ mind, walking Coleman didn’t change what she needed to do. She knew the Sooners were going to need her in that moment.
“I didn’t know they were going to do that to Jayda,” Jennings said. “It kind of didn’t matter to me. Either way, I was going to have to find a way to either get on or help my team as best I can… I was going to battle. But I was going to keep swinging and just do whatever I can to help the team.”
And just as she has on so many occasions in her three-year career with the Oklahoma Sooners, Tiare Jennings made the magic happen. And it was fitting that the two-RBI double set the record for most runs batted in in a Women’s College World Series.
On her 21st birthday, Jennings was the gift to Sooner Nation, giving Oklahoma the lift it needed to advance to their fourth-straight Women’s College World Series championship.
After trailing 2-0 in the first, Nicole May and Jordy Bahl combined for eight scoreless innings and Tiare Jennings hit the go ahead double in the ninth to send Oklahoma to the WCWS Championship Series.
Oklahoma was tested once again and passed it with flying colors against the Stanford Cardinal, picking up their 51st win in a row, 4-2 in extra innings.
Nicole May and Alana Vawter got the start for their respective sides. Both pitched well before giving way to [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] and NiJaree Canady, who recreated their pitcher’s duel from Thursday, with the Sooners coming out on top once again.
Stanford started fast in the first inning. They had three hits in the inning, highlighted by Kylie Chung’s two-run home run to give Stanford a 2-0 lead right out of the gate. Each of the three hits came with two strikes in the at-bat.
Oklahoma then scored in the second inning thanks to a sac-fly by [autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag] that brought home [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] to make it 2-1 after two innings. [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] then opened the third inning with a home run that tied it after three innings 2-2. It was Coleman’s 17th home run of the season and is tied for the team lead.
The game was a stalemate the rest of the way as Bahl and Canady put on a pitching clinic. The two underclassmen were fantastic. Even when they gave up a hit, found ways to work around trouble.
In the top of the ninth inning, Oklahoma finally found some separation when, after a leadoff double by [autotag]Grace Lyons[/autotag] and an intentional walk to Coleman, [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] doubled to right field to make it 4-2.
𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘 🥳🥳🥳 @_tiarejennings pic.twitter.com/ebp5dj3cS1
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) June 5, 2023
In the bottom of the ninth, Bahl made quick work of the Cardinal, retiring them in order, including two strikeouts.
After allowing two runs on three hits in the first inning, [autotag]Nicole May[/autotag] rallied to retire the side in the next four frames against Stanford. It wasn’t until the bottom of the sixth that she allowed the fourth hit of the game. She collected three strikeouts and didn’t allow a walk in what turned out to be a clutch performance.
Bahl threw four innings, allowing four hits and collecting six strikeouts to pick up her 21st win of the tournament.
For Stanford, Vawter allowed four hits and two runs while also having two strikeouts. Canady was the star for the Cardinal. She allowed four hits and two runs on four hits and picked up six strikeouts.
Game 1 of the WCWS Championship will start on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT, and will be broadcast on ESPN. It’s Oklahoma’s fourth straight trip to the Women’s College World Series Championship and
The Sooners will face the winner of No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 4 Tennessee.
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The Sooners took the lead on Tiare Jennings two-run double in the top of the ninth and Jordy Bahl closed the door on Stanford to set Social Media on fire.
In the UFC, they say, “styles make fights.” That was certainly on display in the semifinal of the Women’s College World Series.
The Oklahoma Sooners and Stanford Cardinal recreated their pitchers’ duel from Thursday with another spectacular game, highlighting fantastic pitching throughout the extra-inning contest.
In the end, the Oklahoma Sooners came out on top, 4-2, to move on to their fourth consecutive Women’s College World Series championship.
Stanford jumped to an early 2-0 lead on a Kylie Chung two-run home run. Oklahoma picked up a run in the top of the second and third innings to tie it.
After that first inning, when Nicole May struggled to put away hitters when she had two strikes, she was lights out. May retired the side in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings before giving up a hit to lead off the sixth. Patty Gasso went to Jordy Bahl, who still hasn’t allowed a run in the Women’s College World Series.
Neither May or Bahl gave up a free pass in the game.
And that set the stage for another “Sooner Magic” moment.
Grace Lyons led off the top of the ninth with a double and advanced on a Rylie Boone groundout. With two outs, Stanford elected to walk Jayda Coleman to pitch to Tiare Jennings, who was 0-4.
Facing NiJaree Canady on her birthday, Jennings was down 0-2 and then knocked a line drive into the gap in right-center. Lyons and Coleman came around to give Oklahoma the 4-2 lead.
It was another incredibly clutch performance for this team, which always seems to rise to the occasion. It was another amazing win in the 2023 season, their 51st in a row. And now the Oklahoma Sooners are on their way to defend their back-to-back national championships.
The Oklahoma Sooners are just one win away from reaching the Women’s College World Series finals. Oklahoma got to this point after a pair of shutouts over Stanford and Tennessee to open the WCWS. Now, they get to face the Cardinal at least one more …
The Oklahoma Sooners are just one win away from reaching the Women’s College World Series finals.
Oklahoma got to this point after a pair of shutouts over Stanford and Tennessee to open the WCWS. Now, they get to face the Cardinal at least one more time on Monday. If the Sooners win, they’ll move on to face the winner of Florida State vs. Tennessee. An Oklahoma loss in game one sets up a winner-take-all scenario tomorrow afternoon.
The Seminoles are in the same “win, and you’re in” boat as the Sooners. If they can take care of business against a game Lady Vols squad, then Oklahoma and Florida State will play a rematch of the 2021 Women’s College World Series finals, which the Sooners won as the first of their back-to-back national championships.
There’s a strong chance that we could see a pitching rematch of Jordy Bahl vs. NiJaree Canady. The two young aces have been fantastic in the postseason, in particular in the Women’s College World Series.
Canady has allowed just one earned run in two starts and Bahl hasn’t allowed a run in the WCWS. If we are graced with another Bahl vs. Canady matchup, they’ll have to be locked in to recreate the magic we saw last Thursday.
To get you ready for the game, here’s a look at how to watch and key players to keep an eye on in this WCWS semifinal matchup.
In a classic pitcher’s duel, Jordy Bahl delivered for the Oklahoma Sooners with an incredible complete game shutout performance vs. Stanford.
Watching Oklahoma Softball, one enters a game expecting to see offensive fireworks. In the Sooners’ 2-0 win over Stanford on Thursday, there were certainly fireworks, but in the form of a classic pitcher’s duel.
[autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] vs. NiJaree Canady brought back memories of Pedro Martinez vs. Roger Clemens or Andy Pettite for John Smoltz in the late 90s and early 2000s.
It was the stuff legends are made of.
Bahl and Canady put together performances that created a drama-filled opener for the two sides in the Women’s College World Series.
Canady, who led the nation in ERA entering the game, held the Sooners scoreless for the first 4.2 innings of work. Even in the fifth inning, when the Sooners broke through, she had Alynah Torres, Rylie Boone, and Jayda Coleman all at two strikes, and each hitter came up with a hit.
It was the Sooners’ clutchness that helped them overcome a fantastic pitching performance from Canady. And it was Bahl’s toughness, resiliency, and strikeout prowess that kept the Cardinal off the board.
Jordy Bahl allowed multiple base runners in three innings but forced Stanford to leave seven runners on base. When things tightened up for the Sooners’ sophomore pitcher, she locked in and struck her way out of several jams.
Or, as Patty Gasso said after the game, “She was just a boss today.”
“She said it herself – she lives for those moments,” Gasso said. “It’s not a lie. It’s real. She loves the pressure, and that’s where she thrives the most.”
In the pressure cooker, Bahl put together an incredible performance. Her 11 strikeouts were the third-highest total in 2023 and the sixth time she’s reached double-digit strikeouts in her collegiate career.
The Oklahoma offense has carried the Sooners for much of the last three seasons. However, in the Sooners Women’s College World Series opener, Jordy Bahl carried the Sooners in an incredible performance to help Oklahoma advance.
“Bahl has done such things throughout her two seasons in Norman, but that doesn’t mean they should be taken for granted,” Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman wrote. “She still has a long way to go and is continuing to add to her legend, but what she did against Stanford is a reminder of just how talented she is. How tough she is, too.”
And the Sooners needed every bit of her toughness and grit to guide them through to a winner’s bracket showdown vs. the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday.
Jordy Bahl was clutch and Jayda Coleman came through with the big hit to set social media ablaze after the Sooners 2-0 win over Stanford.
The Oklahoma Sooners are going to get every team’s best, every time out. On Thursday in their Women’s College World Series opener, the Sooners were challenged by one of the best pitchers in softball and passed the test.
NiJaree Canady came into the game leading the nation in ERA, and it took the Sooners until the fifth inning to finally break through with their first and only runs of the game.
But it was the timely, late-inning heroics that have become commonplace for the Sooners that won the day. Jayda Coleman came through with a two-out RBI single that squirted through the left fielder to score another run to give the Sooners all the offense they needed on a day when Jordy Bahl was dealing.
Bahl earned the complete-game shutout, pitching around several situations with multiple runners on with her determination and strikeout prowess. She allowed five hits, one walk, and no runs. She struck out 11 Cardinal to pick up the win and move to 19-1 on the season.
With a record-setting crowd in attendance, the Sooners extended their all-tim win streak record to 49 games and will now play the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday at 2 pm CT on ABC.
It was a great game between two fantastic pitchers, but the outcome had Sooner Nation buzzing.
Game times and how to watch day one of the Women’s College World Series.
The Oklahoma Sooners take their next step toward winning their third straight national championship on Thursday when the Women’s College World Series begins day one.
There are several intriguing matchups to watch on Thursday and while the Sooners are the favorites, they’ll face challenges on their side of the bracket from every team.
Led by Ashley Jones, Tennessee is No. 2 in the nation in team ERA, and Stanford’s [autotag]NiJaree Canady[/autotag] leads the nation in ERA. The Volunteers are also No. 2 in the nation in scoring offense. Alabama isn’t a team to sleep on either, with [autotag]Montana Fouts[/autotag] leading the way for the Crimson Tide.
The other side of the bracket doesn’t have to face UCLA, but Florida State and Oklahoma State are playing good ball. Washington and Utah have been battle-tested through the Pac-12.
Thursday’s matchups are just the beginning of the double-elimination bracket. The first-round elimination games will take place on Friday.
Here’s a look at Thursday’s matchups and how to watch.
No 4. Tennessee vs. No. 5 Alabama: 11:00 am CDT on ESPN
No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Stanford: 1:30 pm CDT on ESPN
No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 6 Oklahoma State: 6:00 pm CDT on ESPN
No. 7 Washington vs. No. 15 Utah: 8:30 pm CDT on ESPN
📍 @USASoftball Hall of Fame Complex#WCWS pic.twitter.com/sjoxqSJw8t
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 31, 2023
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