The Sooners ended the longest four-year streak in Division I history with an 8-4 victory over Texas on Thursday night in the Women’s College World Series.
The clinch came in game two of the best-of-three championship series before a sellout crowd of 12,324 at Devon Park.
OU has now won eight national crowns.
For good measure, the Sooners have now beaten Texas 33 times in the last 36 meetings and are 6-0 against the Longhorns in the WCWS.
This year’s championship ring was undoubtedly tight for OU, who secured their fourth straight national championship at the party.
After last season’s 61-1 magic carpet ride to the crown, this year’s journey was even more difficult.
Although the elderly who go Taylor Jennings, Jayda Coleman, Kinzie Hanson, Rylie Boone And Nicole May Never having lost their last game in any season, doubters came from all angles in 2024 — including across state lines.
“We battled all season,” Hansen said. “Everybody had something to say about us all the time. People counted us out. It’s just that – mentally, physically. We fought all year. Everything was worth it this time.”
“Honestly, the whole season was tough,” Coleman added. “As we went along, game one, game two, if we lost to Texas, everybody had an opinion about us. It was disappointing to see everybody on Twitter, hoping for nobody on TikTok, but it didn’t happen for us, so.
Head coach Patty Gaso She admits the stakes were high for her Sooners.
“People say we’re going to win one. You’re like, ‘OK.’ It’s not like that, it’s tough,” Gasso said.
“Everything has to go right. The thing about them is that they are strong. They have a lot of pride in that. It’s hard for me to understand. I keep saying that this was the hardest thing to manage.
“It wasn’t easy this season. I listen to them (my players) and I agree. It’s probably the most difficult coaching season I’ve had because with so many thinkers, so much… It’s hard, I don’t know how to describe it.
In terms of pitch, Thursday’s cup game was uncharacteristically chaotic. OU (59-7) and Texas (55-10) both rallied by committee, combining for eight pitchers.
Through the first 17 outings, the Sooners sent four pitchers to the circle.
Right hand drive Carly Kinney He began, quite relieved Payne MonticelliThe one on the left Kirsten’s agreementAnd then May came right.
Monticelli made its first appearance on May 9 and made its fourth appearance in March. The Wisconsin transfer grounded out to first base.
May’s most recent appearance came in a 9-3 semifinal loss at Florida, where she allowed six hits and four runs in the first 2.0 innings.
But tonight, May performed admirably after starting the top of the fifth. She struck out four of the seven batters she faced with one hit in 1.2 innings.
With two outs, runners on second and third, OU clung to a 5-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning. Kelly Maxwell’s Turn around.
If it’s possible to breathe a sigh of relief while screaming your lungs out at the same time, that’s exactly what the Sooner faithful did as soon as Maxwell stepped out of the left field corner bullpen.
“It’s one of the funnest games I’ve been in because of it,” Gasso said of the revolving pitcher’s door. “It was planned exactly, and exactly how it worked, to a tee, to a tee.”
Maxwell faces just one batter in the sixth. What ensued was an adventure to say the least.
Mia Scott’s short-hop grounder to second base Avery Hodge’s Gaunt and Scott were fine at first.
When UT’s Jolie Mitchell scored from third to make it 5-4, Scott not only failed to make it back to first base, but she inexplicably took two slow steps to second, standing behind the OU first baseman. Sydney Sanders.
Hodge still had the ball and quickly flipped it to Sanders, who tagged Scott to end the inning and put the tying run at third.
UT’s last run counted in May. Ironically, May was the first inning of relief she allowed since February of her sophomore season.
In the sixth inning, the Sooners’ offense scored three runs on three hits, and despite leaving three on base, they were still able to double up the Longhorns, 8-4.
Maxwell, who was voted the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, calmly shut down the Texas bats in the seventh to seal the deal.
Southpaw by Hanson, Jennings, Ella Parker And Cassidy Pickering As part of OU’s tournament-leading five selections to the WCWS All-Tournament Team.
In the end, Sooner Magic was combined with Maxwell Magic.
Maxwell transferred from Oklahoma State after last season, but was sky-sent for the Sooners.
“It was great,” Maxwell said. “This whole team, they’re special. I’m just grateful to be a part of it.”
Deal (14-1) got the win. UT pitcher Estelle Czech (8-4), one of two pitchers in the Sooners’ 2-1 win in early April, took the loss.
Texas entered the game with a 43-0 record this season. The Longhorns took a 1-0 lead in the second, but finished the season 43-1.
Freshman outfielder Cassidy Pickering He launched a two-run home run to left in the bottom of the second to put OU up 2-1.
Texas tied the score at 2 in the third and took a 3-2 lead in the fourth. The Sooners took the lead with three runs in four innings. In the sixth, OU provided the final insurance it needed to secure a three-point lead.
“These players are tired, but they keep going,” Gasso said. “It’s the love for each other. It’s the love for the game. It’s the love for the university. But they’re great athletes with a lot of passion.”
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