Coach Patty Gasso and the second-ranked OU softball team will look to win an unprecedented fourth straight Women’s College World Series title Thursday night against top-seeded Texas.
The Sooners earned an 8-3 win over the Longhorns in their opener on Wednesday.
Here’s what you need to know about Game 2 of the WCWS Finals between the Sooners (58-7) and Longhorns (55-9):
more:Relive OU softball’s run to three straight WCWS titles with our “Crimson Empire” book.
Live score updates for OU vs Texas softball in Game 2 of the WCWS Finals
Live updates:Texas vs. Oklahoma Softball Game 2 score, WCWS Finals highlights
Top 7: AU 8, TX 4
Kelly Maxwell returns to the ring to try to finish the title win.
Viviana Martinez grounded out to left field for the first time.
Reece Atwood struck out swinging for the second time.
Katie Stewart dropped to third to win her fourth straight NCAA title.
—Jeff Patterson, staff writer
more:OU softball holds off Texas, captures record fourth straight WCWS championship
Bottom 6: OU 8, Texas 4 | Sooner add insurance operations
After Riley Boone singled, Sidney Sanders walked and Avery Hodge had a hit, the Sooners had the top of the order with just one out.
Jayda Coleman gave the Sooners much-needed insurance with an RBI single to right to make it 6-4 OU.
Tiare Jennings came to prominence for the second time.
Ella Parker then opened it up with a double up the middle.
After walking Alyssa Brito to load the bases, Kenzie Hansen got a shot to end the game via a base run with a grand slam, but grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sooners are three outs away from their eighth NCAA softball tournament.
—Jeff Patterson, staff writer
Top 6: OU 5, Texas 4 | Kelly Maxwell relieved Nicole Maye by running two on and two out
After an Ashton Maloney double gave Longhorns runners on second and third with two out, OU coach Patty Gasso went to left field.
Kelly Maxwell, who has pitched the Gems for the past two days, came in to relieve Nicole May.
Mia Scott reached on an RBI single to second, but a base run blunder ended the inning.
Scott rounded first after Avery Hodge passed the ball and Scott was tagged to send the game to the bottom of the sixth with OU leading 5-4.
—Jeff Patterson, staff writer
End 5: OU 5, Texas 3 | You can’t add OU to go ahead of Citlaly Gutierrez
OU got a two-out walk by Alyssa Brito but that was all the Sooners got in the fifth, as they led off with two outs in the sixth.
Citlaly Gutierrez came on in relief for the Longhorns, striking out Tiari Jennings and Ella Parker before walking Brito and getting Kenzie Hansen to ground out to end the inning.
-Ryan Aber, staff writer
Mid 5: OU 5, Texas 3 | Nicole May takes a quick walkthrough
Nicole May came up big in her first inning of relief, as she used her changeup to keep Texas off balance, hitting two in action with a one-two-three frame.
Katie Stewart and Alyssa Washington had hit swing after leadoff.
-Ryan Aber, staff writer
End 4: OU 5, Texas 3 | Sidney Sanders gives the Sooners the lead
The only two hits Cydney Sanders hit in the WCWS were home runs.
But Sanders broke that stretch in the fourth inning, tying a bases-clearing double to right-center with the bases loaded and a single to put the Sooners up 5-3.
Sanders reached out and pushed Estelle Cheek’s 2-2 cross into the gap to score Kenzie Hansen, Cassidy Pickering and Riley Boone.
After Alyssa Brito flied out to the warning track to start the inning, the Sooners rallied together.
Hansen singled to left, Pickering singled to right, and Boone beat out a slow flyer to be first to load the bases.
-Ryan Aber, staff writer
Middle 4: Texas 3, OU 2 | Longhorns take the lead
Avery Hodge was excellent at second base for the Sooners.
But in the fourth, Hodge couldn’t handle Mia Scott’s sharp hit coming her way, allowing Cayden Henry to go up and score to give the Longhorns a 3-2 lead.
The unearned run came against Kierston Dell, the Sooners’ third pitcher of the game.
-Ryan Aber, staff writer
End 3: OU 2, Texas 2 | Ella Parker almost got another
OU freshman Ella Parker nearly gave the Sooners a two-run lead, blasting a 2-1 Estelle Czech pitch over the wall in right-center field before being singled to end the inning.
Avery Hodge started the inning with a single. The next two batters each moved it but the Sooners couldn’t quite break it down.
-Ryan Aber, staff writer
more:How OU softball freshman Cassidy Pickering’s quiet confidence anchors the WCWS lineup against Texas
Top 3: OU 2, Texas 2 | Payten Monticelli comes in relief
Carly Kinney got the first two batters out in the third inning.
Then things started to fall apart for her.
The Longhorns got two straight singles before Keeney walked Katie Stewart.
Texas captain Alyssa Washington hit a hard grounder up the middle to tie it, and the ball evaded the outstretched glove of Tiare Jennings.
The Longhorns could only manage one run, and Sooners coach Patty Gasso went with sophomore Payten Monticelli out of the bullpen.
Monticelli has not appeared in a game since May 9 against Kansas.
Monticelli initially struggled with her command before getting Julie Mitchell to ground out to end the inning.
-Ryan Aber, staff writer
more:Why was Oklahoma softball player Riley Boone called up against Texas? Explain the basic operating rules of WCWS
Bottom 2: OU 2, Texas 1 | Cassidy Pickering’s teammates give the Sooners the lead
Freshman Cassidy Pickering slammed another WCWS home run, this time a two-run homer to left field to put the Sooners up 2-1.
Pickering jumped on Mack Morgan’s first pitch off the bat, a lofted ball.
Pickering came back with a win over the Longhorns on Wednesday as well.
With the home run, Pickering and Ella Parker are the first group of freshmen in OU history with at least 10 home runs and 50 RBIs.
Alyssa Brito started the inning with a double off the center field wall before Pickering put OU ahead two batters later.
With two outs, Avery Hodge drew a clear walk to give OU runners on first and second.
But OU’s Riley Boone left first base early and after review, Boone was called to end the inning.
-Ryan Aber, staff writer
more:How OU softball freshman Cassidy Pickering’s quiet confidence anchors the WCWS lineup against Texas
Mid 2: Texas 1, OU 0 | The longhorns penetrate first
Carly Kinney wasn’t hurt from walking at first.
The second, she wasn’t quite so lucky.
After Kenney walked two, Cayden Henry sent a single to right and Reece Atwood raced in to score to give the Longhorns a 1-0 lead.
Avery Hodge made another strong defensive play to end the inning, racing in and flipping quickly to Cydney Sanders to retire the home run.
—Ryan Aber, staff writer
End 1: OU 0, Texas 0 | Sooner couldn’t capitalize on Jayda Coleman’s groundbreaking song
Jayda Coleman blasted off with a rocket shot to take third place ahead of Texas’ Mack Morgan.
Mia Scott got a glove on Coleman’s hit, but bounced it away when Coleman reached a single.
But Tari Jennings and Ella Parker were followed by grounders, Jennings’ fielder’s choice to retire Coleman and Parker leading to a double play to keep the game scoreless after one out.
—Ryan Aber, staff writer
Mid 1: Avery Hodge with another excellent defensive play
Making her fourth straight start following an injury to Alina Torres, Avery Hodge continues to make the most of her opportunity.
Hodge attacked Viviana Martinez’s fielder, caught him right at second base, quickly touched base and fired to first for a double play to end the first inning.
It’s the latest solid defensive play from Hodge, who made two big plays down the field in Wednesday’s win.
—Ryan Aber, staff writer
The starting lineup for Oklahoma vs. Texas in Game 2 of the WCWS Finals
Avery Hodge remains in OU’s starting lineup at second base in place of Alina Torres.
—Jeff Patterson, staff writer
Uni-watch: New look for OU softball, Texas in Game 2 of the WCWS Finals
The Sooners wear their crimson uniforms on Thursday night, while the Longhorns wear their all-white look.
—Jeff Patterson, staff writer
Pregame update: Karlie Keeney starts in the Sooner circle
Carly Kinney will start for the OU in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series finals on Thursday night.
Nicole May is the only pitcher other than Kelly Maxwell to start a WCWS game in the rotation for the Sooners this season.
Keeney has made just one appearance in the WCWS, throwing 1 1/3 innings in Monday’s loss to Florida.
She made one appearance against the Longhorns in the regular season, throwing one scoreless inning in an April 6 loss in Austin.
Keeney is 6-1 with a 1.66 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 59 innings.
Maxwell pitched back-to-back complete games over the past two days for the Sooners, throwing a total of 267 pitches in wins over Florida and Texas.
—Ryan Aber, staff writer
more:OU softball turns Karlie Keeney into starter against Texas in WCWS Finals, Game 2
ESPN: OU vs Texas sets WCWS Game 1 audience record
ESPN announced that Game 1 of the WCWS Championship Series peaked with 2.1 million viewers and averaged 1.9 million viewers, setting a record for a first game in the Finals.
—Jeff Patterson, staff writer
more:Who is O Nana? How Shorters superfan Patty Gunter always brings “energy” to the WCWS
OU softball highlights against Texas in Game 2 of the WCWS Finals
more:Mussatto: Tiare Jennings is more than just an OU softball legend. She’s great at WCWS all the time.
What time does the OU vs. Texas baseball game start?
- date: Thursday, June 6
- time: 7 pm Cairo time
- where: (Devon Park, Oklahoma City).
more:OU softball vs Texas prediction for WCWS Championship, Game 2: Can the Sooners win the NCAA title?
What channel is the OU softball game vs. Texas being broadcast today in the WCWS finals?
more:OU softball topples Texas as Kelly Maxwell, Sooners close to fourth straight WCWS title
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