Clemson softball's season ends at Norman Super Regional in wild Game 2 vs. Oklahoma
NORMAN, Okla. — Oklahoma softball would not be denied. The No. 1-seed Sooners used a three-run seventh inning to tie the game and a solo home run in the ninth to win it and beat No. 16-seed Clemson 8-7 to sweep the Norman Super Regional on Saturday.
The loss in the best-of-three series ended Clemson's season short of the program's first Women's College World Series. The Tigers (49-12) remain winless in their two super regional appearances. The victory also gave the Sooners (56-1) the NCAA record for consecutive wins at 48.
Clemson and Oklahoma combined for seven home runs. Clemson had taken a three-run lead after a homer by Maddie Moore in the fourth and another by McKenzie Clark in the fifth. Clark's home run was part of a four-run frame that put Clemson in front 7-4.
But in the seventh, Valerie Cagle gave up a three-run home run to Kinzie Hansen with two outs. That tied the game at seven, and in the ninth inning, Tiare Jennings gave the Sooners the lead with a solo homer to center. Clemson couldn't muster any offense in the bottom of the frame, and Oklahoma claimed the win.
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Oklahoma's power hitting
Oklahoma wasted no time showing off its power. Jayda Coleman sent the third pitch of the game over the wall in center field for a solo home run. That brought up Jennings, who made it back-to-back homers with another solo shot to right.
In the fourth inning, the Sooners made it three solo home runs with another to center field by Alyssa Brito to make it 3-0. Oklahoma tacked on another in the fourth on an RBI ground out with the bases loaded.
Hansen's three-run homer in the seventh was the fourth of the game for Oklahoma and the ninth that Cagle had allowed this season. Jennings' shot in the ninth made it 10.
Clemson uses all four pitchers in loss
Clemson opted to start sophomore right-handed pitcher Brooke McCubbin in the circle. It was her seventh start of the season and first since April 30 when she lasted two innings and gave up three earned runs against Virginia Tech.
McCubbin entered the game having pitched 7⅔ innings with one hit and no earned runs. Oklahoma got to her early with the first-inning home runs, but she settled in to retire seven straight batters. The third home run followed by a hit batter ended her outing in the fourth inning. She finished with five hits, four earned runs, no walks and two strikeouts in her 3⅓ innings.
Millie Thompson came on in relief and threw 1⅔ innings with a hit, a walk and no earned runs. She combined with Cagle, who entered in the sixth, to hold Oklahoma scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings to allow the offense to take the lead.
Regan Spencer's entry in the ninth after Jennings' home run meant that all four of Clemson's regularly used pitchers faced the Sooners in the loss.
Christina Long covers the Clemson Tigers for the Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@greenvillenews.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson softball falls to Oklahoma in extra innings at super regional
