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 Jordy Bahl 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 Alynah Torres that brought home Alyssa Brito to make it 2-1 after two innings. Jayda Coleman 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 Grace Lyons and an intentional walk to Coleman, Tiare Jennings doubled to right field to make it 4-2.
ππππππππ πππππ π₯³π₯³π₯³ @_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, Nicole May 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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