OKLAHOMA CITY – By the third inning, Oklahoma had a four-run lead and history had to break for one side.
Oklahoma was 199-0 when leading by four or more runs, and the last team to overcome a four-or-more-run deficit in the Women's College World Series was Texas in 2022 against Oklahoma State—the last time Texas was in the WCWS.
Ultimately, Oklahoma prevailed with three home runs and timely hitting, while Kelly Maxwell threw all seven innings to hold Texas to four hits. No. 2 Oklahoma took down No. 1 Texas 8-3 in Game 1 of the Women's College World Series Championship Series at Devon Park on Wednesday night. The win moves the Sooners one win away from securing its fourth consecutive national championship, an accomplishment no NCAA softball team has ever achieved.
Here are a few takeaways from Game 1 of the Championship series:
EARLY ACTION
Oklahoma and Texas had some early fireworks. Oklahoma leadoff batter Jayda Coleman drew a four-pitch and was hit with the final pitch to give OU its first base runner. Tiare Jennings then made Texas pay as she hammered a no-doubt 2-run home run to left-center to give OU an early lead. It was the first run Texas' Teagan Kavan had given up during the Women's College World Series. Texas had outscored its opponents 15-0 en route to the Championship series.
But Texas struck back.
Oklahoma ace Kelly Maxwell struck out the first batter she faced. But it was short-lived as Texas' Mia Scott hit a 1-run home run to make it a 2-1 game.
Neither team could get anything across in the second inning, but Ella Parker got the Sooners going in the third. After hitting a double off the wall in the first inning, the freshman hit a single to lead off the third inning. Two batters later, Kinzie Hansen, rewarded Parker's single. The Sooners other Co-Captain hit a 2-run home run to left to make it a 4-1 Sooners lead. But OU wasn't done as freshman Kasidi Pickering then hit a solo home run to center field to make it 5-1.
That prompted Texas to change its pitcher and bring in Mac Morgan. Texas starter Kavan had not allowed a run throughout the WCWS. OU put up five runs in three innings on three home runs. Kavan finished her day throwing 2.1 innings.
LOOKING FOR ANSWERS
Texas threatened in the third inning. Like OU did in the second, the Longhorns earned two base runners on two walks. But Maxwell struck out Viviana Martinez and then fielded a ground ball from Reece Atwood to get out of the jam.
Texas changed pitchers again in the fifth inning, bringing in Estelle Czech. It worked on the first two batters, but then Hansen ripped a 2-out double to left-center.
Pickering then hit a ground ball to Texas 2nd baseman, Alyssa Washington, who tried to toss the ball from her glove to first. But it sailed over the first baseman's head and rolled into the Sooners dugout. That allowed Hansen to score from second and Pickering to move to 2nd.
TRADING SHOTS IN THE 6TH
In the 6th inning, Oklahoma second baseman Alynah Torres returned to the lineup after being hit by a pop-up against UCLA. She reached first after being hit in the hand with the ball. Hodge re-entered for Torres, running for her at first.
Hodge stole second on a wild pitch, and then she stole third after Coleman struck out. Texas catcher Atwood underhand tossed the ball back to Czech, which allowed Hodge to take third. Jennings made Texas pay for the mistake as she hit a short RBI single to left to score Hodge.
Texas' Viviana Martinez hit a hard ground ball to Cydney Sanders, who bounced off her glove and rolled all the way to the outfield corner. It was ruled an error as Martinez made her way to third to leadoff the 6th inning for the Longhorns. Katie Stewart then hit a blooper to right for an RBI single.
After Martinez stole second, Joley Mitchell then hit an RBI single to right to make it a 7-3 Sooners lead. The Longhorns put two more runners on, but Maxwell got the strikeout to end the inning and get out of the jam on her 110th pitch of the night.
INSURANCE RUN
After Texas got the two runs in the 6th, OU wanted to get them back. It began with Alyssa Brito, who had a slow night at the plate. The senior hammered a pitch to right-center for a double. She advanced to third on Hansen's ground out. Texas catcher Atwood tried to pick Brito at 3rd, but it sailed into the outfield, leaving Brito to score easily. The Sooners nearly had another run as Pickering hit a shot to right that should've gotten out, but it was robbed by the Texas outfielder Ashton Maloney.
Maxwell then closed the game with back-to-back strikeouts. She finished with eight on 119 pitches.
