University of oklahoma softball
NORMAN – Six home runs powered No. 1 Oklahoma past California, 16-3, and into the program’s 13th consecutive NCAA Super Regional Sunday afternoon at Marita Hynes Field in Norman.
The dominant victory marked the Sooners’ (54-1) 46th straight win, extending the program record and moving one win shy of tying the NCAA record set by 1996-97 Arizona. In addition, Sunday’s performance was the 19th time this year that OU scored double-digit runs and secured the 27th run-rule victory of the season.
A quartet of first-inning homers from Tiare Jennings, Alyssa Brito, Cydney Sanders and Jocelyn Erickson paved the way for Oklahoma’s complete performance as the Sooners jumped in front 6-0 after one. It marked the third time this season OU has hit four blasts in one frame.
Another Jennings home run in the second inning made it 7-0 Sooners after just two frames, marking the two-time All-American’s first multi-HR game of 2023 and second in her postseason career.
A seven-run third inning continued to put the game out of reach as doubles from Jennings and Jayda Coleman, paired with a second home run from Brito pushed OU 14 runs in front of Cal (35-21-1). The second Brito blast marked her second multi-homer game of the season and fifth of her career.
The Sooners’ six home runs tied an NCAA tournament record for single-game homers, with the feat done six times in NCAA Division I softball history, three of which were Oklahoma (2021 Regional Final vs. Wichita State [5/23]; 2022 WCWS vs. Texas [6/8]).
The Bears scored a trio of runs in the bottom of the third inning, but Grace Lyons and Quincee Lilio plated a pair of runs at the top of the fourth to make it 16-3, a score that held as Nicole May (1.1 IP) and Kierston Deal (1.0 IP) closed the game out.
Jennings paced OU at the plate in a perfect 4-for-4, four RBI performance, tying a program NCAA tourney record for single-game hits (done nine times). Brito finished 2-for-3 with a team-best and careerhigh five RBIs. Twelve Sooners recorded a hit in the game with seven bringing in at least one run.
Alex Storako got the start in the circle, throwing two and twothirds innings, surrendering five hits and three earned runs with one walk and one strikeout. Nicole May earned the win in relief, throwing one and a third innings and allowing no hits with one strikeout to improve to 18-0 on the season. Deal closed the game, throwing a hitless fifth inning with one strikeout.
The Sooners advance to their 13th consecutive and 15th overall NCAA Super Regional and will host the No. 16-seed Clemson Tigers (49-10, 18-6 ACC) next weekend in Norman with dates and times to be announced. TV designation is also to be determined across ESPN’s family of networks.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.
