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Oklahoma blasts past Alabama into 9th straight WCWS appearance
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Oklahoma softball is heating up as we hit Memorial Day weekend, and the Sooners are heading back to the Women’s College World Series in search of yet another title.
On Saturday, Oklahoma faced Alabama in Game 2 of the Norman Super Regional after the Sooners won 3-0 on Friday. It would be a clean sweep for Oklahoma on Saturday, though this win was much more emphatic.
In a win-and-advance situation, the Sooners blasted 4 home runs — including 2 by Gabbie Garcia — in a 13-2 run-rule victory that lasted just 5 innings. Garcia was the catalyst with 4 RBI driven in, including a towering moonshot 2-run shot in the 5th inning.
Ella Parker and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas also dropped big-time bombs in the 5th as Oklahoma hit 3 of its home runs and scored 4 runs in the 5th to solidify the run-rule.
Offensively, Alabama would get solo home runs from Kali Heivilin and Marlie Giles, but nothing else at the plate. The major problem, though, was trying to hold back the onslaught of Oklahoma’s offense.
The Crimson Tide used 4 pitchers, and each one surrendered at least 1 earned run. The 3rd inning was especially brutal as Alabama used 3 pitchers in that frame alone as the Sooners scored 8 runs to begin the barrage.
With 1 out, 9 straight Oklahoma batters would reach with 8 runs scored, including Garcia’s first home run of the game. Parker also punctuated the frame with a 2-run double and ended the game with 3 RBI.
With the win, the Sooners head to the WCWS in Oklahoma City, their 9th straight trip to the event. Oklahoma has won 6 national titles in that streak, including the last 4 in a row under head coach Patty Gasso.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
