Oklahoma advances to ninth consecutive WCWS - ESPN

NORMAN, Okla. — Gabbie Garcia hit two of Oklahoma's four home runs as the four-time defending national champion Sooners beat Alabama 13-2 in five innings on Saturday to win the Norman Super Regional and clinch a berth in the Women's College World Series.

Oklahoma (50-9), which is 42-0 this season when scoring at least six runs, has won at least 50 games in nine consecutive seasons and advanced to the WCWS each of the last nine times it was played (2020 was canceled due to COVID-19).

The Sooners enter the WCWS having outscored opponents 47-5 in the NCAA tournament. Their plus-42 run differential is the seventh best by any team in the tournament all time, with five of the previous six going on to win the title, according to ESPN Research.

Oklahoma will make its ninth consecutive Women's College World Series appearance, the longest active streak in Division I and breaking a tie for the second-longest streak in Division I history.

Nelly McEnroe-Marinas scored on a single by Abigale Dayton, who finished with three RBIs, in the second inning, and the Sooners exploded for eight runs — sparked by Garcia's first two-run homer and capped by Ella Parker's two-RBI double — in the third to take a 9-0 lead.

Parker, Garcia and McEnroe-Marinas each hit a home run in the fifth inning to give the Sooners a 13-2 lead.

Parker had three hits — two doubles — and three RBIs.

Kierston Deal (10-2) gave up two runs on three hits with four strikeouts over four innings, and Audrey Lowry pitched a scoreless fifth to seal it.

Kali Heivilin and Marlie Giles each hit a solo shot for Alabama (40-23). Catelyn Riley (11-4) pitched 2⅓ innings and gave up five runs on six hits with three walks.

Garcia, a freshman, has 20 home runs this season.

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