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Oklahoma blasts its way to ninth Straight Women's College World Series

by: Jason Rhea05/24/25
Screenshot 2025-05-24 at 2.49.50 PM
Photo courtesy of Oklahoma Athletics

In what seems like an era of inevitability, Oklahoma powered its way to a ninth straight berth in the Women’s College World Series. They did it in familiar fashion as they blasted four home runs in a five-inning 13-2 run-rule over Alabama.

Gabbie Garcia hit two home runs and was joined by Ella Parker and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas. Kiersten Deal went four innings for her 10th victory of the season, giving up just two runs.

The Alabama pitching staff, primarily Catelyn Riley and Jocelyn Briski, held the Oklahoma bats in check over three games this season. However, the Sooners’ bats finally came through in the third inning on Saturday.

The freshmen started the scoring barrage for Oklahoma. Sydney Barker got a base hit and came home when Garcia hit her first home run. The roundtripper gave the Sooners a 3-0 lead. McEnroe-Marinas walked and a single by Cydney Sanders set the table for small ball.

Ailana Agbayani laid down a perfect squeeze bunt that advanced the lead to four. Isabela Emerling hit a rocket shot to left field that scored Agbayani for a 5-0 advantage.

Oklahoma’s offense didn’t stop there. With runners at second and third, Abigaile Dayton continued her torrid hitting in the postseason. She laced a single that scored a pair, and Oklahoma grew the lead to seven.

Kasidi Pickering singled to right field, and Ella Parker hit her second double of the contest to put the Sooners’ lead to nine. Alea Johnson came in and shut the door, ending the Sooner threat.

Alabama’s biggest bright spot was Kali Heivilin. She just missed getting a ball over the left field wall for the team’s only extra-base hit in first game of the series. However, she left no doubt in the third inning of Game Two. She hit a long home run to straight away center field to put the Crimson Tide on the board, 9-1. Then, with two outs in the fourth inning, Marlie Giles hit another home run and got Alabama outside of run-rule territory with a 9-2 deficit.

Just as quickly as Alabama escaped run rule territory, Oklahoma put them right back there in the fifth inning. Parker delivered her third hit of the game, this time with a solo home run to give the Sooners a 10-2 lead. Hannah Coor got into the action with an opposite-field single. Garcia nailed her second home run of the game and her 20th of the season. The blast extended the lead to 12-2. McEnroe-Marinas hammered a pitch from Johnson that landed outside of the stadium for the 13-2 lead.

The Sooners will advance to play the winner of the Knoxville Super Regional between Nebraska and Tennessee. Oklahoma will have some familiarity with both teams in the matchup on the first day of the Women’s College World Series.

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