Texas beats Oklahoma State to advance to Softball World Series Championship series

OKLAHOMA CITY – On Monday evening in Girls’s School World Collection semifinal motion at USA Softball Corridor of Fame Stadium, No. 16/18 Texas softball (47-20-1) swept two video games from No. 6/7 Oklahoma State (48-14) to develop into the primary unseeded staff and the primary Texas squad to succeed in the WCWS Championship Collection.

The Pink River Rivalry shall be renewed on Wed., June 8, at 7:30 p.m. CT (ESPN) because the Longhorns will start a best-of-three sequence in opposition to No. 1 Oklahoma for the nationwide championship.

Alo’s 2 HRs lead Oklahoma previous UCLA, into WCWS finals

Notes

• By sweeping Monday’s two video games, Texas grew to become the primary unseeded staff to ever attain the WCWS Championship Collection. Previous to this 12 months, solely James Madison in 2021 and this 12 months’s Longhorns had superior so far as the semifinal spherical whereas unseeded.

• Texas is 6-0 in elimination video games on this 12 months’s NCAA Event (one win over No. 11 Washington, two wins at No. 4 Arkansas, one win over Arizona, two wins over No. 6/7 Oklahoma State).

• Texas has now hit seven mixed HR’s on the 2022 WCWS. That’s as many because the Longhorns managed to hit combining its 5 earlier journeys to the WCWS.

• Sophomore outfielder Courtney Day has now hit a HR in three straight WCWS video games and is tied with Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings for the occasion lead.

• Day has taken over the Texas all-time profession WCWS marks for complete HR’s (three) and RBIs (seven).

• Texas handed Oklahoma State its first two 2022 postseason losses and ended its 10-game successful streak.

• With three double performs on Monday, Texas has now tied the 2021 Longhorns for this system single-season mark with 26.

• With its rally in recreation two, Texas now has 18 come-from-behind wins when trailing at any level in a recreation in 2022.

• Oklahoma State’s blown five-run lead was its largest of the season. Its earlier excessive was two runs in opposition to Washington and Oklahoma.

Main Gamers

Sport 1:

Sophomore designated participant Courtney Day (1-for-2, run, HR, three RBIs); senior catcher Mary Iakopo (1-for-2, double, RBI); senior second baseman Janae Jefferson (1-for-3, double)

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Sport 2:

Day (1-for-3, HR, three RBIs); sophomore heart fielder Bella Dayton (2-for-4, two runs); freshman third baseman Mia Scott (1-for-3, run); sophomore pinch hitter Jordyn Whitaker (stroll, run); Iakopo (two walks, run)

Within the Circle

Sport 1:

Sophomore Estelle Czech (13-1) picked up the win after scattering 4 hits, strolling three and putting out three over a complete-game shutout.

Sport 2:

Senior Hailey Dolcini (24-11) earned the victory out of the bullpen, allowing two earned runs on one hit with three strikeouts over 5.0 innings of labor. Czech began the competition and allowed two earned runs on three hits in 2.0 frames.

The Particulars

Sport 1:

Oklahoma State threatened within the prime of the primary as left fielder Chelsea Alexander began off the sport with a single up the center. Following a sac bunt and a Ok, designated participant Miranda Elish walked to place two Cowgirls aboard. Going through an enormous early spot, Czech received third baseman Sydney Pennington to hit a line drive proper again to the circle. The hurler practically made the catch, however knocked it down and tossed to first to finish the risk.

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Iakopo received the Longhorns going with one down within the backside of the second because the senior catcher launched a double to the wall in left heart. Sophomore first baseman JJ Smith continued her sizzling WCWS hitting by blooping a single to heart as Texas boasted runners on the corners. After an Alyssa Popelka stolen base, Day stepped into the field and received the Burnt Orange & White on the board by blasting a three-run HR to left heart to stake the Horns to a 3-0 lead.

After stranding single base runners within the third and fourth innings, Oklahoma State received a two-out triple from Alexander to threaten once more within the prime of the fifth. Once more, Czech labored out of the jam because the sophomore lefty induced a bouncer to 3rd to keep up Texas’ three-run benefit.

The Longhorns added some helpful insurance coverage within the backside of the sixth. With Scott in scoring place on a leadoff bunt single and a stolen base, Dayton dropped a sac bunt up the third-base line. OSU’s Sydney Pennington raced in to seize the ball however her throw to first went broad for an error as Scott scored simply from second. The lead finally expanded to 5-0 as Iakopo plated Dayton on a protracted sacrifice fly to proper.

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Needing an enormous rally, a Brianna Evans pinch hit single and successful batter shortly put two aboard for Oklahoma State with one out within the prime of the seventh. Shortstop Kiley Naomi got here to the plate and hit a chopper to 3rd. Scott fielded it cleanly, stepped on third and fired a strike throughout the infield to complete a game-ending double play.

Sport 2:

After Texas went down so as within the prime of the primary, OSU’s Alexander led off the Cowgirl half with a single to shallow proper heart. On the second pitch of the following at-bat, Alexander took off for second and finally ended up at third on a steal and a throwing error. Middle fielder Chyenne Issue got here to the dish and hit a chopper to quick. Washington fielded it and finally tossed house, however Iakopo’s tag on the plate was simply late as Oklahoma State nabbed a 1-0 lead.

The Cowgirls used the lengthy ball so as to add to their benefit within the backside of the second as shortstop Kiley Naomi hit a two-run shot to left to make it 3-0.

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With two outs within the backside of the third, OSU’s Karli Petty boosted the hole to 5-0 by driving a two-run shot to proper.

Dayton granted the Longhorns some much-needed life in opposition to OSU ace Kelly Maxwell by beginning the highest of the fourth with a pointy single off the pitcher earlier than shifting to second on a throwing error. Following an Iakopo stroll, Day launched her second HR of the day (and third of the WCWS) off the highest of the left-field wall and out to chop the Texas deficit to 5-3.

Beginning the highest of the fifth, Whitaker drew a leadoff stroll to show the lineup over for the Longhorns. After a Texas Ok, Scott made it two aboard with one out by chopping a single up the center. That’s when chaos started at USA Softball Corridor of Fame Stadium as Dayton singled by means of the proper facet of the infield. OSU proper fielder Karli Petty barely overran the ball for an error as Whitaker raced throughout to attain. Persevering with the play, a throw to second attempting to catch Scott too far off the bag went previous the bag and rolled all the best way to the wall in left heart as Scott scored and Dayton raced all the best way across the base paths to present Texas a surprising, 6-5 lead.

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With Oklahoma State instantly trailing for the primary time within the contest, Alexander was struck by a Dolcini pitch to start the Cowgirl fifth. Nothing got here of the runner, nonetheless, as a batter out of the field name and a 4-6-3 double play put one other helpful zero on the scoreboard.

From there, it was left to Dolcini to complete issues off, and the senior righty did simply that by retiring all six OSU batters over the ultimate two innings to ship Texas to the WCWS Championship Collection.