NORMAN, Okla. -- Kinzie Hansen hit a game-tying three-run home run in the seventh inning, Tiare Jennings led off the ninth inning with a solo blast and Oklahoma set an NCAA record with its 48th consecutive win on Saturday, a thrilling 8-7 triumph over Clemson to win the Norman Super Regional.
The two-time defending national champions were down to their final strike twice after the Tigers had rallied to take a 7-4 lead into the final inning.
Rylie Boone singled to open the seventh and with two outs, Haley Lee singled to right on a 1-2 count. Hansen then belted an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left field.
Jennings took the first pitch in the ninth to deep center to send the six-time defending national champion Sooners to their seventh consecutive Women's College World Series (not counting the covid-cancelled 2020 season) and push them past Arizona's winning streak set over two seasons in 1996-97.
"The way these guys respond," Oklahoma Coach Patty Gasso said, pausing as she choked up. "They're great. I think everybody expects that we should always win. The amount of pressure is pretty insurmountable, and they keep standing up to it. ... It's just new heroes all the time and it's just so fun to be a part of them."
It was the first extra-inning game for Oklahoma (56-1) since the second game of the season on Feb. 9 against Liberty, a 1-0 win in eight innings. The Sooners' only loss was 4-3 at Baylor on Feb. 19.
After Clemson scored seven consecutive runs to take a 7-4 lead in the fifth inning, Oklahoma pitchers retired 12 straight batters before Jordy Bahl (18-1) gave up a bloop single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The Big 12 Pitcher of the Year went three innings for the win.
Two-time ACC Player of the Year Valerie Cagle (25-8) took the loss for Clemson (49-12).
TENNESSEE 9,
TEXAS 0
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Payton Gottschall threw a two-hitter and Destiny Rodriguez had three hits as fourth-seeded Tennessee (47-8) advanced to the Women's College World Series for the first time since 2015 with a win over 13th-seeded Texas (45-13-1) in the Knoxville Super Regional.
An unearned run in the first inning was all the Volunteers needed with Gottshall (16-1) perfect until allowing a leadoff walk in the fifth. Vanessa Quiroga broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth.
Five errors by Texas aided Tennessee, including a bases-loaded single by Giulia Koutsoyanopulos that got by the right fielder, allowing four to score in the sixth inning.
STANFORD 7,
DUKE 2
DURHAM, N.C. -- Taylor Gindlesperge had three hits, Dani Hayes drove in two runs and Alana Vawter picked up her 20th win as ninth-seeded Stanford (45-13) defeated eighth-seeded Duke (48-12) for a sweep of the Durham Super Regional and the Cardinal's third berth in the Women's College World Series.
The Cardinal were holding a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the fifth when they used five singles -- all 11 of their hits were singles -- to score four runs and break the game open. Gindlesperge and Emily Young singled and ended up scoring on singles by Kyle Chung and Sydney Steele. Hayes capped the scoring with a two-run single up the middle.
WASHINGTON 2, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 0
SEATTLE -- Lindsay Lopez had seven strikeouts over six scoreless innings, Baylee Klingler scored on Madison Huskey's sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and Washington (43-13) beat Louisiana-Lafayette (50-16) to sweep the Seattle Super Regional.
Washington, which won Game 1 8-0 in five innings, advanced to its 15th Women's College World Series and its first since 2019.
Lopez (13-3) allowed six hits, a walk, and a hit by pitch to earn the win. Ruby Meylan pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning her seventh save of the season.
UTAH 10, SAN DIEGO STATE 1 (5)
SALT LAKE CITY -- Julia Jimenez blasted a grand slam, Ellessa Bonstrom and Shelbi Ortiz also homered, and No. 15 seed Utah (40-13) routed San Diego State (39-16) in five innings to stay alive in the Salt Lake City Super Regional.
Game 3 is today.
Mariah Lopez (22-6) allowed one run on 4 hits with 2 strikeouts for Utah and Sarah Ladd pitched the fifth inning to close out the run-rule game.
Bonstrom went deep for two runs in the first inning, Jimenez hit her slam in the fourth and Ortiz's three-run shot in the fifth gave her four RBI.