Oklahoma Sooners earn top 25 win over Mississippi State Bulldogs 9-3

Oklahoma catcher Kinzie Hansen (9) hits a foul ball in the second inning during the first game of the Women’s College World Series finals between Oklahoma (OU) and Florida State at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

The Oklahoma Sooners are out in California for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. And the first day of action in Cathedral City proved to live up to the hype.

In their first matchup of the evening, the Mississippi State Bulldogs fired the first salvo with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning from Jessie Blaine. But their first inning lead was shortlived as Sooners catcher Kinzie Hansen tied it up with a two-run home run of her own.

Oklahoma starter Nicole May ran into some more trouble in the second inning against a very good Bulldogs lineup. Sierra Sacco gave Mississippi State the 3-2 lead on a single with two outs in the inning.

As they did in the bottom of the first, the Sooners answered right back in the bottom of the second.

True freshman Ella Parker singled to lead off the inning and with one out, Avery Hodge’s infield single put runners on first and second for Rylie Boone. Boone proceeded to give the Sooners the lead with a two-run double to right field.

In the bottom of the third, Parker tacked onto the Sooners lead, driving in Alyssa Brito to give OU a 5-3 lead.

The Sooners added two more runs to their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Jayda Coleman drew a one-out walk and Tiare Jennings doubled to bring her home for a 6-3 lead. The Sooners kept the pressure on with Alyssa Brito singling to bring home Jennings to put Oklahoma in a commanding 7-3 lead.

After May walked the lead-off hitter on four pitchers to start the fifth, Patty Gasso brought in S.J. Geurin, who retired the next three Bulldogs hitters to get out of the inning.

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Oklahoma didn’t slow down their offensive onslaught, adding two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.

After surrendering a one-out walk and a fielder’s choice, Gasso turned to Kelly Maxwell. Maxwell came in and got the final out of the inning.

Things got interesting in the bottom of the seventh as Maxwell surrendered a pair of walks, but she also struck out the side to close out the Sooners win.

May threw four innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits and three walks. She also had four strikeouts in the game and earned her fourth win of the season. It wasn’t a clean performance, but she battled and was able to get out of some tough situations.

Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings, Alyssa Brito, and Ella Parker each had two hits, and six different Sooners recorded an RBI in the top 25 win over Mississippi State.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners earn top 25 win over Mississippi State Bulldogs 9-3