Oklahoma beats Texas for fourth-straight WCWS title

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Sooners have claimed the first four-peat in Women’s College World Series history.

It was the No. 1 Texas Longhorns versus the No. 2 Sooners for the title, but the defending champs never felt like much of an underdog. Oklahoma swept the championship series 8-3 in Game 1 and 8-4 in Game 2.

The Sooners went through nearly their entire pitching staff Thursday night, but that appeared mostly intentional. In a bit of a surprising move, coach Patty Gasso gave graduate student Karlie Keeney the start — just her fifth this season — and she pitched 2 2/3 innings while allowing four hits and two runs.

Texas scored first with an RBI single by Kayden Henry in the second inning before sophomore Paytn Monticelli came in as relief. Monticelli hadn’t pitched since March 9 — and entered with the bases loaded and two outs — but escaped the inning with a ground out. Kierston Deal pitched one inning followed by Nicole May (1 2/3 innings, one hit, one run, four Ks) before ace Kelly Maxwell closed out the win (1 1/3 innings, one hit, one K).

Oklahoma’s bats were hot for the second night in a row, recording 12 hits. And while the Sooners paraded the bases — taking the lead in the bottom of the second with a two-run homer from Kasidi Pickering before delivering the dagger with three runs in the bottom of the sixth — the Longhorns had to fight for each score.

Texas scored on three RBIs and one error. Baserunning missteps didn’t help the Longhorns close the gap when they failed to steal home with a runner on third base after a wild pitch and Mia Scott stepping inside the first base line after being called safe on a bobble from second baseman Avery Hodge.

For more on Game 2 of the WCWS, follow The Athletic’s live blog.

Significance of OU’s four-peat

Oklahoma’s 10-person senior class will go down as one of the most decorated classes in college softball history.

The Sooners looked more vulnerable this year than during their last three national championship runs, but experience and Gasso’s elite coaching reigned supreme in Oklahoma City. Parity has increased in the sport, and next season the Sooners will join the SEC — which looks primed to be the sport’s next hotbed — but it doesn’t look like the Oklahoma dynasty is slowing down any time soon.

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(Photo: Brendall O’Banon / NCAA Photos via Getty Images)