Oklahoma defeats Texas, takes 1-0 lead Women's College World Series final

No. 2 seed Oklahoma defeated No. 1 seed Texas 8-3 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the 2024 Women’s College World Series final.

The game looked to be off to a competitive start after both teams hit home runs during the first inning. Sooners slugger Tiare Jennings started things off with a two-run home run to left center to set the tone in Oklahoma City. Texas’ Mia Scott would hit a solo homer down the right field line to cut the lead in half before the end of the first.

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However, a scoreless second inning bled into a scoring barrage by OU in the top of the third. The three-time defending national champions scored two runs on back-to-back at-bats after Kinzie Hansen and Kasidi Pickering went yard on solo shots to left field to take a 5-1 lead.

Oklahoma was held scoreless until the fifth inning when they added an insurance run after Pickering reached on a fielding error by the Longhorns for an unearned run. The Sooners were not done there, however, as Jennings kept things going with an RBI single to shallow left to bring the score to 7-1 before the end of the sixth inning.

Texas wouldn’t go down without a fight, however. A pair of RBI singles from Katie Stewart and Joley Mitchell would breathe life into the Longhorns’ bats, cutting the lead down to four runs. However, they weren’t able to capitalize on a situation that saw two Texas runners on base with two outs and the ending ended with a pair stranded and Oklahoma still in the driver’s seat.

Oklahoma’s Alyssa Brito ended things after scoring on a throwing error in the seventh.

The loss is the first for the Longhorns in Oklahoma City. Previously winning their first three matchups heading into the final series, Texas did not give up a run at all in the Women’s College World Series until Wednesday’s matchup.

For the Sooners, they won their first two matchups in their WCWS bracket before being bested 9-3 vs. Florida in the semifinals. Oklahoma punched its ticket to the final with a 6-5 win over the Gators in extra innings.

Now, they’re just one win away from winning their fourth-straight national championship under head coach Patty Gasso. The first pitch of Game 2 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN as the Longhorns look to even the series in Oklahoma City.