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No. 1 Oklahoma into Women’s College World Series semifinals

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Tiare Jennings and Kinzie Hansen homered, and No. 1 seed Oklahoma rolled past No. 4 Tennessee 9-0 in five innings on Saturday to win its 50th straight game and advance to the Women’s College World Series semifinals.

The Sooners (58-1) extended their Division I record for consecutive wins and inched closer to a possible third consecutive national title.

Oklahoma starter Jordy Bahl allowed one hit — a double to Kiki Milloy, the game’s first batter. Bahl went 3⅔ innings, walked one and struck out three to earn the win. Relievers Alex Storako, Kierston Deal and Nicole May did not allow a hit.

Oklahoma set the record for most consecutive wins last month after winning their 48th straight in the Super Regionals. Sooners coach Patty Gasso said after Saturday’s game that the team still has its eyes on the bigger prize.

“We don’t talk about it,” she said of the win streak. “We don’t. We really don’t. Because what we want to do is bring a national championship back to the University of Oklahoma and the state of Oklahoma because that will never be taken away from us. You can never take that away. It will live forever.

“… Records are being broken all the time. It’s an honor. I had a conversation with [legendary former Arizona softball coach] Mike Candrea, which was really wonderful. We connected throughout the season. He’s just very congratulatory. That is great. But it’s just moving on. It’s taking things home that no one can take away. That’s what we’re about.”

Tennessee (50-9) will play No. 6 Oklahoma State in an elimination game Sunday.

Tennessee chose not to throw Ashley Rogers, a National Fastpitch Coaches Association first-team All American. She and No. 2 pitcher Payton Gottshall watched as hard-throwing freshman Karlyn Pickens got the nod.

The decision paid off early. Pickens escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first and didn’t allow a run.

She couldn’t escape in the second. Jennings drove a changeup over the left-field fence to put the Sooners up 3-0, and Pickens was replaced.

Hansen’s line drive went over the fence in the third for a two-run homer that put Oklahoma ahead 5-0. The Sooners would have had more, but Milloy caught one against the fence to rob Sophia Nugent of a homer in the fourth.

ESPN’s Dave Wilson contributed to this story.



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