The Sooners have no problems this weekend, ending with a dominating 8-1 win over Michigan in the regional championship and advancing to the super regional
NORMAN, Okla.- Oklahoma did not look back against the Wolverines in the regional championship game on Sunday. With the 8-1 victory over Michigan, the Sooners advance to their 16th straight super regional. Michigan still has not reached a super regional since 2016. This was the 22nd all-time meeting between both teams and the 6th postseason meeting. Before this matchup, the last time these two teams faced was in the 2016 Women's College World Series when Oklahoma defeated Michigan 7-5.
The bats were on fire early thanks to a leadoff double by Minor and an RBI single by Garcia two batters later in the top of the first. Emerling added two more runs in the first off of a single that sent Garcia and Pickering home, making it 3-0. Garcia made it 4-0 in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly, sending Minor home for the run.
Oklahoma blasted two home runs in the championship game with Minor hitting a solo home run in the top of the fourth and Agbayani hitting a solo shot of her own in the top of the seventh.
It was a huge day offensively for Minor, Garcia, and Agbayani. Minor continues to stay hot in the postseason as she went 2 for 5 against Michigan with three runs scored, one home run, and an RBI. Garcia went 2 for 3 with one run scored and two RBIs. Agbayani went 2 for 4 with two runs scored, a home run, and two RBIs.
It was a rough day for starting pitcher Gabby Ellis of Michigan. In the Norman Regional leading up to the championship game, Ellis had a record of 2-1 with 12 hits allowed. In those three games, she only allowed three runs and struck out 11 batters. In the matchup against the Sooners, she pitched just one inning, allowing three hits and four runs. Erin Hoehn came in for Ellis in the top of the second after a Sydney Barker walk.
For Oklahoma, the pitching staff was unstoppable. Audrey Lowry only had to pitch 4 2/3 innings thanks to Kierston Deal and Sydney Berzon coming on the mound to do the rest. Lowry allowed just three hits and one run off of a solo shot from Hoehn in the bottom of the second. Both Deal and Berzon did not disappoint as they pitched a combined 2 1/3 innings with no hits or runs allowed. Berzon came in during the bottom of the sixth to finish things off. The defense as a whole had a solid performance as the last five innings against the Wolverines offense were all 1-2-3 innings.
UP NEXT: Oklahoma will host a best-of-three game series in the super regional round either on Thursday, May 21 or Friday, May 22. The Sooners will await the winner of Saint Mary's and Mississippi State. Both teams face off tonight in the championship game at the Oregon regional. Mississippi State shocked No. 14 overall seed Oregon early on Saturday 4-0 while Saint Mary's eliminated the Ducks later that night 5-4. With Mississippi State's win on Friday against Saint Mary's, the Gaels will have to beat the Bulldogs twice to advance to face the Sooners. Mississippi State just needs to win once to advance to Norman.
