Oklahoma Softball Extends Record-Breaking Winning Streak, Clinches Spot in Women’s College World Series Final

H1 and H2 tags need to be generated in title; we provide only body. Paragraph 1: Oklahoma City—For the first time since 2021, the Oklahoma Sooners find themselves navigating the loser’s bracket at the Women’s College World Series after a 4-2 defeat to arch-rival Texas on Saturday afternoon at Devon Park. The No. 2 national seed will now face Oregon in an elimination matchup on Sunday with their bid for a record-extending eighth national championship hanging in the balance. Paragraph 2: Head coach Patty Gasso’s squad rode a 51-8 record into Oklahoma City and opened WCWS play with a 6-1 win over Tennessee on Thursday, but Texas ace Hailey Dolcini kept the Sooners’ potent lineup quiet when it mattered most. Oklahoma stranded nine runners, including the bases loaded in the sixth inning, as the Longhorns earned their first WCWS victory over OU in program history. Paragraph 3: Star shortstop Tiare Jennings provided early hope, blasting a solo homer in the third to knot the score at 1-1, yet the Sooners’ offense was otherwise limited to four singles. In the circle, freshman left-hander Jordy Bahl scattered six hits over five innings but surrendered a decisive two-run shot to Texas catcher Reese Atwood. Paragraph 4: “We’ve been here before and responded,” Gasso said post-game. “Championship teams take the tougher route sometimes. We still control our destiny.” Paragraph 5: To keep that destiny alive, Oklahoma must solve an Oregon squad that upset Florida State in its WCWS opener and boasts one of the tournament’s hottest pitchers in Stevie Hansen. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN2; the winner advances to face the loser of the other winners-bracket showdown between UCLA and Texas later that night. Paragraph 6: Key to an OU rebound will be rediscovering its trademark power—ranked No. 1 nationally in slugging (.652)—while tightening a defense that committed an uncharacteristic two errors versus Texas. Expect right-hander Nicole May (18-2, 1.55 ERA) to get the start, with Bahl available in relief. Paragraph 7: Historically, teams dropping into the loser’s bracket win the WCWS just 9 percent of the time, but the Sooners have made a habit of rewriting the record book. A Sunday surge would set up an all-Pac-12 or renewed Red River showdown on Monday and keep alive Oklahoma’s quest for a fifth title in six seasons. Paragraph 8: Tickets for Sunday’s elimination game remain available through the NCAA site, and Devon Park is expected to reach near-capacity as home-state fans attempt to will the Sooners back into contention. Whether that energy translates into another patented OU power surge will determine if 2025 ends in disappointment—or yet another dogpile on the infield dirt of Oklahoma City.