Coach Patty Gassoand thesecond-seeded OU softball teamwill look to move within one win of an unprecedented fourth consecutive Women's College World Series title Wednesday night when they take on top-seeded Texas in Game 1 of the WCWS Championship Series.
Here's what you need to know about the Sooners (57-7) vs. the Longhorns (55-8):
More:Relive OU softball's run to three straight WCWS titles with our 'Crimson Empire' book
OU softball live score updates vs.Texas
More:Mussatto: Tiare Jennings is more than an OU softball legend. She's an all-time WCWS great.
FINAL: OU 8, Texas 3 | Sooners close in on first NCAA softball four-peat
Kelly Maxwell pitches a 1-2-3 seventh inning to cap an 8-3 win in Game 1 of the finals.
The Sooners can capture a record fourth-straight NCAA softball title Thursday night (7 p.m. ESPN).
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
More:OU softball topples Texas as Kelly Maxwell, Sooners close in fourth-straight WCWS title
Top 7: OU 8, Texas 3 | Citlaly Gutierrez is fourth Longhorn pitcher of the night
Texas coach Mike White is throwing out all of his arms tonight.
Citlaly Gutierrez enters the top of the seventh inning as the Longhorns' fourth pitcher used in Game 1.
Starter Teagan Kavan gave up five runs in 2 ⅓ innings, then Mac Morgan pitched a scoreless 1⅔ innings. Estelle Czech gave up two runs in two innings.
Alyssa Brito doubled off Gutierrez to lead off the inning and later scored on a throwing error by Reese Atwood.
Things would have gotten worse had Ashton Maloney not made a spectacular catch to rob Kasidi Pickering from an extra-base hit.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
More:Avery Hodge 'outstanding' for OU softball during Alynah Torres' injury absence in WCWS
Bottom 6: OU 7, Texas 3 | Longhorns chipping away at Kelly Maxwell, Sooners
Kelly Maxwell had allowed one hit with four walks through five innings.
Viviana Martinez roped the ball down the right-field line past OU first baseman Cydney Sanders to lead off the bottom of the sixth. It was originally ruled a triple but changed to an error on Sanders.
Reese Atwood popped up on the infield for the first out.
But the Longhorns capitalized on the error with Katie Stewart's RBI bloop single to right field.
After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Stewart scored another single to right, this time from Alyssa Washington. It's 7-3 OU.
We had our first challenge from the Sooners after Kayla Henry reaches on an infield single, dodging a tag from Sanders. The call was upheld.
Maxwell struck out pinch hitter Victoria Hunter to end the inning.
It's OU 7-3 after six.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
More:How OU softball freshman Kasidi Pickering's calm confidence anchors WCWS lineup vs Texas
Top 6: OU 7, Texas 1 | Alynah Torres returns from injury
Texas pitcher Estelle Czech forced a Cydney Sanders groundout to start the inning.
Alynah Torres, who missed both semifinal games against Florida after getting hit on the head by a pop fly in Saturday's win against UCLA, then pinch-hit for Avery Hodge with one out in the top of the sixth inning.
Torres was hit by a pitch on her hand and Hodge re-entered to run for her.
After a Jayda Coleman strikeout, Tiare Jennings singled home Hodges — who advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on catcher Reese Atwood's careless throw back to Czech —to make it 7-1 Sooners.
Ella Parker grounded out to end the inning.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
End 5: OU 6, Texas 1 | Kelly Maxwell keeps dealing
OU starter Kelly Maxwell kept rolling right along, retiring the side in order in the fifth.
Maxwell has allowed just one hit —Mia Scott's first-inning solo homer.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Mid-5: Kinzie Hansen doubles, Sooners add run
Texas changes pitchers, going with Estelle Czech after Mac Morgan threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Czech retired the first two hitters before running into trouble.
Kinzie Hansen blasted a double to left-center, and Kasidi Pickering followed with a slow-roller toward second.
Longhorns' second baseman Alyssa Washington tried to flip the ball to first, but the ball went high, allowing Hansen to come around to score and stretch OU's lead to 6-1.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
End 4: Kelly Maxwell keeps dealing
Despite her pitch-count numbers continuing to grow, Sooners pitcher Kelly Maxwell continues to mow down Longhorns' hitters.
Maxwell issues a two-out walk but struck out two in the fourth to keep the OU lead at 5-1.
Maxwell has thrown 74 pitches after throwing 148 in Tuesday's win. She's struck out five hitters.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Mid-4: Sooners retired in order
Tiare Jennings thought it was off the plate.
But the umpire called it strike three and OU went down in order in the third.
The Sooners lead Texas 5-1.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
End 3: Avery Hodge makes nice defensive play
Second baseman Avery Hodge, who is starting her third consecutive game in place of Alynah Torres, made a strong defensive play to start the bottom of the third.
Hodge charged in on Ashton Maloney's slow grounder to second, quickly firing to Cydney Sanders at first to retire Maloney.
Kelly Maxwell walked the next two hitters before coming back to strike out Viviana Martinez and then getting Reese Atwood to bounce out up the middle.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Mid-3: Kinzie Hansen, Kasidi Pickering go back-to-back
Kinzie Hansen and Kasidi Pickering blasted back-to-back home runs off Texas freshman Teagan Kavan to stretch the Sooners' lead to 5-1 and drive Kavan from the game.
Hansen drove Kavan's 2-1 pitcher out to left field for her second home run of this WCWS and her seventh career WCWS homer. The home run moved Hansen into third in WCWS history, breaking a tie with former Sooners slugger Lauren Chamberlain.
Hansen's homer scored two to put OU up 4-1 after Ella Parker began the inning with a single.
Pickering, a freshman, followed with her first career WCWS home run, driving one out to left-center.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
End 2: Kelly Maxwell retires Texas in order
After allowing a solo homer in the first, OU starter Kelly Maxwell worked a 1-2-3 second.
Maxwell got two fly balls to centerfield before striking out Kayden Henry to end the inning.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Alynah Torres injury update
OU second baseman Alynah Torres is available for Wednesday's Game 1 of the WCWS Championship Series, ESPN's Holly Rowe reported during the broadcast.
Torres suffered an eye injury in Saturday's 1-0 win over UCLA.
Avery Hodge made her third consecutive start at second base and drew a walk in her first at-bat. Hodge had a critical double in Tuesday's win over Florida.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Mid-2: Sooners put two on but can't extend lead
OU put two runners on base, on walks to Avery Hodge and Jayda Coleman, but couldn't push another run across as Tiare Jennings fouled out near the plate.
Texas starter Teagan Kavan has thrown 52 pitches through two innings as the Sooners lead 2-1.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
End 1: Kelly Maxwell gives up solo HR to Mia Scott
Texas cut the Sooners' lead in half in the first, on Mia Scott's solo home run to right with one out.
The home run was the fifth allowed by Kelly Maxwell in the WCWS.
The Longhorns are 11-0 this season when Scott homers.
After Scott's home run, Maxwell got Viviana Martinez to fly out to center, walked Reese Atwood and then got Katie Stewart to ground out to short to end the inning.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Mid-1: Tiare Jennings puts Sooners on top, closes in on Jocelyn Alo
Texas had yet to give up a run in three WCWS games.
That streak lasted all of two batters Wednesday.
Tiare Jennings blasted Teagan Kavan's 3-2 pitch over the left-center field wall to put the Sooners up 2-0.
The home run was the 98th of Jennings' career and her 11th career WCWS home run, putting her one behind Jocelyn Alo for the WCWS record. Jennings is now two hits from tying Alo's WCWS career record for hits.
Freshman Ella Parker narrowly missed another home run moments after Jennings, blasting a double off the wall in right-center.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
More:Toby Keith's daughter Krystal sings national anthem before OU-Texas WCWS softball game
Pregame: Kelly Maxwell starting for Sooners
After throwing 148 pitches in Tuesday's 6-5 win over Florida, Kelly Maxwell will be in the circle for the Sooners for Game 1 of the WCWS Championship Series.
Maxwell (22-2, 2.00 ERA) has thrown 18 2/3 of OU's 27 innings thus far in the WCWS. She started three of the four games against Texas, going 2-1 with 8 hits and five earned runs allowed.
The Sooners' batting order for the opener: Jayda Coleman (CF), Tiare Jennings (SS), Ella Parker (DP), Alyssa Brito (3B), Kinzie Hansen (C), Kasidi Pickering (LF), Rylie Boone (RF), Cydney Sanders (1B), Avery Hodge (2B).
Texas will start freshman Teagan Kavan (20-2, 1.96). Kavan has thrown two complete-game shutouts in the WCWS, both against Stanford. The Longhorns have yet to allow a run in the WCWS.
OU faced Kavan only once, getting a run and three hits against her in 3 2/3 innings April 7 as the Longhorns beat the Sooners 2-1.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
OU-Texas uniforms for Game 1 of WCWS championship series
The Sooners are going with the all-white uniforms, while the Longhorns are donned the solid burnt-orange look.
OU softball highlights vs.Texas
More:OU softball feels like 'the underdogs' vs Texas in WCWS finals and Patty Gasso likes it
What time does OU softball vs.Texas start?
- Date:Wednesday, June 5
- Time:7 p.m. CT
- Where:Devon Park in Oklahoma City
More:OU softball vs Texas keys, projected lineups for Women's College World Series finals
What channel is OU softball vs.Texason today?
- TV:ESPN (Fubo)
- Streaming:ESPN+
- How to watch online:Watch ESPN (here's how to stream it live)
More:For OU softball star Jayda Coleman's parents, WCWS walk-off HR brings added joy in win
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
