OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma made college softball history at the expense of its most despised rival.
The Sooners (59-7) became the first Division I team in NCAA history to win four consecutive national titles with a wild 8-4 win over Texas (55-10) in the second game of the best-of-three championship series at the Women’s College World Series at Devon Park. Oklahoma won the series 2-0, but the second game certainly had its share of dramatic moments.
'Texas will be back':Reactions to Texas softball losing to Oklahoma in WCWS Final
Let’s take a look at the replay as Texas – the Big 12’s regular-season champion and the top seed in the NCAA Tournament - ended arguably its best season in school history.
More:Can Reese Atwood get hot at plate? Texas softball needs slugger against Oklahoma at WCWS.
Final: Oklahoma 8, Texas 4
Three up and three down for Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma's ace. The Sooners win their fourth consecutive national championship while Texas ends arguably its best season in school history in the championship series for the second time in three years. - Thomas Jones
End 6: Oklahoma 8, Texas 4
The Sooners' offense adds three runs on three hits, and Texas will need almost a miracle to avoid an end to the season. The Longhorns have seven hits tonight, but they'll need a lot more in possibly their final at-bat of a memorable season. - Thomas Jones
Bottom 6: Oklahoma 8, Texas 4
Oklahoma's Ella Parker may have just delivered the final blow. Her single into centerfield drives in two more runners, and the Sooners are thisclose to making history with a fourth consecutive national championship. - Thomas Jones
Bottom 6: Oklahoma 6, Texas 4
Jayda Coleman slaps an RBI single to provide some cushion. Bases still juiced, two outs. - Thomas Jones
Bottom 6: Oklahoma 5, Texas 4
Texas is only down one run, but these Sooner fans smell the crimson in the water. Texas pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez has the bases loaded with one out after a single, a walk and a hit batter. Can she hold on and keep it close? - Thomas Jones
Middle 6: Oklahoma 5, Texas 4
The best thing I can say is Mia Scott just had a Chris Webber moment. She brought in Joley Mitchell with an infield single to make it 5-4, then inexplicably wandered off first base and was tagged out for the third out with the tying run on third. Incredible. I guess Mia Scott lost track of the ball and thought the pitcher was holding it. - Kirk Bohls
Top 6: Oklahoma 5, Texas 3
This seems like the pivotal moment of the game. Texas has runners on second and third and All-Big 12 third baseman Mia Scott at the plate. Oklahoma turns to ace Kelly Maxwell, who has thrown consecutive complete-game wins to get OU within the brink of a second national title. Who will step up? - Thomas Jones
End 5: Oklahoma 5, Texas 3
Texas pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez does her job with two strikeouts and a grounder back to the circle, but can the Longhorn bats, who rank second in the nation with almost eight runs a game, get to this deep and versatile Oklahoma pitching staff? - Thomas Jones
Middle 5: Oklahoma 5, Texas 3
Oklahoma pitcher Nicole May has a nasty changeup, and the Sooners are throwing all sorts of nasty stuff at Texas tonight. She gets through the heart of the Longhorn lineup with no problems, and Texas is suddenly down to six outs for the season. Texas will now turn to sophom*ore Citlaly Gutierrez to calm things in the circle. She's had a great season but has struggled in the NCAAs. - Thomas Jones
Top 5: Oklahoma 5, Texas 3
Through four innings, OU has nine hits, three of them for extra bases. Texas has five hits, all of them singles. -- Kirk Bohls
End 4: Oklahoma 5, Texas 3
Right-fielder Ashton Maloney makes a nice play on a foul ball and Texas escapes without further damage. But the damage has been heavy already; OU has nine hits and several hard-hit outs. Can the Texas bats keep pace? And when will OU coach Patty Gasso turn to weary but wily ace Kelly Maxwell, who has thrown almost 300 pitches over the previous three days. Oh, and and a fourth OU pitcher now in the game in Nicole May. - Thomas Jones
Bottom 4: Oklahoma 5, Texas 3
A bases-loaded double by OU's Cydney Sanders clears the bags, and the Sooners are back in front. Texas' Estelle Czech threw six scoreless innings against Oklahoma during the regular season and didn’t allow a run while giving up three total hits and no walks, but she's having issues right now; OU has four straight hits and Texas catcher Reese Atwood has her arm around Czech, trying to calm the senior. - Thomas Jones
Middle 4: Texas 3, Oklahoma 2
A rare lapse by OU lets in the go-ahead run for Texas. Second baseman Avery Hodge has gobbled up every ball this Series but couldn't backhand Mia Scott's hard-hit grounder. The Horns have scored single runs in each of the last three innings, all coming with two outs.. -- Kirk Bohls
Top 4: Texas 3, Oklahoma 2
Kaden Henry reaches third base after a single and swiping the Longhorns' third bag of the game and scores after Mia Scott sneaks a shot past OU second baseman, but the scorers say its an error on Avery Hodge. Tough call but the Longhorns don't care. They have recaptured the lead. -- Thomas Jones
Top 4: Oklahoma 2, Texas 2
Both OU coach Patty Gasson and Texas coach Mike White are treating their pitchers like chess pieces. Kierston Deal, the third pitcher of the game for the Sooners, is now in the game. -- Thomas Jones
End 3: Oklahoma 2, Texas 2
Senior Estelle Czech gets the job done after coming in for Texas starter Mac Morgan. OU strands Avery Hodge at third base after a long, long flyout by Ella Parker. The Sooner fans were on their feet on that out. -- Thomas Jones
Bottom 3: Oklahoma 2, Texas 2
A leadoff hit by Avery Hodge, and that's all for Texas starter Mac Morgan, who leaves after two innings, five hits, two runs, no walks and no strikeouts. Senior Estelle Czech comes in. -- Thomas Jones
Middle 3: Oklahoma 2, Texas 2
Can you say clutch hit by Alyssa Washington on an RBI single up the middle? Can you also say wasted opportunity when Reese Atwood didn't attempt to come home on a wild pitch and then Joley Mitchell harmlessly grounded out to first base, leaving the bases loaded. Score's tied at 2-2 but what might have been. -- Kirk Bohls
Top 3: Oklahoma 2, Texas 2
Alyssa Washington with a clutch, 2-out hit up the middle that scores Vivi Martinez, and Texas has tied the game. That's all for OU starter Karlie Keeney. Payton Monticelli comes in; she's only thrown 19 innings this season and has 23 strikeouts. OU coach Patty Gasso is being very creative with her staff tonight. - Thomas Jones
Top 3: Oklahoma 2, Texas 1
Texas has runners in scoring position after back-to-back, 2-out singles from Vivi Martinez and Reese Atwood - two Texas batters who have been struggling at the WCWS - and the Sooners having a long conference with OU starter Karlie Keeney. - Thomas Jones
End 2: Oklahoma 2, Texas 1
I don't know who the eagle eye in the Texas dugout was, but OU's Rylie Boone clearly left the first base bag early and was ruled out on the Longhorns' first challenge. As lethal as this Sooners' lineup is, Texas can ill afford to get further behind. -- Kirk Bohls
More:Texas softball's fixes in WCWS final must come immediately, and the Horns know it | Bohls
End 2: Oklahoma 2, Texas 1
A challenge by Texas coach Mike White is successful, and Rylie Boone is out after replay shows she left a second early from first base. Oklahoma has the lead, but Texas starter Mac Morgan shook off the homer to keep things tight. - Thomas Jones
Bottom 2: Oklahoma 2, Texas 1
These Sooners don't hit home runs. They hit rockets. That's their 12th home run in OU's fifth WCWS game. Can't see Mac Morgan lasting much longer. She's not fooling any of these OU hitters. But Mike White leaves her in for now after a long talk. -- Kirk Bohls
Bottom 2: Oklahoma 2, Texas 1
They talk about Sooner magic up here, but's all about that Sooner power. After Alyssa Brito hammers a leadoff double off the centerfield wall, Kasidi Pickering launches a one-out homer into the left-field bleachers. - Thomas Jones
Middle 2: Texas 1, Oklahoma 0
Texas only 1-for-6 with runners on this game, but Henry provides the Horns' first clutch hit really in the last three games. That has been lacking since the Horns won their first two games handily. -- Kirk Bohls
Middle 2: Texas 1, Oklahoma 0
The Longhorns have their first lead of the championship series. Texas catcher Reese Atwood doesn't get a hit, but she scores. She reaches base on a walk and is credited with her first steal of the season, if that call holds up. The 6-footer then shows off her wheels and scores on a bloop RBI single by Kayden Henry into right field. - Thomas Jones
Start 1: Texas 0, Oklahoma 0
Texas escapes the first inning unscathed, unlike last night, and turns its WCWS-high fourth double play here. OU leads all teams up here with a .309 batting average in the WCWS. The Horns are hitting just .255 after leading the nation in batting average at .372. -- Kirk Bohls
End 1: Texas 0, Oklahoma 0
Oklahoma's Jayda Coleman leads off the bottom of the first with a sharply hit single but the Texas infield then shows off its glovework. Third baseman Mia Scott almost starts a double-play but settles for one out, then shortstop Vivi Martinez and second baseman Alyssa Washington turn a double-play to end the winning - Thomas Jones
Middle 1: Texas 0, Oklahoma 0
Texas starts where it left off in Game One. It had just two hits in six at-bats with runners in scoring position in that loss and wasted a leadoff walk by Bella Dayton with an easy double play. -- Kirk Bohls
Middle 1: Texas 0, Oklahoma 0
Oklahoma starter Karlie Keeney opens the game with a walk to Bella Dayton but Sooner second baseman Avery Hodge makes a nice play to turn a double play. - Thomas Jones
Texas doesn't lose two in a row often
Texas is hungry to keep its season and championship hopes alive tonight. The Horns lost 8-3 to OU last night and haven't lost two straight to the same opponent all season. Their only two-game losing streak came against Oklahoma State and OU in different series. -- Kirk Bohls
More:OU softball live score updates vs Texas in Game 2 of WCWS championship series
Texas vs. OU reeling in viewers
Game one between Texas and Oklahoma, which was broadcast on ESPN, drew the best-ever WCWS game-one audience with 1.9 million viewers, according to ESPN. That marks the best WCWS audience since 2021 and second best since 2015. It was also the second-most streamed softball game ever on ESPN+. - Thomas Jones
Sooner faithful ready to paint town crimson
Devon Park already looks like an OU rally, but Texas is represented. AD Chris Del Conte, regents chairman Kevin Eltife and chancellor JB Milliken watching from the front row behind the Horn dugout. -- Kirk Bohls
Bohls: Mac Morgan the right pick by White
Not surprised that Mike White is going with junior right-hander Mac Morgan. She's been solid to spectacular this post-season and throws 90% drop balls, which could help her keep OU hits inside the park in theory. -- Kirk Bohls
Mac Morgan gets the start for Texas
White fondly calls junior Mac Morgan his “bulldog” in the circle, and he’s turning to his junior pitcher to help keep the Longhorns’ season alive. Morgan has yet to allow a run at the WCWS in two appearances, and she’s only given up two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings. That stretch includes 1.2 innings in Wednesday’s loss to the Sooners. Oklahoma will counter with Karlie Keeney, a grad student in her first season with the Sooners. She’s only thrown 1/3 of an inning at the WCWS, and this will be just her sixth start of the season. Bit of a curveball from OU coach Patty Gasso. – Thomas Jones
What channel is Texas softball vs Oklahoma today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
Texas vs. Oklahoma is scheduled to take place on ESPN. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a cable login), ESPN+ and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
This is Game 2 of the best-of-three Women's College World Series championship series. If needed, Game 3 will likewise take place on ESPN, keeping the same streaming options.
Texas softball vs Oklahoma start time
- Date: Wednesday, June 5
- Time: 7 p.m. CDT
First pitch for Texas softball's Game 2 of the Women's College World Series championship is scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT.
Game 3, if needed, would be at 7 p.m. Friday.
Texas softball schedule 2024
Below is Texas softball's postseason schedule. For the Longhorns' full 2024 college softball schedule, click here.
Austin Regional
- Friday, May 17: Texas 5, Siena 0
- Saturday, May 18: Texas 14, Northwestern 2 (five innings)
- Sunday, May 19: Texas 7, Northwestern 0
Austin Super Regional
- Friday, May 24: Texas A&M 6, Texas 5
- Saturday, May 25: Texas 9, Texas A&M 8
- Sunday, May 26: Texas 6, Texas A&M 5
Women's College World Series:
- Thursday, May 30: Texas 4, Stanford 0
- Saturday, June 1: Texas 10, Florida 0 (five innings)
- Monday, June 3: Texas 1, Stanford 0
- Wednesday, June 5: Oklahoma 8, Texas 3 (WCWS final, Game 1)
- Thursday, June 6: vs. Oklahoma (WCWS final, Game 2)
- Friday, June 7*: vs. Oklahoma (WCWS final, Game 3)
* If necessary
