We knew Oklahoma was good, but nobody expected the shellacking OU handed Tennessee in the World Series game June 3 in Oklahoma City. Fourth-ranked Tennessee fell to No. 1 Oklahoma 9-0 on Saturday in its second game of the 2023 Women’s College World Series.
Both teams used four pitchers – eight total in a game cut short by the NCAA softball mercy rule. If a team leads by eight or more runs after five or more innings, the home plate umpire may call the game in favor of the leading team.
The game was OU’s 28th mercy-rule win this season.
Offensively, it was downhill for Tennessee after Kiki Milloy led off with a double in the game’s first inning. She was stranded on base and no other hits were posted by the usually strong-hitting Volunteers in five innings at bat.
Oklahoma, on the other hand, thrived on coach Karen Weekly’s decision to start freshman Karlyn Pickens, who gave up three runs on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks. OU scored in the second inning on a 3-RBI home run by Tiare Jennings.
Weekly found another freshman, Charli Orsini, to relieve Pickens, who was charged with the loss.
Orsini got into trouble in the disastrous third inning, which saw OU score 6 runs on four hits and two wild pitches. Nicola Simpson and Ryleigh White finished out the game.
At least, Tennessee has Ashley Rogers and Payton Gottshall well rested for the remaining game(s).
Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said her team played “pretty flawless” and “on point.”
Notes
- Alabama, Tennessee’s first World Series win, lost to Sanford, 2-0, on Saturday and is headed home while Sanford advances.
- Oklahoma gets Sunday off – a big plus – and is one win away from the championship finals.
- Tiare Jennings’s home run was her 8th in World Series play, ranking her second all-time.
- Tennessee will play next at 7 p.m. ET Sunday as it takes on Oklahoma State in an elimination game. The winner will play the winner of Florida State vs. Washington on Monday evening, June 5.
- Tennessee is now 50-9 on the season; Oklahoma is 58-1.