Kelly Maxwell transferred to Oklahoma for a moment like the one that arrived on Thursday. She waited in the Oklahoma bullpen until she was called on with the tying run 120 feet away from scoring in the sixth inning of a potential clinching game for the Sooners.
Maxwell delivered. She got the groundball she needed, and though it drove in a run, Texas’ Mia Scott was tagged out after rounding first base to end the inning. The Sooners sluggers piled on three runs to give Oklahoma some breathing room for the final frame, but Maxwell needed only the one. Facing Texas’ best hitters, she went 1-2-3 to clinch No. 2 Oklahoma’s 8-4 win and seal the fourth consecutive national championship for the Sooners.
“This year has been so hard, but I’m grateful that I’m here and grateful that the staff welcomed me with open arms,” Maxwell told ESPN after the game.
Never before has a team won four consecutive national championships. Oklahoma has now accomplished the feat. The senior class leaves Norman, Okla., having never lost the final game of the season. Over the past four years, the Sooners were never run-ruled. They were never shut out. And they lost only one series.
That one series came in April to Texas, which sent the Longhorns to the No. 1 ranking. Oklahoma has since redeemed the loss twice over, topping the Longhorns in the Big 12 championship game and then sweeping the Women’s College World Series finals.
It appeared the Longhorns were ready to halt the excitement in Oklahoma, however. Texas took the early 1-0 lead, and after Oklahoma took a 2-1 lead on a Kasidi Pickering home run, Texas struck right back with runs in the top of the third and fourth to claim an early 3-2 lead.
But the Sooner bats just kept coming. With the bases loaded, Cydney Sanders ripped a bases-clearing double to the right-center gap to push Oklahoma up 5-3.
Texas appeared to have a chance to come back. The Longhorns had runners on second and third with Scott coming up to the plate. Scott beat out an infield single with two out, but after running through the first base bag, she veered into the baseline as if she was considering going to first. She froze at first until second baseman Avery Hodge flipped over to Sanders, who tagged her for the final out.
Oklahoma gave Maxwell insurance when Jayda Coleman ripped a single with the bases loaded to drive in a run. Ella Parker boosted the lead with a two-run single that pushed Oklahoma to a four-run lead.
The Sooners, in winning their fourth straight national championship, tied Arizona for the second-most national championships with eight, trailing only UCLA, which has 12.
Sporting News tracked live scores and highlights from Thursday’s Game 2 between Texas and Oklahoma.
MORE: Watch the 2024 Women’s College World Series finals live with Fubo (free trial)
Texas vs. Oklahoma softball score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | F | |
| Texas | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | X | 8 |
Women’s College World Series live updates, highlights from Game 2
(All times Eastern)
10:51 p.m. End of game: And it’s over. Stewart grounds out to third, and for the first time in NCAA history, a team has won four consecutive national championships as Oklahoma completes the four-peat.
10:50 p.m.: Atwood goes down swinging. Oklahoma is one out away from winning a fourth straight national championship.
10:48 p.m.: Martinez flies out to left, and there’s one away.
10:44 p.m. End of sixth: Hansen rips a grounder to Scott, who steps on third to record the final out. Longhorns are down to their final three outs down by four.
10:43 p.m.: Brito walks to bring Hansen up to the plate with the bases loaded. Sooners have now sent all nine batters to the plate in this inning.
10:39 p.m. Oklahoma scoring play: Parker breaks the game open. She lines a base hit into center to plate a pair, and the Sooners now lead by four. Oklahoma 8, Texas 4
EP adds two 👊
↓6 | OU 8, UT 4#ChampionshipMindset | @espn pic.twitter.com/ui4ILpkXPX
10:35 p.m. Oklahoma scoring play: Coleman rips a base hit through the right side that plates a run to push the Sooners’ lead back to 6-4. Jennings flies out on the next pitch to keep the bases loaded for Parker with two outs. Oklahoma 6, Texas 4
10:34 p.m.: Hodge is hit by the first pitch of the plate appearance, and the bases are loaded for Coleman.
10:33 p.m.: A challenge that Boone left first early was unsuccessful. Sanders then reaches base on a walk to put a pair of runners on with just one out for Hodge, who is 1-for-2 today.
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How to watch 2024 Women’s College World Series finals Game 2
- Start time: 8 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. CT
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN+ | Fubo
The final three games of the 2024 NCAA Division I softball season will all be carried by ESPN, each broadcast at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT).
Beth Mowins will handle play-by-play, with Jessica Mendoza and Michele Smith joining her in the booth to provide analysis. Holly Rowe will be reporting from the dugouts. This marks the 17th time the quartet has worked together for the Women’s College World Series, and it will be Mowins’ 30th edition.
Those hoping to stream the series can find it on ESPN+ or Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Women’s College World Series schedule 2024
Wednesday, June 5
| Game 1 |
| No. 2 Oklahoma 8, No. 1 Texas 3 |
Thursday, June 6
| Game 2 |
| No. 2 Oklahoma 8, No. 1 Texas 4 |
