Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma softball: Sooners blast their way into Super Regionals with 16-3 win

By Chip Rouse

Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings (23) celebrates a home run next to California's Tatum Anzaldo (3) in the first inning during a college softball game between the California Golden Bears and the University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Norman Regional of NCAA softball tournament at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Okla., Sunday, May, 21, 2023.
Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings (23) celebrates a home run next to California's Tatum Anzaldo (3) in the first inning during a college softball game between the California Golden Bears and the University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Norman Regional of NCAA softball tournament at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Okla., Sunday, May, 21, 2023. /
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The No. 1 seed Oklahoma softball team blasted six home runs, four from two Sooner players, as OU rolled to a 16-3 win over California to capture the Norman Regional championship.

Tiare Jennings, Alyssa Brito, Cydney Sanders and Jocelyn Erickson all homered in a seven-run Oklahoma first inning, and Jennings hit another out of the yard in the second and Brito did the same in the third as the Sooners built a 14-0 advantage before Cal was able to score.

The Golden Bears strung together three hits and scored three time off of OU starter Alex Storako in the bottom of the third, and that was all they would manage as Oklahoma posted in nation-best 27th run-rule victory of the season and 54th win overall.

OU collected 19 hits in five innings off of four California pitchers. Jennings led the way, going four for four with four runs driven in and four runs scored. Brito drove in five runs and was one of five Sooners with multiple hits in the blowout win.

Nicole May, the winning pitcher in OU’s opening round shutout win over Hofstra got the win, her 18th without a loss this season, in relief of Storako.

The Sooners breezed through the Norman Regional scoring a cumulative 38 runs on 42 hits and hit 10 home runs. OU pitchers gave up just three runs and a total of seven hits in three games. Total domination by the No. 1-ranked team in the country.

The Sooners have now won 12 straight NCAA Regionals at home in Norman and improved to 83-20 all-time in NCAA regional competition.

The win over Cal extended Oklahoma’s current win streak to 46 games, one back of the all-time NCAA record set by Arizona in 1996-97.

Oklahoma (54-1) will now face Clemson (49-10), the No, 16 national seed, in the Norman Super Regional beginning next Friday.

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