The Oklahoma Sooners' softball game against the Florida Gators didn't even start until 5 p.m. CT Friday. But by 3 p.m., the Sooners were already crowned SEC champions.
The Sooners clinched the SEC regular-season title and the 1-seed for next week's SEC Softball Tournament in their first season in the conference after leaving the Big 12 last year.
Sooners win conference title first season in SEC
OU secured the championship thanks to Tennessee's 5-1 win over Texas A&M in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday. It was largely thanks to former Sooner Sophia Nugent, who hit two home runs and had three RBI in the win.
The No. 1 Sooners on Thursday night edged past No. 7 Florida 6-5 in nine innings in Game 1 of the final series of the regular season. Abby Dayton hit a bases-loaded single in the ninth inning to drive in Ella Parker from third and score what would be the game-winning run, while ace Sam Landry went the entire game with 144 pitches.
That win put the Sooners one win -- or even a loss -- away from clinching the SEC title. One win for the Sooners made it where Texas A&M and Tennessee need a sweep in order to pass OU. Texas A&M won Game 1 on Thursday, making it only possible for the Aggies to steal the crown. But Texas A&M's loss Friday vanished any chance.
This was the Sooners' 16th regular-season conference championship, but first in the SEC. Last season ended a run of 11 regular-season titles in a row under Patty Gasso.
The Sooners took the top spot in the SEC standings just last weekend after sweeping Texas in the Red River Rivalry at Love's Field. The sweep also knocked the Longhorns out of contention for the title.
OU was No. 1 in the conference standings with a 16-5 SEC record and 42-5 overall record entering the final week of the regular season. Those records were improved to 17-5 and 43-5, respectively, after Thursday to ultimately seal the deal.
With the top seed in the SEC Softball Tournament next week, the Sooners will get two byes and not play until the final game on Thursday in Athens, Georgia.
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