Oklahoma infielder Ella Parker (5) smiles after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of Game 2 of an NCAA super regional between the University of Oklahoma (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Love's Field in Norman, Saturday, May 24, 2025. Oklahoma won 13-2 to advance to the Women's College World Series. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In the second game of the day in Oklahoma City on Thursday, May 29, it seemed Tennessee was going to take the game and shock many softball fans but then the Sooners rallied in the bottom of the seventh to come back and win 4-3.
The first inning between the Lady Vols and the Sooners saw three runs tacked onto the board, the total of the previous game between Texas and Florida.
Tennessee right fielder Gabby Leach led off the first inning with a single to left center field. Third baseman Taylor Pannell doubled to deep right center which allowed Leach to go from first to third. Leach scored off a passed ball from Oklahoma catcher Isabela Emerling.
Still in the first, Catcher Sophia Nugent came up to the plate and forced an outside change up to right field for a sacrifice fly which scored Pannell. The Lady Vols ended the top of the first up 2-0.
However, in the bottom of the first, Ella Parker who had previously gone 0-for-6 against Tennessee's ace Karlyn Pickens blasted an inside pitch over the right field fence for a solo home run. Pickens had previously snuck an inside pitch at 76 mph by Parker with a 2-2 count, but when Pickens came back inside, she paid the price as Parker made the adjustment for the long ball.
In the third inning, the Lady Vols scored again off the bat of McKenna "Boo" Gibson and pushed their lead to 3-1. Gibson put a ball into left field where a bobble by the Sooners left fielder Kasidi Pickering allowed Ella Dodge to score in a close play at the plate after she walked earlier in the inning.
The error by Pickering in such a big moment, on a ball that needed to be caught, left even hall of famer and Olympian turned broadcaster Jessica Mendoza speechless. Oklahoma who ranked ninth in the country in fielding percentage (.979) had only made 32 errors coming into the World Series.
The remainder of the game saw multiple base runners left on base for both teams, as Pickens and Oklahoma pitcher Sam Landry battled to keep the opposing team from crossing home plate. The two teams combined for 12 runners left on base and eight walks on the day. However, Tennessee out hit Oklahoma 8 to 5 in the loss.
Pickens began the seventh inning with a walk. This walk would eventually cost her the game as Parker came up to the plate with runners on the corners. The previous two times Pickens had won the battle, but with the game on the line, Parker delivered a three-run blast to center field walking off the game for the Sooners. Parker went 2-for-4 on the day with two home runs.
When asked in the post game press conference about her approach during her game winning at bat, Parker said, "I wasn't trying to make any moment too big. I thought all of our batters before that did a good job of just staying loose throughout the moment and not letting the moment get too big."
With Oklahoma advancing to the winner's bracket they will have Friday, May 30 off from play to rest and recover while, Tennessee returns to play on Friday at 7 pm EST on ESPN against Florida. Oklahoma will face off against Texas, a team they are very familiar with on Saturday, May 31 at 3 pm EST on ABC.