Coach Patty Gassoand thesecond-seeded Oklahoma Soonerswill look to move within one win of advancing to the NCAA softball tournament super regionals when the Sooners (50-6) host Oregon (29-19) in the Norman Regional. Here's what you need to know:
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OU softball live score updates vs.Oregon
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FINAL: Oklahoma 6, Oregon 3 | Sooners advance to NCAA regional final
After Karlie Keeney struggled, allowing two quick runs in the seventh, Kelly Maxwell returned to finish it off and give the Sooners a 6-3 win.
Oregon added a run in the seventh on Emma Kauf's solo home run, then another after two more hits to score another before Maxwell came back in.
The Sooners will play either Oregon, Boston or Cleveland State at 2 p.m. Sunday.
More:OU softball vs Oregon takeaways: Kelly Maxwell shines as Sooners reach NCAA regional final
End 6: Ella Parker HR stretches Sooners lead
Ella Parker continues to show why the Sooners' offense is in solid shape beyond this season.
Parker blasted a two-run home run out to right center for her 12th home run of the season, putting the Sooners up 6-1.
Parker is now 4 for 8 with five RBIs in the regional, after winning Most Outstanding Player honors at last week's Big 12 Tournament.
Mid-6: Kelly Maxwell keeps mowing Ducks down
Kelly Maxwell retired the side in order once again in the sixth, moving the Sooners to within three outs of advancing.
Maxwell has retired the last 14 hitters, getting the final out of the sixth on Ariel Carlson's fly ball to the warning track in right center.
End 5: Tiare Jennings delivers a two-run blast
What had been a quiet game offensively turned in the fifth, with the big blow being Tiare Jennings' two-run home run into the upper seating area in left to put the Sooners up 4-1.
Just before, Ella Parker delivered an infield single to first, beating second baseman Katie Flannery to the bag.
The home run was Jennings' 94th career home run, moving her one away from tying former Sooners star Lauren Chamberlain for third all-time. OU's Jocelyn Alo is the NCAA's career record holder while Miami (Ohio) star Karli Spaid is second with 103 entering Saturday.
Jennings now has a team-best 21 home runs this season and has homered in back-to-back games after delivering a walk-off home run to seal the Sooners' 9-0 win over Cleveland State on Friday.
The damage could've been more extensive.
Jayda Coleman got the inning started with a dribbler back to pitcher Elise Sokolsky.
Sokolsky fielded the ball cleanly and quickly fired to first, but Coleman narrowly beat the throw, throwing her arms apart in a "safe" motion as she crossed the bag.
But Coleman was gunned down stealing during Parker's at-bat.
Mid-5: Kelly Maxwell getting stronger
OU starter Kelly Maxwell keeps mowing down Oregon hitters.
Maxwell struck out the side in the fifth, getting Tahya Bird swinging to end the inning and preserve the Sooners' 2-1 lead.
Maxwell has now retired 11 consecutive hitters.
End 4: Rylie Boone robbed by Oregon shortstop
With runners on first and second with two outs, Rylie Boone hit a hard one off the bat.
But Oregon shortstop Paige Sinicki dove to her left to snag Boone's liner and keep OU's lead at 2-1.
Mid-4: Kelly Maxwell remains sharp
After two of the first six batters against her reached base, including Ariel Carlson's solo homer in the first, OU starter Kelly Maxwell has been sharp.
Maxwell has retired the last eight hitters she's faced since hitting Alyssa Daniell in the second.
Maxwell has three strikeouts and no walks through four innings.
End 3: Sooners go down in order
OU wouldn't manage any more offense in the third, with their best chance coming from Ella Parker in the leadoff spot.
Parker flew out to deep left, but with virtually no wind blowing in Norman, the ball died on the warning track.
Oregon's Morgan Scott retired Tiare Jennings and Kasidi Pickering to end the inning with OU still ahead 2-1.
Mid-3: Infield shift pays off
When Oregon leadoff hitter Kai Luschar is at the plate, the Sooners have brought centerfielder Jayda Coleman in as a fifth infielder, using her as a virtual second shortstop between shortstop Tiare Jennings and second base.
It paid off the in third, when Luschar line out right to Jennings, a ball that would've had a chance to reach left field without the shift.
The out was the second of the inning and Kelly Maxwell retired the next batter for her first 1-2-3 inning.
End 2: Sooners maintain one-run lead
Jayda Coleman nearly beat the throw.
She thought she did.
But Coleman was thrown out to end the second inning with only Rylie Boone's single to show for it.
Sooners coach Patty Gasso asked for a review, but the call was quickly upheld and the inning was over.
Mid-2: Kelly Maxwell throws scoreless second
After allowing a solo homer in the second, OU starter Kelly Maxwell settled in, working a scoreless second to keep the Sooners up 2-1.
Maxwell hit the second batter of the inning, before getting a lineout and a groundout to end the inning.
End 1: Kasidi Pickering ties it, Alyssa Brito gives Sooners the lead
Kasidi Pickering's first-inning at-bat was a lot like Alyssa Brito's in the third inning Friday.
Pickering fouled off pitch after pitch.
But where Brito struck out Friday, Pickering eventually lined the 12th pitch of the at-bat from Oregon's Morgan Scott down the left-field line.
Ducks' left-fielder Kai Luschar raced in and caught Pickering's liner with a dive, but it was enough to drive in Jayda Coleman on the sacrifice fly.
Just after that, Brito delivered an RBI single to score Tiare Jennings and put the Sooners up 2-1.
Mid-1: Ariel Carlson puts Ducks up front
Ariel Carlson turned on Kelly Maxwell's 2-2 offering and drove it out to deep left just two batters into the game to put Oregon up 1-0 on OU.
The home run was Carlson's 16th of the season, leading the Ducks.
It was the 11th home run surrendered by Maxwell.
After the home run, Maxwell retired the next two hitters to get out of the inning without further damage.
Pregame: Kelly Maxwell starting in the circle
Kelly Maxwell will start in the circle for OU vs. Oregon on Saturday.
Maxwell (18-2, 1.96 ERA) will be facing the Ducks for the third time in the last two seasons, after throwing a pair of complete-game two-hitters against Oregon a year ago when she played at Oklahoma State.
Maxwell will be squaring off against Morgan Scott (9-8, 3.45).
OU softball highlights vs.Oregon
More:Has any team four-peated as WCWS national champions? Oklahoma softball can become first
What time does OU softball vs.Oregon start?
- Date:Saturday, May 18
- Time:2 p.m. CT
- Where:Love's Field in Norman
More:Why Oregon coach Melyssa Lombardi's return to OU softball roots is 'pretty special'
What channel is OU softball vs.Oregonon today?
- TV:ESPN
- How to watch online:Watch ESPN (here's how to stream it live)
More:Relive OU softball's run to three straight WCWS titles with our 'Crimson Empire' book
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