OKLAHOMA CITY — Kelly Maxwell struck out a season-high 11, going the distance as Oklahoma knocked off UCLA 1-0 on Saturday in a winner’s bracket game in the Women’s College World Series.
The second-seeded Sooners (56-6) advance to the semifinals Monday against either Alabama, Texas or Florida. Oklahoma will have two opportunities to win one game to advance to the WCWS Championship Series.
Sixth-seeded UCLA (43-11) will take on Stanford on Sunday in an elimination game.
With two outs in the seventh, UCLA star Maya Brady stood in against Maxwell.
Brady struck out her first three times but this time made contact into fair territory as her grounder to second was quickly fielded to end the game and extend Oklahoma’s NCAA Tournament winning streak to 20, stretching its own record.
The Bruins managed just two hits on Maxwell, going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Oklahoma got all the offense it needed in the third on Tiare Jennings’ leadoff home run that barely cleared the center field wall.
The home run was Jennings’ ninth career WCWS home run, second all-time behind only former teammate Jocelyn Alo, who hit 12.
Oklahoma second baseman Alynah Torres left the game in the third inning after being hit in the face by a fly ball.
–Field Level Media