Stanford softball eliminated from WCWS after gutsy extra

Stanford softball has been eliminated from the Women's College World Series, falling to Oklahoma in the first game of Monday's action.

After 2 straight wins to open the WCWS, the Sooners had 2 shots to get past the Cardinal on Monday. Oklahoma would need just one of those games to get the job done, but Stanford pushed the Sooners to the brink.

Stanford's Kylie Chung put the Cardinal ahead in the bottom of the 1st inning. Chung delivered a 2-run home run for the early lead and to flip the pressure back onto the Sooners.

Oklahoma answered right back with runs in the top of the 2nd and 3rd innings. A solo home run by Jayda Coleman tied the game in the top of the 3rd inning.

From there, the game turned into a pitchers’ duel. After surrendering the 2-run HR in the 1st inning, Oklahoma's Nicole May delivered 4 straight scoreless frames before turning the ball over to Jordy Bahl.

As for Stanford, Alana Vawter was pulled from the game after 4 innings pitched. She gave way to star freshman NiJaree Canady who once again got the best of the Sooners’ batters for much of her outing.

The deciding blow finally came in the top of the 9th inning. On her 21st birthday, Tiare Jennings finally broke the 2-all deadlock with a 2-RBI double and tied the NCAA record for most RBI in the WCWS.

Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings gives the Sooners a record 51st straight win heading into the WCWS Final. She also tied the career WCWS RBI record, and today is her 21st birthday. https://t.co/ZeYWFELNz9

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) June 5, 2023

Bahl closed things out in a dominant bottom of the 9th inning to cap the win and a scoreless appearance in the circle. She finished the game with 4 innings pitched and 6 strikeouts, including a string of 4 straight strikeouts across the 8th and 9th innings. Back-to-back strikeouts by Bahl in the 8th ended a Stanford threat that began with 2 runners on and no outs.

Stanford gave it all it could muster against the Sooners, going toe-to-toe against one of the most dominant teams the sport has seen. In 2 games against Oklahoma, the Cardinal held the Sooners to 6 total runs but could not generate enough offense to steal a game and force an elimination scenario.

As for Oklahoma, the Sooners will advance to face the winner of Florida State vs. Tennessee in the CWS Finals. The best of 3 Finals will begin Wednesday, June 7.