OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Tiare Jennings doubled in the ninth inning to score two runs and No. 1 seed Oklahoma defeated No. 9 Stanford 4-2 on Monday to earn a shot at its third straight Women's College World Series title.
The Sooners increased their Division I record to 51 consecutive victories. They advanced to play No. 3 Florida State or No. 4 Tennessee for the national championship. Oklahoma (59-1) looks to become the first program since UCLA in 1988-90 to win three consecutive titles. The best-of-three championship series starts Wednesday.
Stanford (47-15) reached the World Series for the third time, and the first time since 2004. Oklahoma gave Stanford both of its World Series losses.
Grace Lyons doubled to start off Oklahoma's ninth. Jayda Coleman came up with Lyons on third base and with two outs and was intentionally walked. Jennings then sent the ball into the gap in right center to bring home Lyons and Coleman.
Oklahoma's Jordy Bahl put the Cardinal down in order in the ninth.
Bahl, who got the win, gave up four hits in four innings in relief of starter Nicole May and did not allow a run. Bahl is 3-0 at the World Series and has not allowed a run in 14 2/3 innings.
Stanford's NiJaree Canady took the loss in relief of starter Alana Vawter. Canady had thrown the most innings of any player at the World Series. She threw a one-hitter against Washington on Sunday to lift the Cardinal into the semifinals, then threw 85 pitches against Oklahoma on Monday.
Because Oklahoma was unbeaten in the double-elimination bracket, the Sooners needed just one win on Monday, while Stanford would have needed two to advance.
Stanford's Kylie Chung hit a 2-run homer in the first, the only one the Sooners have allowed at the World Series. Coleman's solo homer tied the score at 2 in the third.
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