Oklahoma Softball Run Rules Ole Miss, 9-1, To Advance To Regional Championship

Oklahoma improved to 4-0 against the S.E.C. this season and continued their habit of jumping out on teams early after Erin Miller led off the bottom of the first by getting hit by a pitch. She was then driven home by a single from Shay Knighten for the games first run en route to a 9-1 blowout win.

Paige Parker retired the side in the top of the second to mark the 26th consecutive game where the Sooners have not allowed a run to score in the first or second innings. Then Nicole Pendley led off the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run, that exited the park over the right field wall, to increase the lead to 2-0. It was the second long ball of the regional for Pendley, in as many games, and they both came in her first at bat.

A bases loaded walk for Sydney Romero brought in Kelsey Arnold for Oklahoma's third run of the game and marked the end of the afternoon for Rebels ace Madi Osias. Things weren't any better for Elisha Jahnke who was greeted by a bases clearing double from Knighten to make the score 6-0. A pair of back-to-back wild pitches scored Knighten and Fale Aviu and the route was on at 8-0.

After sitting in the dugout for thirty minutes, Parker had some rust to shake off. Three consecutive walks allowed the Rebels to post their first run of the afternoon but it wasn't close to being enough to dig Ole Miss out of the hole they were in.

A squeeze bunt from Kady Self, in the fourth, scored Raegan Rogers to put the run rule in effect and Parker was able to put the Rebels down in order in the top of the fifth.

Oklahoma will now await the winner of Saturday's elimination games to play in Sunday's regional championship. Tulsa and Wichita State and Tulsa will square off first with the loser being eliminated and the winner advancing to play Ole Miss in tonight's finale.