Oklahoma softball eyes four-peat after WCWS Game 1 home run derby win over Texas

The Oklahoma Sooners women's softball team is one win away from a historic four-peat.

No. 2 seed Oklahoma defeated the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns, 8-3, on Wednesday in Game 1 of the Women's College World Series at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, which marked a rematch of the 2022 WCWS final.

All but three of the Sooners' eight runs were scored with the long ball, a trend for the powerful Oklahoma offense. Oklahoma has scored 19 of 24 runs via home runs in WCWS this year.

Senior pitcher Kelly Maxwell held Texas' electric offense to four hits and she racked up eight strikeouts in the win. Maxwell's performance in the circle was impressive considering she pitched her first back-to-back games of the season after she threw 148 pitches on Tuesday in Oklahoma's 6-5 walk-off win over Florida to advance to the championship series.

Oklahoma is in pursuit of its fourth consecutive WCWS title. aiming to become the first NCAA Division I softball program to do so. And statistics are on the Sooners' side — the winner of Game 1 has gone on to win the best-of-three championship series 78% of the time. Texas, on the other hand, is vying for its first-ever women's softball title.

Here are the best moments from Game 1 of the WCWS:

Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings goes yard in the first

Oklahoma came out swinging and put two runs on the board in the first inning, thanks to a home run from infielder Tiare Jennings, one of 10 seniors on Oklahoma's roster. Jennings connected with a rise ball from Texas freshman pitcher Teagan Kavan and blasted it straight to center field to score herself and Jayda Coleman, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the game. It marked Jennings' 11th career Women's College World Series homer and the 98th career home run for Jennings.

Texas' Mia Scott is hot early

Texas responded with a first-inning home run of their own from junior Mia Scott to cut the Sooners' lead to one run. Scott sent a 1-1 pitch from Oklahoma senior Kelly Maxwell to right field in the bottom of the first inning for her 12th home run of the year.

Oklahoma hits back-to-back homers

The Sooners extended their lead to 5-1 in the top of the third inning with back-to-back home runs off Texas' Kavan. Senior catcher Kinzie Hansen got it started and sent an inside rise ball to left field for a two-run home run with an exit velocity of 76 MPH.

Freshman outfielder Kasidi Pickering hit a solo shot to center field the next at-bat, forcing Kavan out of the game. Kavan was replaced by junior pitcher Mac Morgan.

Rally time? Texas scores two to fend off run rule

With a 7-1 lead, Oklahoma flirted with the run rule in the bottom of the sixth inning. However, Texas got a rally started. Shortstop Viviana Martinez hit a hard shot up the first base line and legged out a triple after the ball got past Oklahoma first baseman Cydney Sanders. Texas' Katie Stewartsingled to right field to score Martinez and another single from Joley Mitchellscored Alyssa Washington, who advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch.

Ashton Maloney robs home run

It appeared that Oklahoma's Kasidi Pickering hit her second home run of the night in the top of the seventh inning, but not on Ashton Maloney's watch. Texas' right fielder Ashton Maloney made a leaping catch over the wall to rob Pickering of the bomb.

How to watch 2024 Women's College World Series final

Game 2 of the 2024 WCWS championship series will be broadcast on ESPN on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. The matchup can also be live streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oklahoma softball eyes four-peat after WCWS Game 1 win over Texas