OU routs Texas A&M in largest win in NCAA softball tournament history, advances to Super Regional

NORMAN — Texas A&M got OU’s attention on Saturday.

On Sunday, the Aggies got the Sooners’ wrath in a 20-0 run-rule beatdown at Marita Hynes Field.

Texas A&M pushed OU to its limit during Saturday’s NCAA Norman Regional semifinal. The Aggies refused to be another run-rule roadblock in the way of the Sooners, who earned a 3-2 win that took the full seven innings.

“We always felt like we were right there within reach,” Texas A&M head coach Jo Evans said following the loss. “This is not some sort of moral victory for us because it was a close game. We came here to win, and now we have to buckle down… so that we can have a chance again to play OU on Sunday. ”

Tramel: Star Wars showing as OU routs Texas A&M in 2022 NCAA softball tournament regional

After defeating Minnesota in an elimination game Saturday evening, Texas A&M got that second chance against OU during Sunday’s regional final.

But the Sooners (52-2) did what they didn’t do the first time around. They asserted their dominance in a game that only lasted five innings.

The blowout marks the most runs scored in a shutout in regional finals history since the format debuted in 2005. OU advances to its 12th consecutive NCAA Super Regional, where it’ll host the winner of No. 16 seed UCF in a best-of-three series beginning Friday for a spot in the Women's College World Series.

"I really will remember this day for a long time," OU head coach Patty Gasso said. "I haven't seen a team be so dominant in every way, shape or form. To see us do what we did today really catapults us into next weekend."

OU’s entire lineup contributed during the first-inning flurry.

Grace Lyons drew first blood with a sacrifice fly. Lynnsie Elam and Jana Johns each delivered an RBI double to make it a 5-0 contest. Jayda Coleman tacked on another run with an RBI single.

Now up 7-0 with a runner on first, Jocelyn Alo delivered a knockout blow. The redshirt senior unloaded on a pitch from Shaylee Ackerman and sent a missile over the wall for a two-run homer.

Tramel's ScissorTales: How have Nebraska's & Texas A&M's Olympic sports fared post-Big 12?

"We came into this game prepared," Alo said. "As an offense, we were zoned in, just controlling the strike zone and trying to hit the ball hard."

OU held an 11-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Alyssa Brito gave the crowd another souvenir. The sophomore crushed a pitch from Emily Kennedy — the Aggies’ third pitcher of the afternoon — and sent the ball into the stands in left field for a three-run homer.

The third and final home run of the day came courtesy of Tiare Jennings, who sent a three-run bomb over the wall in the fourth inning to extend OU’s lead to 17-0. The Sooners then added another three runs in the fifth.

While Texas A&M (31-28) struggled to find stability inside the circle, OU found a star in Nicole May.

The sophomore recorded six strikeouts and only allowed two hits before being pulled in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior pitcher Macy McAdoo then secured the final two outs of the game to seal the 20-0 win.

"I thought Nicole did a really good job of just keeping (Texas A&M) off balance," Gasso said. "I really felt like she was in complete control from the start."

Nine different Sooners recorded at least one RBI in the victory. The top batting performance came from Brito, who racked up four RBIs and three runs on 2-for-3 hitting.

Carlson: 31 things to know about the NCAA softball tournament ahead of 31st WCWS in OKC

NCAA softball scoreboard

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball reaches Super Regional with NCAA-record rout of Texas A&M