Oklahoma softball onto 4th straight championship series vs. FSU after Tiare Jennings' birthday gift

The Oklahoma Sooners (59-1) are still on the road to winning their third straight Women's College World Series title after a clutch showing from sophomore second baseman Tiare Jennings.

The top-seeded defending champions faced the Stanford Cardinal in the semifinals on Monday in need of just one win to advance to the championship series, where they'll face No. 3 seed Florida State. Those high stakes came on Jennings' 21st birthday, which was initially shaping up as a tough one.

She started the day 0-for-4 after striking out against breakout Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady twice. But with the score tied 2-2 in the top of the ninth inning, Jennings seemed poised as ever.

OU's threat began with a Grace Lyons double to lead off the inning. Two groundouts later and with Lyons standing on third base, Stanford opted to intentionally walk Jayda Coleman. That set up the Jennings at-bat with two on and two out. Jennings started 0-2, fouling off the third pitch. Then, a curveball offered her an opportunity, and she hit a clutch two-RBI double to give Oklahoma the 4-2 lead.

In addition to her hit deciding the Sooners' 51st consecutive victory, she also tied the WCWS record for career RBI. After the win, Jennings said her birthday couldn't have been better.

Oklahoma will face Florida State in the national championship best-of-three series after FSU beat Tennessee, 5-1 Monday night to secure the second spot in the final. Oklahoma will look to become the first program to win three consecutive titles since UCLA in 1988-90. That series begins Wednesday.