OU softball rolls past Mississippi State as Tiare Jennings climbs Sooners' career RBI list

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. — Patty Gasso promised an awakening of the bats was coming soon.

On Friday, with top-ranked OU’s pitching not quite as crisp as it had been through the season’s first nine games, and the infield defense struggling to adjust to the unpredictable dirt infield, the Sooners needed it to keep their winning streak intact.

They got it, coming from behind to beat No. 25 Mississippi State 9-3 in their opener at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

And Tiare Jennings did it too, driving home two runs to pass Lauren Chamberlain for second in program history in RBIs.

The win was the Sooners’ 63rd in a row, stretching their NCAA record.

OU (10-0) will take on Wisconsin later Friday.

Eight different players had hits for the Sooners, who finished with a season-high 12.

More: OU softball hasn't lost in a year. Here's how Patty Gasso, Sooners fight off complacency.

The Bulldogs’ Jessie Blaine blasted a two-run homer to left off OU starter Nicole May in the first, the first earned runs May had given up all season.

It could’ve been worse, as Paige Cook delivered an apparent RBI double off May a batter earlier, but runner Sierra Sacco left early, wiping out the run.

The Sooners quickly answered, as Jayda Coleman led off the bottom half with a single two batters before Kinzie Hansen’s towering home run tied it.

The Bulldogs added one in the second to regain the lead.

But while Mississippi State’s bats quieted after that, OU’s didn’t.

Rylie Boone hit an RBI double to right to tie it in the bottom of the second, before Coleman drove home a run on a short sacrifice fly.

More: Relive OU softball's run to three straight WCWS titles with our 'Crimson Empire' book

Coleman’s fly was caught at the back of the infield dirt on a dive by Sacco, the Mississippi State centerfielder.

The dive gave Avery Hodge time to tag up and score from third to put the Sooners in front.

In the fourth, Jennings belted a double to right center to drive in Coleman and tie Chamberlain with 254 career RBIs.

The next inning, Jennings lined one off Bulldogs’ pitcher Delainey Everett’s leg and into short right field to drive home Coleman and claim second place — behind only Jocelyn Alo — for her own.

May (4-0) settled in to throw two scoreless innings before giving way to SJ Geurin, who threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings before Kelly Maxwell took over and finished out the game with four strikeouts.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma softball cruises past Mississippi State in Mary Nutter opener