Women’s College World Series: Oklahoma, Oregon punch tickets with super-regional sweeps

The field of the Women’s College World Series is beginning to assemble, with the first tickets officially punched on Saturday and more to come on Sunday as teams play out the NCAA softball super regionals.

Three teams have already completed sweeps to finish the job, including the defending champs and an underdog. Here is every team that has qualified so far and how they got there.

Texas Tech

Texas Tech, a 12-seed, took down No. 5 Florida State on Friday.

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NiJaree Canady, who transferred to Texas Tech from Stanford for the largest-ever softball NIL deal, led the way for the Red Raiders, pitching seven innings each in Games 1 and 2, allowing just one total run. Canady added a hit, RBI and a walk in Game 1.

It will be Texas Tech’s first appearance in the WCWS.

Oklahoma

No. 2 Oklahoma, the seven-time NCAA champs, joined Texas Tech on Saturday with a mercy-rule sweep over Alabama.

After a 3-0 win over the Crimson Tide on Friday, the Sooners punched their ticket with a 13-2 win on Saturday, with the matchup ending after five innings due to the mercy rule. Freshman shortstop Gabbie Garcia hit two two-run homers, including one that began a nine-run third inning for Oklahoma.

For Oklahoma, the WCWS familiar territory: The Sooners have appeared in the event 18 times since 2000, reached the last nine straight and won the past four championships.

Oregon

After a dramatic regional that saw No. 16 Oregon lose 14-1 to unseeded Stanford then reach the super regionals by sweeping the Cardinal in a doubleheader, the Ducks didn’t have much trouble against Liberty, who took down No. 1 Texas A&M in the regionals.

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Oregon dominated the unseeded Flames 13-1 on Saturday, turning the game into a true laugher with a seven-run seventh inning. It will be their first WCWS appearance since 2018.

Trio of Game 3s set up for Sunday

South Carolina, which won Game 1 of its series against UCLA 9-2 thanks to catcher Lexi Winters’ 3-RBI performance, had a chance to clinch its spot on Saturday. But the Bruins had another idea, with junior Jordan Woolery slugging a two-run walk-off homer to keep UCLA’s title hopes alive. The Gamecocks and Bruins will now face off in Game 3 on Sunday.

Unseeded Nebraska also had a chance to complete an upset on Saturday against No. 7 Tennessee on Friday, but the Lady Vols held on to take a 3-2 win over the Huskers and force a Game 3.

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Tennessee star Karlyn Pickens threw a complete game to keep her team alive, striking out 11 with five hits and two runs allowed. In the process, she broke her own NCAA record for fastest pitch with a 79.4 mph fastball against Huskers star Jordy Bahl.

In addition to South Carolina-UCLA and Tennessee-Nebraska, Sunday will see a Game 3 between No. 3 Florida and unseeded Georgia after the Bulldogs’ 2-1 win over the Gators. Their two runs came on a pair of solo homers by Lyndi Rae Davis and Emily Digby.