Story by
Mississippi State softball breaks Oklahoma streak to reach first-ever WCWS
- Story by
- Mississippi State softball breaks Oklahoma streak to reach first-ever WCWS
Mississippi State softball took down a Goliath of the college softball world on Sunday, May 24, ending No. 3 Oklahoma's nine-season Women's College World Series streak while earning its first WCWS appearance in the process.
The Bulldogs entered the winner-take-all Norman Super Regional on May 24 after a 7-1 loss in Game 2, with the momentum shifting in the Sooners' favor. However, Mississippi State already had the Sooners' backs against the wall once in the three-game series, having already overcome a 6-2 deficit in the sixth inning of Game 1 before completing an 11-9 comeback win.
Advertisement
REQUIRED READING: NCAA Softball Tournament: Who's in WCWS? Updated bracket, scores, schedule
Coach Samantha Ricketts — a former player and coach at Oklahoma under legendary Sooners coach Patty Gasso — and her squad dominated OU on the road in every aspect en route to their 6-0 win in front of a packed-out crowd in Norman, Oklahoma. Gasso, an eight-time national champion, entered Game 3 with a 68-5 record against her former assistants, too.
The upset win wasn't the only record broke in the game. Mississippi State also shutout Oklahoma for the first time since Alabama defeated the Sooners 1-0 in 2019, breaking a 399-game streak.
It's an impressive win for a program on the rise. The Bulldogs entered the 2026 season with only one super regional appearance in program history and no wins in the round. Mississippi State also handed Oklahoma its first super regional loss since 2019 in Game 1 of the series, and kept the Sooners from the WCWS for the first time since 2015.
Advertisement
Veteran pitcher Delainey Everett tossed a gem, throwing a complete-game shutout while allowing just three hits with three strikeouts. Cleanup hitter Kinley Keller led the way offensively, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, along with Morgan Bernardini and Paige Ernstes both slugging home runs.
Oklahoma now enters the offseason in unprecedented territory following its run of six national championships in eight seasons from 2016-24. The Sooners have now missed out on the national championship series for two consecutive seasons for the first time since 2014-15, which was then followed by back-to-back national titles in 2016-17.
The Bulldogs are now aiming to prove they belong at the WCWS. They entered the postseason ranked No. 167 nationally in runs scored per game (4.75), but the bats are hot, having now scored 11 and 6 runs in wins against Oklahoma, the odds-on favorite to win the national championship this season.
Taking down Oklahoma is quite the start.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mississippi State breaks Oklahoma streak to reach first-ever WCWS
