Kinzie Hansen

Senior catcher Kinzie Hansen during the NCAA Norman Super Regional against Florida State on May 23.

 Aden Choate/OU Daily

Tiare Jennings only needed one at bat to make history.

In the bottom of the first, the senior blasted her 22nd home run of the season and 95th of her career. She is now tied with Lauren Chamberlain for third on the all-time home run list.

“I never would have thought,” Jennings said. “Records are meant to be broken, so it’s definitely a huge honor.”

It would be the first of four home runs Oklahoma hit in a 11-3 run-rule victory over Florida State in the first game of the Norman Super Regional. It is the 26th run-rule win for the Sooners this season.

Once Jennings got things started, the Sooners did not slow down. They scored a run in every inning on Friday. Furthermore, every Sooner in the starting lineup reached base safely in the win.

After Florida State tied the game at two in the third inning, the Sooners responded by putting up three runs in the bottom half of the inning, followed by a five spot in the fourth inning.

Senior infielder Alyssa Brito led off the third with a line drive home run on a 3-0 count, her 17th of the season, to give the Sooners the lead again.

The next two batters reached base, and after a bunt from senior outfielder Rylie Boone scored freshman Kasidi Pickering on a throwing error, the Sooners had all the momentum.

“Anytime you can beat out a bunt against a team, momentum immediately comes into your dugout,” head coach Patty Gasso said after the win on Thursday. “That was big for us.”

Momentum was definitely on the Sooners side after that. Senior utility Alynah Torres added a run via a groundout that scored Boone and pushed the Sooners lead to three runs.

The bottom of the order stepped up in a big way, combining for three hits and three RBIs in the victory.

“The best I’ve seen them,” Gasso said. “Top to bottom, it’s hard to breathe when you’re facing these guys when they’re really feeling it.”

The powerful Sooners lineup really started to emerge in the fourth. 

Brito and senior catcher Kinzie Hansen each added a home run, as the Sooners were able to collect extra breathing room against the Seminoles.

Brito went 3 for 3 with a walk on Thursday, and Hansen collected her first home run since April 28 against UCF. 

“She’s so good this time of year,” Gasso said about Brito. “Very competitive, so good on defense as well. She’s doing it right, leaving it on the field as she should.”

“I’m just enjoying the moments,” Brito said. “Kind of taking it pitch by pitch and being present in everybody’s at bats.”

Being the last time the Sooners will play at Love’s Field this season, the seniors know how important it is to leave this place on a high note and carry the momentum into the Women’s College World Series. Oklahoma’s seniors went 7 for 15 at the plate, collected four home runs and drove in eight of the Sooners’ 11 runs on Thursday.

“Every weekend could potentially be our last weekend together,” Hansen said. “We’re all embracing each other right now.”

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