OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Sooners are off and running in their quest for an unprecedented fourth straight NCAA Division I softball championship.
Kinzie Hansen homered and knocked in three runs, and the three-time reigning national champions defeated Duke 9-1 in six innings Thursday in the Women's College World Series opener for both teams at OGE Energy Field.
Hansen, Alyssa Brito and Jayda Coleman each had two hits for the Sooners (55-6), who were seeded second overall in the NCAA tournament, which began with a 64-team field two weeks ago. Now it's down to eight contenders in the double-elimination bracket that sets up next week's best-of-three title series.
"What a great game for the Sooners," Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said. "It's really something important to try to get that first win. We really prepared for Duke because they're a really good team. I have immense respect for them, their coaching staff and what they've done to get here. They've always been on the cusp."
Kierston Deal (13-1) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief to get the win for Oklahoma.
Duke's Cassidy Curd, who got both wins against host Missouri in last weekend's Columbia Super Regional, started and gave up one run on three hits in two innings. Jala Wright, a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America second-team selection, allowed five runs on four hits in one inning and took the loss, just her third this season against 18 wins.
The 10th-seeded Blue Devils (52-8), who began playing in 2018, are in the WCWS for the first time after reaching super regionals the past three years without making it to Oklahoma City. Pitching was the Blue Devils' strength all season, but it prevented them from having the debut they wanted.
"I love our staff," Duke coach Marissa Young said. "Obviously, they've done a phenomenal job all year long. It's tough to see them not get the job done today on this stage. ... They learn from it. They know what they're capable of. When you leave balls over the plate to a team like Oklahoma, they're going to make you pay."
Oklahoma will play No. 6 UCLA (43-10) on Saturday in the second round. UCLA, which beat No. 14 Alabama 4-1 in Thursday's first game, has the most WCWS championships with 12, while Oklahoma is third with seven. UCLA beat Oklahoma in the title series in 2019.
Duke will play Alabama in Friday's first elimination game.
The Blue Devils struck first Thursday with Francesca Frelick's home run in the top of the second, but Hansen's two-run blast in the third put the Sooners ahead and Alynah Torres added a two-run shot later in the inning to make it 4-1.
Duke loaded the bases against Oklahoma starter Kelly Maxwell with two outs in the fourth, and Gasso replaced her with Deal. Coleman's diving catch in center field saved the Sooners from allowing any runs in the jam.
Gasso wonders how many runs Coleman has saved with spectacular catches.
"She loves these big moments," Gasso said. "She's her best in these situations, in this venue, in this World Series. It's her favorite thing to do. We're going to rally behind her and let her lead us."
Young said Coleman's grab was critical.
"A few inches from that ball dropping in and scoring runs," the Duke coach said. "But that's what great teams do. They show up and make the big plays. She's done that time and time again for them. Unfortunately, the ball didn't bounce our way."
Cydney Sanders' two-run homer in the fourth made it 6-1. Brito closed the scoring with a single that knocked in two runs in the sixth, triggering the mercy rule.
"Obviously a tough game," Young said. "Not the outcome we were looking for. But I think there's a lot of positive things we can pull from this."
AP photo by Brandon Wade / Isabella Dayton rounds third base on her way to scoring for Texas in the third inning of a Women's College World Series game against Stanford on Thursday in Oklahoma City.Texas 4, Stanford 0
Texas freshman Teagan Kavan threw a one-hitter as the top-seeded Longhorns defeated No. 8 Stanford in the WCWS opener for both teams Thursday night.
Kavan (19-2), a freshman, struck out eight batters and walked four in seven innings. She won the pitching matchup against Stanford's NiJaree Canady (22-6), the USA Softball collegiate player of the year. Canady allowed four runs on five hits and struck out five batters in six innings.
Kayden Henry had two hits and scored a run for the Longhorns (53-8). Ava Gall had the only hit for the Cardinal (48-16).
Texas will play again Saturday, facing No. 4 Florida (52-13) in the second round. Stanford will take on No. 5 Oklahoma State (49-11) in an elimination game Friday.
Texas got to Canady in the third inning, when Bella Dayton's RBI single opened the scoring before Mia Scott singled and Dayton avoided a tag at the plate to make it 2-0.
Stanford got two runners on with one out in the fifth but failed to score. Texas got insurance in the sixth when Henry knocked in two runs on a single with the bases loaded to make it 4-0.
It was the second straight year Canady got stuck facing the No. 1 seed and the top hitting team in the nation in Stanford's WCWS opener. She lost to Oklahoma 2-0 in the opener last season, although the Cardinal bounced back to reach the bracket semifinals with Canady leading the way.
Florida 1, Oklahoma State 0
Katie Kistler hit a solo homer and Keagan Rothrock threw a two-hitter as the Gators advanced at the WCWS.
Rothrock, a freshman, struck out three batters and walked two, totaling just 94 pitches on the way to her 31st victory of the season, which ties her for the nation's lead.
Oklahoma State's Lexi Kilfoyl, an NFCA All-American first-teamer and a top-three finalist for USA Softball collegiate player of the year, took the loss. She allowed just two hits and struck out five batters in six innings. It was just her fourth loss in 30 decisions this season.
Kilfoyl took a no-hitter into the fifth before Kistler's blast. Kistler immediately raised her right arm and pointed her index finger to the sky after connecting. It was just her fifth homer of the season.
Oklahoma State had a chance to possibly produce some offense with the game still scoreless.
With the bases empty and one out in the fifth, Lexi McDonald got a hold of a Rothrock pitch and drove it to the wall. Florida's Kendra Falby caught it and ran into the fence, where teammate Korbe Otis immediately hugged her. Oklahoma State did not score in the inning.