Oklahoma junior outfielder Erin Miller hit a two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the 7th inning to give the Sooner softball team a 7-5 win over Texas A&M in the winners’ bracket of the NCAA Regional at Marita Hynes Field in Norman on Saturday.
OU rallied from behind, scoring three runs in the 7th inning to beat the Aggies.
The Sooners began the inning trailing 5-4, but tied the game when Shelby Pendley singled to center field, with her younger sister Nicole moving from first to third.
The throw to third base got away and into the Sooner dugout, allowing Nicole Pendley to score to tie the game at 5.
With Shelby Pendley at second and two outs, Miller ended it with her 8th home run of the season.
It was OU’s 103rd home run of the season, breaking a school and Big 12 record for home runs in a season set by the Sooners in 2012.
Oklahoma saw A&M take an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Tori Vidales hit the first pitch of the game over the left field fence for a home run.
The Sooners answered with two runs in the bottom of the first, but A&M responded with a three-run top of the second and held the lead until losing it in the 7th.
OU got two other home runs in the game, one from Lauren Chamberlain, who connected for her 92nd career home run, extending her NCAA career record she broke on April 30th.
Georgia Casey added a solo home run in the 6th inning to cut the Aggies’ lead to 5-4.
It was the second year in a row OU had pulled off a 7th inning come back against A&M in the winners’ bracket of the NCAA Regional.
Last year the Sooners also scored three in the bottom of the 7th to win 9-8, then beat the Aggies the next day in the regional final.
Oklahoma improved to 7-0 against Texas A&M in NCAA Tournament play, all of those games played in Norman.
OU has also won 12 straight regional games overall, and 12 straight postseason games against the Aggies, dating back to a loss to Texas A&M in the 2000 Big 12 Tournament.
The Sooners are now 33-3 in regional home games at Marita Hynes Field.
Oklahoma’s win improves their record to 47-7 on the season and advances them to the regional final on Sunday at 2:30 to play the survivor of Saturday’s two elimination games.
Lehigh beat Central Arkansas later Saturday to move on to play A&M.
The Sooners will have to be beaten twice to prevent them from winning the regional.
