OU Softball: Oklahoma's Senior Class Delivered a Weekend to Remember in Love's Field Finale

Oklahoma is headed back to the Women's College World Series behind excellent play from the team's veteran leaders.

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

NORMAN — Every senior class navigates their last weekend at home in a different way. 

For most programs across the country, the soon-to-be departing class is honored after the last home game, marking the final time they’ll step foot on their home turf. 

Oklahoma’s seniors treat the final weekend a bit different. 

Senior Day during the regular season is special in Norman, but its more of a see you later than a goodbye. 

The expectation is to host a Regional and a Super Regional at home before returning to Oklahoma City to end the season at the Women’s College World Series. 

Things have gone to plan for the 2-seeded Sooners so far, as Friday night OU closed out Florida State, becoming the first team in 2024 to punch a ticker to Oklahoma City in the process. 

Regardless of how the series against the Seminoles turned out, it was going to be the final time OU fans got to see 10 decorated seniors defend Love’s Field. 

Keeping those emotions on the back burner was going to be a key for the Sooners, but third baseman Alyssa Brito said she was trying to embrace those feelings on Thursday night. 

“For me, I’m just enjoying the moments,” she said. “Trying to take that into – hopefully, we can get there next week and take it day by day and pitch by pitch and being present in everybody’s at-bats. Just doing it together.”

That mentality proved to be exactly what Brito needed as she blasted two home runs in Oklahoma’s 11-3 win over FSU in Game 1. 

Tiare Jennings, who has played shortstop along Brito for years dating back to travel ball, tied Lauren Chamberlain’s career home run mark on Thursday as well, hammering the 95th bomb of her career. 

Kinzie Hansen smoked a homer of her own on Thursday, but she also led in other ways. 

She caught seniors Kelly Maxwell, Karlie Keeney and Nicole May, who all pitched throughout the series, as well as setting the example in the dugout and off the field for OU’s select few talented underclassmen.

Hansen had to wait an extra moment to enjoy her home run ball, as the play was challenged to see if freshman Kasidi Pickering left first base early. 

After the play was confirmed and the celebrations continued, Hansen greeted Pickering back into the dugout with a bear hug.

“One thing about this team is that we love each other possibly more than we love the game,” Hansen said. “And I think that's really special, not that we don't love softball itself.”

The final weekend of the year at Love’s Field was missing one thing, until Friday’s fifth inning at least. 

Jayda Coleman finally got to tick one more thing off her senior year bucket list — robbing a home run at the wall. 

The star centerfielder hadn’t even processed that she’d never step foot on Love’s Field again in a Sooner uniform until after the game, but she’s intent on making the most of her final games in Oklahoma City, regardless of what lies ahead in the WCWS. 

“I’ve loved everything about this program for the last four years,” Coleman said. “It’s a little bittersweet now that I’m actually here today, now that it’s my last game here, but just from now on just being present and just being where my feet are at.”

Five of OU’s seniors started their careers in Norman — Jennings, Coleman, Hansen, May and Rylie Boone — and have taken the program to new heights. 

They’ve bridged two eras, the Marita Hynes Field era and the Love’s Field era, successfully. 

They’ve set records for win streaks, home runs in a season, winning percentage, and many more. 

Now the only challenge left is to once again spring into the unprecedented and become the first program to win back-to-back-to-back-to-back national titles. 

“It is special,” May said. “Getting to play at Marita and getting our last season, last couple of weeks (at Love’s Field) is special. 

“Now we're going to up to OKC, so get to finish strong over there.”