COLUMN: There's No Denying Sooner Magic in Oklahoma's Latest WCWS Conquest

But with big situational pitches from ace Sam Landry, and huge plays all day by an OU defense that turned three double plays, and a timely walk by 9-hole hitter Ailana Agbayani and a key single by leadoff Kasidi Pickering, this was the definition of a team win.

“Well, there's a lot of talent out there. I mean, they have some of the absolute best players in the country,” Weekly said. “Patty Gasso is a phenomenal coach. You don't win that many national championships without being an exceptional coach. And you also have 9,900 people on your side. So, you know, it's an environment that you have to fight through. But I thought our kids did a really good job of that today.”

Tennessee led from the jump, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning and riding the magnificent arm of Pickens to the bitter end.

Eventually, Parker and Sooner Magic and Gasso’s made-up words caught up to Pickens and overtook the Vols.

Somehow.

“Sooner Magic,” Landry said. “They say a lot Sooner Magic travels. So I think just knowing that wherever we go, we have such a big fan base, like even when we were in California. So I think a lot of the Sooner Magic comes from the people that are that are out there supporting us. And then we're able to keep that within our team and give the glory to God.”

“I think you witnessed it there again,” Gasso said. “It's just where your heart is and your heart wants to do it for your team, for your program, maybe even for your coaches. Like, just, you're bought in. You’re bought into what you're doing, and you are going to do anything you can to do it the right way. 

“And that's what I love about this team, is that they're just, they'll sell out for you, and they don't care. They don’t. They don't care what the score is, they'll just keep fighting until they get there, and they've proven that.”

Weekly said she didn’t give much consideration to intentionally walking Parker in the seventh and loading the bases for Nelly McEnroe-Marinas.

“Not really, because, you know, it's 3-1, you have two runners on and if you walk her, that means you put the winning run on base,” Weekly said. “So you have to make a decision there. 

“The key thing in that inning was Agbayani drawing a walk. You look at that and strategy-wise, you're like, ‘OK, we can get through this inning and get out of here without ever rolling the order back around to the top.’ And when you walk her, you know that you're gonna face Pickering and Parker again.”

It may not have seemed like it ahead of the seventh inning, as Pickens had held OU to just three hits. But maybe another Oklahoma victory was just inevitable — like Jayda Coleman’s walk-off homer here last year, or Kinzie Hansen’s game-winner in the Super Regional the year before, or just about anything Jocelyn Alo used to do with her thunderstick.

Add Parker’s blast to the long list of Oklahoma’s unforgettable moments.

“We're just so invested in each other,” Pickering said, “and just knowing that you're never out. Like Coach was saying, if there's one pitch left to play, we know we can take the game over."

“It's just keeping the faith,” Parker said. “Just knowing that you're never out of it until it's over.”