NORMAN — By the time OU’s Tiare Jennings dug into the batter’s box in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the NCAA Norman Super Regional, an air of inevitability seemed to surround Marita Hynes Field.

The tough part was done.

Coming back from a three-run deficit, twice down to their final strike, to tie Clemson — that was the hard part.

Finding a way to push across another run was a stroll down Easy Street.

Jordy Bahl keeping the Tigers off the board further, no big deal — at least not with the way Bahl was locked in after coming on in relief.

The answer to how came with Jennings.

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The junior second baseman led off the top of the ninth with her second home run of the game, belting Valerie Cagle’s first offering of the inning over the centerfield wall.

Then Bahl closed things out, giving the Sooners a wild 8-7 victory to clinch the Sooners’ seventh consecutive Women’s College World Series berth and give OU sole possession of the longest winning streak in NCAA softball history.

“This is one of the biggest memories I’ll walk away with, without question,” Sooners coach Patty Gasso said of the final game at Marita Hynes Stadium.

OU certainly sent the stadium, set to be replaced by the sparkling new Love’s Field next season, out on a high note.

The Sooners jumped ahead early, then saw the lead implode in spectacular fashion as Clemson stormed ahead 7-4, then turned up the drama late.

After Rylie Boone started the seventh with a single and Haley Lee extended the game with a two-out single to right with two strikes, Gasso wondered if catcher Kinzie Hansen could get the bat around through the zone.

On a sweltering hot day, Hansen had been worn down behind the plate as the game dragged on, nearing the three-hour mark.

But Hansen has been through worse.

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She was battered and bruised and near broken down last season as the Sooners won their second consecutive Women’s College World Series title.

Compared to that, Hansen said, she felt downright refreshed.

“I feel like it just comes with the job,” Hansen said. “I signed up for it. I signed up to be a catcher.”

Last season, Hansen came up in the clutch late despite an up-and-down season.

When the Sooners needed it most, she once again came through.

After falling behind 0-2, Hansen heard Alyssa Brito in the on-deck circle.

“She has to beat you three times,” Brito yelled.

There was still time.

“The Sooners aren’t over until the last strike,” Hansen said. “We’re not done until the last out is made and is sealed.”

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A couple years ago, Hansen might not have been able to stay locked in for that at-bat.

“Younger Kinzie might have come in there a little hot-headed and swinging at everything and trying to end the game,” Hansen said.

But this is the older Hansen, the veteran senior catcher who has carved out a role as one of the team’s top leaders alongside captain Grace Lyons;

Hansen drove Cagle’s next offering over the left-field wall, sending the crowd of 2,127 — the largest in Marita Hynes Field history — into a frenzy.

What seemed impossible moments earlier now felt inevitable.

Bahl came on in relief of freshman Kierston Deal, who had stopped the bleeding with 1 ⅔ scoreless innings after Nicole May and Alex Storako found trouble.

A day earlier, Bahl had looked a bit out of sorts, still effective but not her dominant self.

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When Bahl entered in the bottom of the seventh Saturday, Gasso knew Bahl was locked in.

She breezed through the seventh, then the eighth after OU could get nothing going against Cagle in the top half.

Then Jennings strode to the plate to start the ninth, driving Cagle’s first pitch over the centerfield wall.

“I wanted to get on base somehow — whether it’s a walk, hit by pitch, anything,” Jennings said. “Saw a good pitch to hit and hit the ball hard and good things happened.

“That moment was just so awesome running home to my girls.”

Then Bahl finished it off, working around a two-out single in the bottom of the inning to give the Sooners (56-1) their 48th consecutive victory, breaking a tie with 1996-97 Arizona for the sport’s longest winning streak, and sending OU back to Oklahoma City.

“It’s really easy to believe in ourselves and each other when your coaching staff never has a doubt that you will get it done,” Hansen said. “Down to the very last pitch, they believe in us. And when we feel that, there’s never a doubt in our mind we can do it.”

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Longest NCAA softball winning streaks

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Thursday's WCWS games

At USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium:

Game 1: 11 a.m., ESPN

Game 2: 1:30 p.m., ESPN

Game 3: 6 p.m., ESPN

Game 4: 8:30 p.m., ESPN

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball beats Clemson, sets NCAA record with 48th consecutive win