NORMAN — California gave Oklahoma an opening. The Sooners turned that into multiple runs.

That proved to be the difference in the second inning.

Both teams went into the bottom of the frame tied at one run apiece. The Sooners’ run started slowly, as two walks and a hit by pitch allowed them to load the bases with only one out.

That’s when the Sooners took advantage.

Kasidi Pickering took advantage with an RBI single to score a run. Ella Parker and Sydney Barker both followed with RBI singles of their own that scored a pair of runs and kept the bases loaded. Gabbie Garcia punctuated the run with a hit by pitch that scored Pickering.

In the span of four base runners, the Sooners added four runs on three base hits as they took advantage of Cal’s pitching mistakes. That proved to be a critical frame, as the Sooners rode that momentum to an 11-2 win over Cal in the winners bracket round of the Norman Regional.

With the win, the Sooners’ advance to Sunday’s regional final. They’ll have two chances to win and advance to the super regional round.

If not for that second inning, the Sooners might’ve found themselves in a real battle.

Pickering opened the game with a leadoff home run, giving the Sooners an early 1-0 lead. But Cal’s Kaylee Pond responded with a solo home run off of Sam Landry in the top of the second to tie the game.

Landry — who also started in the circle for Friday’s regional opener against Boston — struggled to keep Cal off the base paths. The Golden Bears logged seven hits and two walks off of Landry, and they loaded the bases two different times through the first four innings.

However, Landry and the Sooners largely limited the damage, leaving seven base runners stranded. That included a 5-4-3 double play in the third inning that left three Cal runners stranded.

The Sooners squashed all doubts of a Cal rally in the fourth inning. Barker opened the frame with a leadoff walk, and Garcia brought her home with a two-run home run to push the lead to five runs.

The Sooners managed to reload the bases on a walk, a base hit and a hit by pitch. That set the stage for more offensive firepower from Pickering, who blasted a grand slam to left centerfield to put the game into run-rule territory.

That blast gave Pickering two home runs for the game and 15 for the season.

Audrey Lowry — who relieved Landry in the fifth inning — retired the lineup in order to secure the win.

The Sooners logged seven hits and seven walks as a team. Pickering went 3-for-3 at the plate with six RBIs.

The Sooners improve to 47-7 on the season. They will play at 1 p.m. Sunday and will advance to super regionals with a win. If they lose, they’ll play again at 3:30 p.m.

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