Long Beach State Stuns Oklahoma at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

The Beach defeated Patty Gasso's Sooners in a close game on Saturday.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Long Beach State upset No. 5 Oklahoma 6-4 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday. The Beach took an early lead and held on despite a late Sooners rally, handing Oklahoma its first unranked loss of the season.

Why it matters

This was a major upset victory for Long Beach State over a top-5 Oklahoma team led by legendary coach Patty Gasso. The Sooners were expected to cruise through the tournament, so this loss will likely shake up the national rankings and raise questions about OU's ability to compete with elite programs.

The details

Long Beach State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning and extended it to 6-2 with a big sixth inning. Oklahoma mounted a late rally, with freshman Kendall Wells hitting a solo homer and Kai Minor driving in a run, but the Sooners' comeback fell short. Long Beach State pitcher Audree Lowry settled down after a shaky start to earn the win.

  • The game took place on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in California.
  • Long Beach State took the lead in the second inning and added to it in the sixth.
  • Oklahoma scored two runs in the fourth inning to tie the game, then rallied late in the seventh inning but fell short.

The players

Long Beach State

The Long Beach State softball team, also known as the Beach, pulled off the upset victory over the highly ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners softball team, ranked #5 nationally, suffered their first unranked loss of the 2026 season.

Patty Gasso

The head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners softball team, who is an alumna of Long Beach State.

Nina Sepulveda

A Long Beach State player who delivered an RBI single in the sixth inning to help the Beach take the lead.

Kendall Wells

An Oklahoma freshman who hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to try to spark a Sooners comeback.

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What they’re saying

“This was a huge win for our program. We knew we had to bring our best against a powerhouse like Oklahoma, and the team really stepped up today.”

— Nina Sepulveda, Long Beach State Player (Long Beach State Athletics)

“Credit to Long Beach State, they played a great game and deserved the win. We had our chances but couldn't capitalize. We'll need to regroup and get ready for our next opponent.”

— Patty Gasso, Oklahoma Head Coach (Oklahoma Softball)

What’s next

Oklahoma will immediately play Cal following the loss to Long Beach State, looking to bounce back at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

The takeaway

This upset victory shows that Long Beach State can compete with the top programs in the country, while also raising questions about Oklahoma's ability to win big games against elite competition this season.