NORMAN — The Sooners had already snagged the series win, but they were looking for the sweep in Game 3 on Sunday evening. Mississippi State was making that difficult.

After both teams roared out of the gate offensively, the Sooners and the Bulldogs were locked at 5-5 heading into the fifth inning. Neither team scored in the third and fourth innings, and Sam Landry retired the side in the top of the fifth.

The Sooners were again humming in the bottom of the frame. Ella Parker opened with a leadoff walk, then Gabbie Garcia followed with a walk.

Isabela Emerling stepped to the plate and delivered a bomb, sending a three-run home run to right field.

It was a big-time hit for Emerling, who was sat in favor of Corri Hicks to start the game. It was Emerling's fourth home run in conference play and her first since March 26 against Wichita State.

"I just wanted to do anything I could for Sam honestly," Emerling said. "She was pitching her butt off and I was like, just do it for Sam. Have your pitcher’s back. So it was nice to get those insurance runs for her. "

It was the knockout punch and the separation the Sooners needed, as they hung on to win 9-6 while securing the series sweep at Love's Field. The Sooners secured the series win in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader with a 6-5 victory.

The Sooners needed that hit to complete the rally.

The Bulldogs — like they did in the first game — stormed to take a 4-0 lead in the top of the first behind a home run and an RBI. Garcia responded with a two-run home run in the bottom of the frame, but Mississippi State's Sierra Sacco hit a two-out solo bomb in the top of the second to push the Bulldogs' lead to 5-2.

But the Sooners kept responding. They got a pair of home runs from Hannah Coor and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning. Both teams went scoreless until Emerling's home run.

But the Bulldogs never quit fighting, as Ella Wesolowski hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to cut OU's lead to 8-6. But McEnroe-Marinas responded with her second home run of the day to add an insurance run.

It wasn't an ideal start, but the Sooners finished with seven hits, five home runs and four walks to rally for the sweep.

"Was not real comfortable looking up and seeing (us down four runs) right away," Gasso said. "But you rather it early and allow us to respond. And we did that in both games.

"It was just cool to see some timely hitting and see some heroics today."

Landry also rebounded from a tough start to the circle. After giving up five hits and two home runs through the first two innings, she surrendered two hits the rest of the way. She also recorded a strikeout for the final out of the game, finishing with six strikeouts and three walks in a complete game on 119 pitches.

Landry pitched 15.2 of the 22 innings in the series.

The Sooners improve to 39-5 and 13-5 in SEC play. They'll remain home for a three-game series against Texas, which begins at 5 p.m. Friday (ESPNU).

It wasn't usual Game-two starter Kierston Deal in the circle. The Sooners opted to go with true freshman Audrey Lowry.

But Mississippi State's Sierra Sacco was unfazed, as she sent a solo home run to right field on the first pitch of the game. Lowry allowed base hits to five of the next five batters she faced, which put the Sooners in an early 4-0 deficit.

Fortunately for the Sooners, Isabella Smith came in and stabilized things in the top of the first. She retired the first five batters she faced and allowed just three hits and one run in 4.2 innings.

That allowed the Sooners to find things on offense. Like Sacco, Kasidi Pickering sent a solo home run on the first pitch in the bottom of the first, then Cydney Sanders and Ailana Agbayani followed with base hits that cut Mississippi State's lead to 4-3 heading into the second inning.

Agbayani hit a sacrifice fly in the third inning that scored Parker and tied the game. Mississippi State tied the game in the fourth iinning with an RBI double, but the Sooners tied it again in the fifth inning on an RBI single from Sanders. They took the lead for good in the sixth inning, when Garcia was able to find home on a wild pitch.

Landry, who entered the game in the sixth inning, allowed just one base runner in 1.2 innings and retired the side in order in the seventh inning to seal the win.

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