OKLAHOMA 3, Washington 2

Sunday, May 20th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ Defending national champion Oklahoma moved within one victory of a return trip to the Women's College World Series by rallying to beat Washington 3-2 at the NCAA softball regional Saturday.

The Sooners (48-7), winners of 21 straight, erased a 2-0 deficit with a three-run sixth inning. They will play Sunday against either Massachusetts or Washington.

An elimination game between those teams was rained out Saturday night. The game will be played at 10 a.m. Sunday, with the survivor then having to beat Oklahoma twice in the afternoon.

Washington (39-22), seeking a sixth straight WCWS berth, took a 2-0 lead in the third inning against Jennifer Stewart. Becky Simpson drove on both runs with a two-out single.

Tia Bollinger (35-7) allowed just one hit through five innings, then gave up four in the sixth. Lisa Carey started the inning with her eighth home run of the season. The Sooners eventually put runners at second and third with two out when Leah Gulla singled came through with a two-run single.