OU coasts past Tech again; OSU strikes late to dump UCF

LUBBOCK, Texas – The No. 1-ranked Oklahoma softball team used a 12-run first inning to earn a series win in Lubbock on Saturday afternoon, taking the second game of the weekend set with a 15-2 drubbing of Texas Tech.

OU (26-1, 5-0 Big 12) matched its season-high with 15 runs in the game, collecting 13 hits and drawing eight walks in the win over the Red Raiders (21-7, 2-3 Big 12). Ella Parker provided a three-hit game, Tiare Jennings and Rylie Boone added multi-hit performances, nine different Sooners recorded a hit while every Sooner to bat recorded a hit, reached base or drove in a run. Oklahoma remains in first place in the Big 12 standings, a half-game ahead of Texas.

The series finale is scheduled for a noon CT start on Sunday in Lubbock.

The floodgates opened early as Oklahoma plated 12 runs in the first inning, each of which was scored prior to Tech registering the game’s first out. OU saw each of its first 12 batters reach in the inning on eight hits and four walks. Jayda Coleman (1-for-2, 2 BB, 3 R, RBI) and Ella Parker (3-for-4, 3 R, 2B, 3 RBI) singled to lead off the frame, then Kasidi Pickering (1-for-2, BB, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI) drew a walk to load the bases. Cydney Sanders (1-for-3, R, RBI) plated Coleman with a single before Tiare Jennings (2-for-2, BB, R, 2B, 3 RBI) tied the program’s career double record by lacing a two-run two-bagger into left for the 58th of her career.

Back-to-back free passes issued to Alyssa Brito (0-for-1, BB, R) and Riley Ludlam (0-for-1, 3 BB, R, RBI) re-loaded the bases and brought home one more run respectively. Avery Hodge (1-for-4, R, RBI) and Rylie Boone (2-for-2, R, RBI) ripped consecutive RBI singles, Coleman drew a bases-loaded walk then Parker smoked a two-run single back up the middle. Pickering closed the monster frame by launching a towering three-run home run to right, making it 12-0 Oklahoma.

OU’s 12-run first marked the most runs scored by the Sooners in an inning since they scored 12 in the fifth inning at Kansas on April 30, 2022.

The 12-run cushion was more than enough for Sooner left-hander Kierston Deal. OU’s sophomore earned her sixth win of the season, tossing 3.1 innings of two-run ball while scattering three hits and walking none. She struck out one with the lone Texas Tech damage coming on a pair of solo home runs.

Karlie Keeney shut the door on the Red Raiders by retiring five of the six batters she faced, striking out two and allowing a lone runner on an error in the fourth.

Friday senior shortstop Tiare Jennings homered twice and tied her career-high with six RBIs and graduate left-hander Kelly Maxwell struck out 10 over six scoreless as the No. 1-ranked Oklahoma softball team blasted Texas Tech, 14-0.

Jennings drove in six runs as part of a 3-for-3 day at the plate, reaching in each of her five trips with a double, two long balls and a pair of walks. Jayda Coleman (2-for-4, BB, 2 R, RBI) added a muti-hit game as nine different Sooners recorded a hit.

Maxwell dominated the Red Raider lineup, striking out 10 while scattering two hits and four walks over her 6.0 innings of work. The southpaw improved to 8-0 on the season and extended her scoreless streak to 18.0 innings.

The Sooner lineup opened the action in the first as Ella Parker (0-for-2, R) reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and scored on a Jennings double lined into right-center. Jennings’ double was the 57th of her career, drawing her one shy of the program’s career record held by Sydney Romero.

Cowgirls strike late, dump UCF

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State’s softball team scored six runs in the sixth inning to defeat University of Central Florida, 10-4, Saturday afternoon at Cowgirl Stadium.

The Cowgirls improved to 22-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12. UCF fell to 14-10 overall and 2-3 in the league. The final game of the series is set for noon tomorrow at Cowgirl Stadium.

The game was played in front of 1,347 fans, the sixth-largest crowd in Cowgirl Stadium history.

A two-run home run from Caroline Wang got the Cowgirls started in the first inning. It was her seventh home run of the year and 42nd of her career. Wang’s blast also marked the 22nd time in 25 games this season that OSU scored first.

A third-inning sacrifice fly from Karli Godwin and a fourth-inning home run from Micaela Wark extended the OSU lead to 4-0, but a pair of two-run homers from the Knights in the fifth evened the score at four.

The Cowgirls erupted in the sixth, starting with a pinch-hit RBI single from Katie Lott. Rosie Davis then scored on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly from Megan Bloodworth scored pinch runner Scotland David. Macy Graf and Edwards then recorded back-to-back RBI doubles to put the game out of reach. An RBI groundout from Claire Timm brought Edwards home to cap the scoring at 10-4.

Starting pitcher Kyra Aycock faced the minimum number of batters through four innings before UCF broke through with four runs in the fifth. Ivy Rosenberry (6-1) came on in relief and limited the Knights to one hit in 2 1/3 innings to secure the win.

On the support fans give in-game, Wang said, “It’s a lot of fun, the involvement and all the people that come out to support the team makes games a lot of fun.”

Through 25 games played this season, the Cowgirls boast a 22-3 record, which is tied for third for the best 25-game start in program history. Of the teams ahead of them, all but one was a Women’s College World Series participant.

Friday Oklahoma State used a complete game shutout from Lexi Kilfoyl and a home run from Karli Godwin for a 2-0 victory over UCF at Cowgirl Stadium in the series opener.

Kilfoyl (10-2) struck out six and allowed only four hits in securing her fourth shutout of the season and the 17th of her career.

OSU opened the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single from Caroline Wang that scored Tallen Edwards. Godwin added the insurance run with a solo shot to center, her fifth of the season.