OU softballer takes series. win; OSU falls again to ISU

NORMAN – A three-hit, four-RBI performance from senior third baseman Alyssa Brito and a complete-game effort from graduate left-hander Kelly Maxwell guided the No. 2/1-ranked Oklahoma softball team to a 7-3 win over BYU on Saturday afternoon at Love’s Field, securing a series win in the rubber game.

The Sooners (38-4, 15-3 Big 12) out-hit BYU (22-19, 5-13 Big 12) 10-6 and did not strike out at the plate while drawing seven walks as a team. Brito led the lineup with a 3-for-4, four-RBI effort while Alynah Torres (2-for-3, R, RBI) provided a multi-hit game.

Oklahoma remains 1.5 games ahead of Texas in the Big 12 standings and improved to 2.5 games up on third-place Oklahoma State. The Sooners are idle Sunday while the Longhorns and Cowgirls wrap up their respective series with Baylor and Iowa State.

OU looks ahead to a neutral-site midweek contest against Tulsa on Tuesday at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City with a 6 p.m. first pitch.

Maxwell gave OU a gutsy effort in the circle, going the distance for her 13th win of the season. She struck out six across 7.0 innings of three-run ball, scattering six hits and two walks. The left-hander threw 77 of her 113 pitches for strikes (68.1%), induced a key double-play grounder and trusted her defense. OU centerfielder Jayda Coleman made a highlight-reel diving grab in the fourth, punctuating the excellent defensive effort.

Oklahoma started the scoring in the bottom of the first as a Kinzie Hansen (1-for-4, 2B) fly ball lofted into right with two outs was dropped, allowing Tiare Jennings (1-for-2, 2 BB, R, 2B) to cross home. The Cougars responded with a solo home run in the second before the two sides exchanged zeroes in the next two frames.

A seeing-eye single off the bat of Torres in the third loaded the bases with one away. Two batters later, Brito poked a two-run single into right-center, plating Ella Parker (1-for-3, HBP, R, RBI) and Torres for a 3-1 Sooner lead. Maxwell settled in well after being handed the lead, blanking BYU over the next three innings.

OU provided its ace insurance with a four-spot in the fifth, opened with a Hansen double that extended her hitting streak to 10 games. Torres singled home pinch-runner Maya Bland, then Brito blasted a two-run home run two batters later. BYU went back to its starting pitcher out of the bullpen and promptly loaded up the bases. A Parker infield single plated Quincee Lilio to account for the final Oklahoma run.

The Cougars hit a two-run home run in the seventh, but Maxwell responded by fanning two of the next three batters to close out the win.

Coleman drew a walk in the fifth to extend her on-base streak to 29 games. Torres’ two-hit effort capped a terrific series in which she reached in six of her seven trips, going 3-for-4 with three walks across the set. Hansen led OU with five hits in the series, batting .455 with a double.

The Sooners had lost a rare home game after the Cougars rolled to a 9-4 win on Friday evening at Love’s Field.

Kinzie Hansen went 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Sooner lineup and was joined in the multi-hit department by Rylie Boone (2-for-4, R).

BYU opened the scoring with a run in the first and added one in the second and third before Oklahoma responded with a pair in the home half of the third. The Sooners loaded the bases for Hansen, who tapped an infield single to third to plate Boone. Kasidi Pickering (0-for-2, 2 BB, RBI) then drew a free pass, scoring Alyssa Brito (0-for-1, 3 BB, R) and cutting the deficit to 3-2.

The Cougars struck back with a run in the fourth. Tiare Jennings (1-for-3, BB, R, HR, 2 RBI) evened the score a half-inning later, launching a two-run blast out to center for her 16th home run of the season and 89th of her career.

Cyclones hand OSU second straight loss

AMES, Iowa– Cyclones’ catcher Camille Marin hit a walk-off three-run home run, as No. 5 Oklahoma State fell to Iowa State 5-2 Saturday afternoon at Cyclone Sports Complex.

The loss drops the Cowgirls to 34-8 on the year (12-5 in the Big 12). The win improves the Cyclones to 16-21 overall (5-9 in the Big 12). Game three is set for 11 a.m. at Cyclone Sports Complex.

Milaysia Ochoa opened the game with a solo home run in the first for Iowa State.

In the fifth, Jilyen Poullard put the Cowgirls on top with a two-run double. Iowa State tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. With runners on the corners, Alesia Ranches hit into a double play that scored a run.

Marin hit a three-run home run, her first of the year, to walk it off for the Cyclones.

Offensively, OSU was led by Poullard (1-for-3 with two RBIs).

Ivy Rosenberry dropped to 10-3 on the year. Jaiden Ralston improved to 3-5 overall, going four innings and striking out two.

In Friday’s series opener a pair of Iowa State pitchers combined for a shutout, as the Cyclones blanked OSU 2-0.

Iowa State opened the scoring in the fifth on a solo home run by Ashley Minor, she added her second RBI of the night after being hit by a pitch in the sixth.

Offensively, OSU was led by Rosie Davis (2-for-3).

Lexi Kilfoyl moved to 15-3 on the year going six innings and giving up two runs. Lauren Schurman improved to 3-3 on the season going five innings and striking out two. Jaiden Ralston picked up her second save of the year striking out one.