Kierston Deal's no-hitter fuels Sooners to win over Tulsa in OKC

Oklahoma has desperately needed a pitcher outside of Kelly Maxwell to step up the last couple of weeks.

On Tuesday, Kierston Deal answered the call.

The true sophomore got the start against Tulsa and delivered her best performance of the season. She didn't surrender a single hit in six innings and retired 19 of the 20 batters she faced, only allowing one walk on a hit by pitch. It was a particularly impressive performance against a Tulsa team that averages nearly six runs per game.

That proved to be exactly the type of outing the Sooners needed, as they coasted to an 8-0 win over the Golden Hurricane at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

Here's a few other notes from the win:

— It took a while for the Sooners' offense to get going. They went scoreless and hitless in the first two innings while leaving three runners stranded on base. But they broke in the third inning with an RBI single from Ella Parker and an RBI double from Alynah Torres, giving the Sooners a 3-0 lead.

— However, that score held until the sixth inning as the Sooners logged just one hit in the fourth and fifth. After Riley Ludlam, Avery Hodge and Torres all opened the frame by getting on base, Cydney Sanders blasted a grand slam to right center pushing the Sooners' lead to 7-0. It marked Sanders' 13th home run of the season, the third most on the team.

— After Rylie Boone walked and Alyssa Brito was walked on a hit by pitch, Tiare Jennings delivered a walk-off single to seal the win in six innings.

— Brito led the Sooners with two hits.

— The game marked the first no-hitter of the season for Deal. She was close last week at Wichita State, when she surrendered just one hit in 5.1 innings.

— The Sooners improve to 39-4 on the season.

— Up next: The Sooners return to Love's Field for a three-game series against Houston. The first game is set for 6 p.m. Friday (ESPN+).