Oklahoma softball head coach Patty Gasso wasn’t afraid to say it last week. She truly believes junior pitcher Nicole May is about to have her best year yet.

If the first weekend of games is any indication, May is well on her way to another stellar season and displaying how the Sooners can count on her in the clutch moments.

May came up big repeatedly as No. 1-ranked OU went 5-0 last weekend at the Mark Campbell Invitational in California and showed the team can win in a variety of ways.

The highlight was May’s ability to come in relief of Jordy Bahl against No. 14 Washington on Saturday in OU’s 5-4 win vs. the Huskies.

OU led 5-4 in the fourth inning when May shut the door emphatically. She went 3.1 innings pitched, allowing just one hit with eight strikeouts.

It was just two days removed from May going eight scoreless innings in a surprising 1-0 victory against unranked Liberty in extra innings.

Against the Flames, May had 10 strikeouts to wrap up a weekend with 18 strikeouts and zero runs allowed in 11.1 innings pitched.

May notched the win vs. Liberty and the save vs. Washington.

Gasso said the team learns a lot more from the one-run wins and extra innings moments than any run-rule, and there’s no doubt she learned once again just how valuable May is going to be to this staff.

*Catcher Haley Lee made her first OU appearances count. The Texas A&M transfer was terrific all weekend, hitting .462 (6-13) with a home run, five runs scored and five RBIs.

*Freshman pitcher Kierston Deal got the call for the final game against SJSU. She went four innings, allowing one hit with zero runs with five strikeouts and two walks in earning her first-career victory.

*Gasso has mentioned before about the depth of the bench, and it was there once again vs. SJSU with Grace Green. In a pinch-hitting role, Green hit a grand slam in a five-run second inning for the Sooners.

*Sophomore Jordy Bahl earned two victories in the circle but did walk eight and allow four earned runs in 10.2 innings pitched. Bahl also had two RBIs at the plate.

*Michigan transfer pitcher Alex Storako had two appearances, pitching 5.2 innings in the victory vs. the Cardinal to pick up her first win as a Sooner.

Recap

No. 1 OU 4, No. 16 Duke 0

No. 1 OU 1, Liberty 0 (8)

No. 1 OU 10, No. 17 Stanford 1 (6)

No. 1 OU 5, No. 14 Washington 4

No. 1 OU 9, San Jose State 0 (5)

Up next: OU (5-0) heads to the Getterman Classic in Waco, Texas, on Friday-Sunday to play Longwood (Friday), Stephen F. Austin (Saturday), Army (Saturday) and Baylor (Sunday).