OU softball: Message sent
Statement made.
There were other games during the weekend for both clubs, but everybody pointed toward the No. 1 vs. No. 2 softball showdown between UCLA and Oklahoma on Sunday.
A chance for the Bruins to cement their No. 1 ranking? A chance for the Sooners, the two-time defending national champions, to send a message of their own?
Consider that message sent by Patty Gasso and her team with an emphatic 14-0 five-inning run-rule thumping of the Bruins to close out the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif.
It was timely hitting that got it started for OU in the second inning. And once it started, the Sooners (13-1) weren’t about to let off the gas pedal.
The Sooners had six home runs, and Alex Storako (4-0) threw a three-hit shutout to help OU reclaim that No. 1 ranking once again.
It all started with two outs. Two outs and nobody on in the top of the second inning, and Alyssa Brito opened the floodgates.
Brito and Jayda Coleman hit back-to-back solo home runs. Tiare Jennings followed with a two-run shot that chased UCLA star pitcher Megan Faraimo (9-1) out of the circle. It didn’t matter as Haley Lee launched a two-run home run to close out the six-run inning.
From there, it became the Kinzie Hansen show. The senior making her first appearances of the season after missing the first two weeks delivered in a huge way.
Hansen hit a two-run home run to make it 10-0 in the fourth inning. Then she punctuated the dominant OU performance with a three-run homer to make it 14-0 the following frame.
It took Storako just 71 pitches in five innings to take down the Bruins. She didn’t walk a batter and struck out five.
After OU’s 4-3 loss to Baylor last weekend, this was a test about how Gasso’s club would respond. The theme all week was no panic, just get back to it. Guess that worked as the response was answered in as positive a way as possible.
The Sooners outscored their five opponents 50-4 during the three days and let the softball world know, hey, OU isn’t going anywhere.
This might be a different team with some different players in their roles, but the Sooners aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
OU 10, Loyola Marymount 1 (5)
A hit parade for the Sooners as OU had 14 hits from 12 players en route to another run-rule victory.
The highlight was seeing Jayda Coleman hit her first home run of the season as expectations had been incredibly high for the junior in the first few weekends.
It was freshman time in the circle as Kierston Deal gave up one run in four innings and striking out three to move to 2-0 this season.
OU 10, Utah 3
A nice, balanced effort here for the Sooners. Tiare Jennings, Jocelyn Erickson and Alyssa Brito all had two RBIs.
OU plated three in the first and six in the second to cruise to another victory, even if it turned out to be the only non-run-rule victory of the weekend.
Jordy Bahl continued to work herself back, striking out five in earning her fourth win of the season.
OU 8, Texas A&M 0 (5)
Sooners took advantage of three errors by the Aggies as six of the eight runs were unearned. OU scored four in the first and four in the third and that was enough.
Highlight of the game was a three-run home run by pinch hitter Jocelyn Erickson as the freshman continues to show she’s up to the task.
Nicole May didn’t have her best stuff in giving up five hits, but she came through when it mattered. No runs in the four innings with five strikeouts.
OU 8, CSU-Fullerton 0 (5)
Sooners began the weekend in style, thanks in large part to left fielder Rylie Boone and catcher Sophia Nugent.
Each had a home run and drove in three runs. That was more than enough for Storako to pitch four shutout innings, striking out four.