OU softball: Timely hits carry Sooners past Clemson
NORMAN — Oklahoma simply needed a spark.
Clemson put the pressure on the Sooners in the top of the fifth inning, scoring two runs to cut the OU lead to 4-2. The Sooners’ offense had recorded just three hits to that point as they struggled to get going against Clemson pitcher Valerie Cagle.
The spark began immediately with a lead-off bunt from Rylie Boone. Jayda Coleman and Tiare Jennings immediately followed with singles as the Sooners loaded the bases with no outs.
Haley Lee stepped to the plate and delivered a grand slam to centerfield, pushing the Sooners’ lead to 8-2.
“Truthfully, you’re thinking, ‘Do something to help the runners advance,’” Lee said. “You’re just thinking base hit, walk, anything in the moment. I looked down to third base and Boone’s just like, ‘Slow it down. Find your pitch.’ So I really just was like, ‘If (Cagle) throws it over, I’ll take my pitch. If not, I’m happy with the walk.’
“Just finding our pitch and slowing the game down for myself was kind of the process.”
Alyssa Brito immediately followed Lee’s grand slam with a solo home run, and that proved to be the separation the Sooners needed as they defeated Clemson 9-2 in Game 1 of the NCAA Super Regionals on Friday at Marita Hynes Field.
“(It was a gritty) performance by the team,” OU coach Patty Gasso said. “It wasn’t our best performance defensively, which was very uncharacteristic. But what I loved is that our team rallied once (Clemson) scored two.
“This team does that. If a pitcher’s down or not getting what they want, they’ll come up and score runs. If we aren’t scoring runs, our pitcher will shut it down.”
With the win, the Sooners pushed their winning streak to 47 games, tying the all-time NCAA record. They also are just one win away from advancing to the Women’s College World Series.
Here’s a few notes from the Sooners’ win:
* Jordy Bahl escapes fifth-inning skid: Prior to the fifth inning, Bahl allowed five hits but managed to keep the Tigers’ offense at bay.
But Bahl and the Sooners appeared to be in trouble in the fifth inning. After the Tigers scored two runs, they were able to load the bases with only one out. But Bahl recorded a strikeout and a lineout to escape the inning and keep the Sooners in the lead.
Bahl finished with six strikeouts, eight hits allowed and one earned run in 5.1 innings pitched.
“(I was) noticing the momentum starting to shift, and I think our defense did a really good job of slowing it down, sticking to your routine that you have whether things are going your way in that second or not,” Bahl said. “It’s just stay consistent, not getting stuck on any of the prior pitches and being present with each pitch.”
Alex Storako pitched 1.2 innings in relief, surrendering zero hits or runs.
* Brito rebounds from rare error: One reason the Tigers were able to load the bases was an uncharacteristic fielding error from Brito. But she immediately responded with her solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, which played a big role in the Sooners seizing control.
“I think everything leading up to her getting there was encouraging her,” Gasso said. “... I kind of walked up and started to say (something) and she just looked at me like, ‘gah!’ And then she goes out there and boom. We’re good. Everybody’s good. Just flesh it out by hitting it over the fence, that’s how we do it.”
* Cydney Sanders delivers again: The Arizona State transfer has really found her footing during the postseason.
She played a big role again on Friday, hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth that pushed the Sooners’ lead to 4-0. Without that home run, OU could’ve been in bigger trouble in the fifth inning.
Sanders has now hit a home run in each of her last three games.
* Winning streak: If the Sooners win Saturday, they won’t just advance to the WCWS. They’ll also break the all-time NCAA record for consecutive wins with 48.
* Up next: The Sooners rematch with Clemson at noon on Saturday.