Sooners complete sweep of UCF with respondent 11-7 win
In recent weeks, there has been a waxing and waning feeling that Oklahoma is lacking a certain killer instinct that's made past iterations of the squad nearly impossible to defeat.
Despite just four losses on the year, the Sooners have felt a little more vulnerable in 2024. Whether it be cold streaks at the plate or issues with the pitching staff's deep ball, a couple of ways to beat Oklahoma have emerged throughout this season.
Yet, Patty Gasso's group has dropped just four games on the eyar and enters the final week of the year with sole possession of first place in the Big 12 standings. Even with a series loss to Texas earlier in the year, Oklahoma still feels like the favorite to win a fourth consecutive national championship, and much of that is expectation that OU will find ways to respond.
On Sunday, they put that expectation into practice after UCF jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Game 3 in Orlando.
UCF right field Chloe Evans got things started for the Knights with a two-run shot off Nicole May in a full-count situation. As would happen throughout the game, OU answered in the second inning with a two-run shot from freshman Ella Parker, who blistered a 1-1 pitch off Kaitlyn Felton over the left-center field wall to even the score, 2-2.
The Knights would rally again in the bottom of the inning though, as Sona Halajian would take May deep for the second inning in a row, giving the Knights a 4-2 lead heading into the third inning.
It's at this point where Oklahoma has seemed to struggle a bit in 2024, but that was not the case on Sunday as the Sooners' leaders stepped up and found a way to weather the storm.
The Sooners got a couple in scoring position in the third and Jayda Coleman got the scoring started with a successful SAC bunt to bring Kasidi Pickering across. Alyssa Brito would follow that with an RBI single to bring Kinzie Hansen and Coleman across the plate to make it 5-4. Next, it was Rylie Boone's turn to show up and she did just that with an RBI single to score Brito and make it 6-4 Oklahoma.
In the fourth, Pickering would make the most of her next AB with a solo shot over the centerfield wall to make it 7-4, Sooners. UCF would get a run back in the bottom half of the fourth though, to make it 7-5 heading into the fifth inning.
Oklahoma's offense came alive here though, as the big bats of Parker, Tiare Jennings, and Hansen all produced long balls with two outs in the fifth, moving Oklahoma's run total to 11 on the day.
The inevitability of OU at the plate seemed to make a bit of a return on Sunday, and despite giving up two more runs before putting the Knights away, Oklahoma looked more like themselves on Sunday.
May drew the start on Sunday but struggled, giving up four earned runs in 2.0 IP before giving way to Kelly Maxwell. Maxwell would go 4.1 innings with two hits, two earned runs, one strikeout, and no walks. Kierston Deal would check in to record the final two outs of the game and was credited with 1 K, 0 BB, two hits and one earned run.
Meanwhile, UCF threw five pitchers at the Sooners in an attempt to pick up a much-needed win. OU would total 11 hits on the day with five home runs, 11 earned runs, and seven walks drawn.
With the win, Oklahoma moves to 45-4 (21-3) on the year and will shift their focus to a huge season finale series against Oklahoma State.
UCF falls to 28-21 (10-14) on the year and will now finish the regular season with a road trip to Iowa State. With an RPI rating in the mid-20s, UCF is a lock to make the postseason, but hosting a regional is likely out of the question after losing six straight Big 12 games.
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