OU softball: Sooners cap undefeated weekend with win over top-ranked UCLA

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OU softball: Sooners cap undefeated weekend with win over top-ranked UCLA

Tue, 02/28/2023 - 14:30
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Feb. 26—For the second inning in a row, No. 2 Oklahoma saw its first two batters of the inning go down in order.

When Rylie Boone was struck out in three pitches in the top of the second inning against No. 1 UCLA, Alyssa Brito stepped up to the plate and battled through a six-pitch at-bat. The seventh pitch came right down the middle of the plate and Brito blasted it deep over the centerfield wall.

Jayda Coleman followed Brito up with another home run, this time into left field to put the Sooners up 2-0. Oklahoma wasn’t done there, Grace Lyons singled on the next at-bat and Tiare Jennings brought her home with a two-run home run.

The Bruins pulled starting pitcher Megan Faraimo for Lauren Shaw in attempt to slow the Sooners down. Oklahoma responded with a single by Jocelyn Erickson and another two-run home run, the team’s fourth of the second inning.

The Sooners had seven hits and six runs in the second inning with two outs on the board.

Oklahoma was able to build off that momentum and run-rule the top-ranked Bruins, 14-0, in the final game of the Mary Nutters Collegiate Classic on Sunday.

Starting pitcher Alex Storako went all five innings and allowed just three hits and no earned runs. The Michigan transfer only faced 18 batters, striking out five with 71 total pitches.

The Sooners finished the day with a season-high six home runs. Kenzie Hansen had two of those homers and five RBI. In just five innings, Oklahoma had 20 hits come from 11 different batters.

It was the first time Oklahoma has had 20 hits in a single game since May 23, 2021.

Every Sooner that went to the plate on Sunday finished with at least a hit. Coleman, Jennings and Haley Lee each went 3-4 at the plate.

Oklahoma put an exclamation mark on its win with a four-run fifth inning.

The win caps off an impressive 5-0 weekend in Cathedral City, Cali., with four of those wins coming by way of run-rule. Oklahoma outscored its five opponents 50-4.

The Sooners (13-1) will be back home next Friday for a four-game home tournament against Illinois Chicago and Kentucky.