Monster First Fuels Oklahoma To Series Win In Lubbock

The No. 1-ranked Oklahoma softball team used a 12-run first inning to earn a series win in Lubbock on Saturday afternoon, taking the second game of the weekend set with a 15-2 drubbing of Texas Tech.

OU (26-1, 5-0 Big 12) matched its season-high with 15 runs in the game, collecting 13 hits and drawing eight walks in the win over the Red Raiders (21-7, 2-3 Big 12). Ella Parker provided a three-hit game, Tiare Jennings and Rylie Boone added multi-hit performances, nine different Sooners recorded a hit while every Sooner to bat recorded a hit, reached base or drove in a run. Oklahoma remains in first place in the Big 12 standings, a half-game ahead of Texas.



The floodgates opened early as Oklahoma plated 12 runs in the first inning, each of which was scored prior to Tech registering the game's first out. OU saw each of its first 12 batters reach in the inning on eight hits and four walks. Jayda Coleman (1-for-2, 2 BB, 3 R, RBI) and Ella Parker (3-for-4, 3 R, 2B, 3 RBI) singled to lead off the frame, then Kasidi Pickering (1-for-2, BB, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI) drew a walk to load the bases. Cydney Sanders (1-for-3, R, RBI) plated Coleman with a single before Tiare Jennings (2-for-2, BB, R, 2B, 3 RBI) tied the program's career double record by lacing a two-run two-bagger into left for the 58th of her career.

Back-to-back free passes issued to Alyssa Brito (0-for-1, BB, R) and Riley Ludlam (0-for-1, 3 BB, R, RBI) re-loaded the bases and brought home one more run respectively. Avery Hodge (1-for-4, R, RBI) and Rylie Boone (2-for-2, R, RBI) ripped consecutive RBI singles, Coleman drew a bases-loaded walk then Parker smoked a two-run single back up the middle. Pickering closed the monster frame by launching a towering three-run home run to right, making it 12-0 Oklahoma.

OU's 12-run first marked the most runs scored by the Sooners in an inning since they scored 12 in the fifth inning at Kansas on April 30, 2022.

The 12-run cushion was more than enough for Sooner left-hander Kierston Deal. OU's sophomore earned her sixth win of the season, tossing 3.1 innings of two-run ball while scattering three hits and walking none. She struck out one with the lone Texas Tech damage coming on a pair of solo home runs.

Oklahoma added three more runs in the fifth courtesy of a Parker RBI double and a pair of sacrifice flies from Hannah Coor and Jennings.

Karlie KEeney shut the door on the Red Raiders by retiring five of the six batters she faced, striking out two and allowing a lone runner on an error in the fourth.

UP NEXT

The series finale is scheduled for a noon CT start on Sunday in Lubbock. The game will air on ESPN+ as well as 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2.

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