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Oklahoma softball: Sooners sweep Auburn, off to Women’s College World Series

By Chip Rouse

Oct 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners cheerleader performs during a timeout from the game against the Texas Longhorns during Red River rivalry at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners cheerleader performs during a timeout from the game against the Texas Longhorns during Red River rivalry at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oklahoma softball is on its way to a sixth appearance in the Women’s College World Series in the last seven seasons after sweeping Auburn, the host school, in one of the NCAA Super Regionals

Junior left fielder Nicole Pendley drove in four runs and Mariah Lopez and Paige Lowary combined to limit Auburn to just two runs on four hits, as the Sooners downed the Tigers 5-2 on Saturday in Game 2 of their Super Regional at Auburn.

The No. 10-seeded Sooners (56-9) managed just five runs on six hits against Auburn starter Kaylee Carlson, but Pendley’s three-run home run to right field with two out in the bottom of the second innings gave Oklahoma a lead it would not relinquish in completing a sweep of the Tigers, the No. 7 overall seed in the NCAA Championship.

It was the Sooners’ third win in the last four meetings with Auburn, which finished the season a year ago as the runner-up to OU in the WCWS. Auburn defeated Oklahoma 3-2 in the opening game of the 2017 season.

Sophomore third baseman Sydney Romero and Pendley both had two hits in three at bats for the Sooners. Pendley’s Big 12-best 16th home run of the season ended up being the difference in the game.

Auburn’s two best hitters on the season, Victoria Draper and Alyssa Draper, were held to a combined 2 for 13 at the plate in the two games. The Tigers managed just four hits in both games, well below their season average and a testament to the terrific pitching the Sooners have gotten all season from their Big-12 leading pitching staff.

Oklahoma extended its road winning streak to 28 games (in true road games), but another streak came to an end. OU freshman right fielder Nicole Mendes was 0 for 3 on Saturday, snapping her 21-game hitting streak. It also brought to an end her 31 consecutive games of reaching base safely.

The Sooners are the second team so far (UCLA is the other) to make it into the 2017 Women’s College World Series, which will begin next week in Oklahoma City. Six other teams will make it in to complete the WCWS field.

OU has won three national championships in softball (2000, 2013 and 2016), all under head coach Patty Gasso. This will be the Sooners’ 11th appearance in the WCWS.

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