Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma softball: Sooners one win away from regional championship

ByChip Rouse|
Morgan FoleyFoley was a first-team All-State softball selection as a senior after posting a 26-5 record and 1.16 ERA. She went on to play four seasons (2013-16) at the University of Indianapolis, where she finished as the programÕs all-time leader in wins (140), strikeouts (1,659) and innings pitched (1,027). She also set an NCAA record with 30 strikeouts in a 1-0, 13-inning victory over Rockhurst in 2014. Foley has played professionally in the United States and Italy.Lcjbrd2 05 04 2014 Ky 1 C003 2014 05 03 Img Foley 1 Jpg 2014050 4 1 Ba7879ef L410192607 Img Foley 1 Jpg 2014050 4 1 Ba7879efMorgan FoleyFoley was a first-team All-State softball selection as a senior after posting a 26-5 record and 1.16 ERA. She went on to play four seasons (2013-16) at the University of Indianapolis, where she finished as the programOs all-time leader in wins (140), strikeouts (1,659) and innings pitched (1,027). She also set an NCAA record with 30 strikeouts in a 1-0, 13-inning victory over Rockhurst in 2014. Foley has played professionally in the United States and Italy.
Morgan FoleyFoley was a first-team All-State softball selection as a senior after posting a 26-5 record and 1.16 ERA. She went on to play four seasons (2013-16) at the University of Indianapolis, where she finished as the programÕs all-time leader in wins (140), strikeouts (1,659) and innings pitched (1,027). She also set an NCAA record with 30 strikeouts in a 1-0, 13-inning victory over Rockhurst in 2014. Foley has played professionally in the United States and Italy.Lcjbrd2 05 04 2014 Ky 1 C003 2014 05 03 Img Foley 1 Jpg 2014050 4 1 Ba7879ef L410192607 Img Foley 1 Jpg 2014050 4 1 Ba7879efMorgan FoleyFoley was a first-team All-State softball selection as a senior after posting a 26-5 record and 1.16 ERA. She went on to play four seasons (2013-16) at the University of Indianapolis, where she finished as the programOs all-time leader in wins (140), strikeouts (1,659) and innings pitched (1,027). She also set an NCAA record with 30 strikeouts in a 1-0, 13-inning victory over Rockhurst in 2014. Foley has played professionally in the United States and Italy.

If you thought the Oklahoma softball regional battle with Wichita State on Saturday was too close for comfort, get ready to do it all over again on Sunday.

Following its 7-5 loss to the Sooners in the winner’s round of the Norman Regional, Wichita State, the No. 2 seed, had to play a second time on Saturday in an elimination game against Texas A&M. The Shockers made it two in a row over the Aggies, winning 9-6 in Saturday’s late game at Marita Hynes Field, setting up a rematch with with NCAA No. 1 overall seed Oklahoma.

It will be a daunting task for the Shockers in Sunday’s regional championship. In order to move on to next weekend’s super regionals, Wichita State will have to defeat the Sooners, who have lost just twice in 49 games all season, not once but twice, — and on their home field.

The Shockers shocked a lot of people on Saturday, showing they were intimated by Oklahoma and were capable of hanging in against the country’s top-ranked team. And you can be assured that got the Sooners’ attention.

Wichita State (41-12-1) got on the board early against Oklahoma on a two-out first-inning home run by senior catcher Madison Perrigan and led the Sooners 2-1 heading into the home half of the fifth inning. It is rare indeed for OU, the nation’s No. 1 scoring team, to be held to just one run more than half way through the game. Sooner fans were anxiously waiting for the Sooner bats to come alive, and that moment came in grand style in the fifth inning.

OU exploded for six runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth, the big blow coming on a three-run home run to deep center field by senior catcher Lynnsie Elam, her second of the game.

Wichita State got three runs back in the sixth inning on a three-run, fence-clearing blast by Ryleigh Buck and threatened in the seventh before OU freshman Nicole May closed the doorbefore freshman Nicole May was able to close the door, striking out the Shockers’ Neleigh Herring swinging with two runners on base to end the game.

Oklahoma will be shooting for their 19th NCAA Regional championship in 27 total appearances. The Sooners are 76-20 overall in NCAA Regional action. If they win on Sunday, they will advance to the Super Regionals for the 11th straight season.

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