Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma softball: Sooners storm again over KU, clinch at least a share of Big 12 crown

By Chip Rouse

Oklahoma's Nicole May (19) throws a pitch in the first inning during the college softball game between Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at the Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Okla., Saturday, April, 8, 2023.Ou Tech Tech Softball
Oklahoma's Nicole May (19) throws a pitch in the first inning during the college softball game between Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at the Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Okla., Saturday, April, 8, 2023.Ou Tech Tech Softball /
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An eight-run first inning and a no-hit performance by OU starting pitcher Nicole May resulted in another short day for the Kansas Jayhawks on the softball diamond and a blowout 14-0 Oklahoma softball victory on Saturday afternoon.

This was the Sooners’ 18th consecutive win over Kansas in softball. The no-hitter was the fourth of the year by the OU pitching staff. The junior May has been involved in two of them.

Eleven Oklahoma batters came to the plate in the Sooners’ first at bat, culminating in eight runs on seven hits, including a three-run home run blast by Jayda Coleman, her team-leading 13th of the season and second in the series. Coleman had two of the Sooners’ seven hits in the inning. A Kansas error also contributed to the OU first-inning onslaught.

The win, the No. 1-ranked Sooners’ 36th consecutive since losing 4-3 to Baylor on Feb. 19, clinched the series and also at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season championship, OU’s 11 consecutive conference title. A win in Sunday’s series finale at Marita Hynes Field will give the Sooners the outright title.

Not to be overlooked in Saturday’s offensive power display is the fact this was the Sooners eighth consecutive shutout in Big 12 play.  Oklahoma has a nation-best 27 shutouts this season and has gone 54 consecutive innings against Big 12 opponents without allowing a run.

The Sooners (44-1, 14-0) have a run differential this season of +342 (377 to 35). OU has outscored Big 12 opponents by an overwhelming 99-9 through 14 conference games.

Oklahoma finished off the rout with three runs in both the third and fourth innings behind home runs by Kinzie Hansen, a two-run shot in the third, and a three-run long ball by super senior Grace Green in the fourth. It was Hansen’s 10th of the season.

While the Sooners were being highly efficient on offense, scoring 14 runs on 12 hits and leaving just one runner stranded, May was mowing down the Kansas hitter one after the other. May pitched four full innings, allowing just one batter to reach first base after being hit by a pitch. She struck out four, walked nobody and won her 14th game of the season without a loss. Freshman Kierston Diehl came on in the fifth in relief and retired the side in order.

OU has recorded 23 run-rule wins this season.

Oklahoma and Kansas conclude the series in a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.

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