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Oklahoma softball: Sooners edge Stanford 2-0 in WCWS pitching duel

By Chip Rouse

Oklahoma's Jayda Coleman (24) celebrates after getting a hit and driving in a run in the fifth inning of a softball game between University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and and Stanford in the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Thursday, June 1, 2023. Oklahoma won 2-0.
Oklahoma's Jayda Coleman (24) celebrates after getting a hit and driving in a run in the fifth inning of a softball game between University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and and Stanford in the Women's College World Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Thursday, June 1, 2023. Oklahoma won 2-0. /
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Held to just one hit through four innings, top-seeded Oklahoma softball turned three singles and an error into two runs and held on for a 2-0 win over No. 9 Stanford in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series.

Sensational freshman pitcher NiJaree Canady was brilliant in the circle through the first four innings and into the fifth, striking out seven of the 20 Sooner hitters she faced. Oklahoma, now 57-1, had managed just two base runners off Canady through the first four innings and neither got beyond first base.

The Sooners opened the fifth with Cydney Sanders striking out swinging against Canady. Alynah Torres singled to left center on a two-strike count. Grace Lyons popped out to shortstop. Rylie Boone, the ninth hitter in the OU lineup lined a two-two pitch into left field putting runners on first and second with two outs.

That brought Jayda Coleman to the plate. She had the Sooners only hit of the game prior to the fifth with a leadoff single in the first. On an 0-2 pitcher’s count, Coleman, as she has done all season, came through in the clutch, lining a hit to left. Stanford left fielder Ellee Eck mishandled the ball, allowing two runs to score with Coleman able to get to second on the error.

OU starter Jordy Bahl was equally brilliant in the circle, going the distance, allowing just five hits, striking out 11 Stanford hitters and yielding just one walk. The Cardinal placed two runners on base in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings, but Bahl wiggled out of trouble on each occasion to earn her 19th win of the season.

Canady was easily the toughest pitcher the Sooners have faced all season, but they found a way to get the job done.

Stanford changed pitchers in the bottom of the sixth, presumably to save Canady for an elimination game on Friday night. She had thrown 99 pitches through five innings, 77 of which were for strikes.

A crowd of 12, 379 was in attendance at ASA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium to witness the game, the third largest crowd in WCWS history.

As a result of the win, the Sooners’ NCAA record 49th consecutive victory, OU receives a day off and doesn’t have to play again until Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., when it will face No. 4 Tennessee, a 10-5 winner over No. 5 Alabama in the opening game of the WCWS.

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