Oklahoma softball bounces back with 7-3 series win over visiting BYU
By Chip Rouse
No. 2-ranked Oklahoma softball avoided losing back-to-back Big 12 series for the first time in seemingly forever by defeating BYU in the rubber game of their three-game set, 7-3, at Love's Field on Saturday.
The Sooners improved to 38-4 on the season and 15-3 in the Big 12. BYU, a 9-4 winner over OU on Friday, leaves Norman with a 22-19 record and ninth place in the Big 12 standings at 5-14 record.
Kelly Maxwell started the game for the Sooners for the second time in the series, earning a second win over the Cougars in three days and picking up her 13th win to go with one loss. It was the second straight weekend the staff ace Maxwell started two games in the series. The left-handed Oklahoma State transfer pitched a one-hit, 8-0 shutout over five innings in a run-rule win over the Cougars on Thursday.
Oklahoma opened up the scoring on Saturday with an unearned run in the bottom of the first when Kinzie Hansen reached base on an error by the right-fielder, driving in Tiare Jennings from third base. Jennings had doubled two batters earlier and took third on groundout by Ella Parker for the second out.
BYU took little time to respond, tying the score at 1-1 on a second-inning home run by Maddie Udall to right-center field.
The Sooners broke the tie with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Alyssa Brito singled up the middle, scoring Alynah Torres and Parker as Oklahoma regained the lead, 3-1.
Oklahoma scored four more times in the fifth inning on four hits. The big hit was a two-run blast over the left-field fence by Brito, her 16th of the season. That widened the Sooner advantage to 7-1 with time running out.
BYU picked up two runs in the top of the seventh on home run by Cougar lead-off hitter Ailana Agbayani that scored a pair of runs, but Maxwell finished off the BYU rally and earned the complete-game win
Britto was two-for-four at the plate with four RBI, and Torres had two hits in three times at bat to lead the Sooners offensively.
Next up for OU softball is a midweek game against in-state foe Tulsa on Tuesday evening at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City followed by another three-game series at home next weekend, hosting Houston.