Oklahoma softball's record winning streak comes to an end at 71
By Chip Rouse
As they say, all good things come to an end. In the case of the Oklahoma softball team, though, there were plenty of good times in between.
The Sooners (18-1) suffered their first loss of the season -- and first in over 378 days and 71 consecutive games -- on Sunday, falling 7-5 in extra innings to the Louisiana Rajin' Cajuns. OU had beaten Louisiana 8-0 in five innings 24 hours earlier.
The Rajin; Cajuns got on the board first on a solo home run by designated-player Jourdyn Campbell in the third inning off of OU starter Kelly Maxwell. Louisiana scored two more in the top of the fourth and a single run in the seventh to take a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh. As they have so often during their NCAA record 71-game winning streak, the Sooners scored twice in what would have been their final at bat on a pair of singles, a walk and two errors and tied the game at 4-4.
That didn't last long, however, as Louisiana scored three times in the top of the eighth off of OU reliever Karlie Keeney, who allowed the first three hitters she faced in the eighth to reach base. All three eventually scored. Cydney Sanders homered for OU in the bottom of the eighth to cut the Louisiana lead to 7-5, but Jayda Coleman grounded out to second with a man on first to end the rally and the game.
Kinzie Hansen joined Sanders in going yard for Oklahoma as part of an 11-hit attack. It was Hansen's fifth round-tripper of the season. Tiare Jennings had two singles and a double in four plate appearances, and Hansen and Riley Ludlum both had a pair of hits for the Sooners.
Kelly Maxwell started the game in the circle for Oklahoma. She worked 3.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out four and walking two. Keeney entered the game in the fourth and worked the final four innings, giving up four runs on five hits and took the loss, her first of the season to go with two wins.
Cloe Riassetto went the distance for the Rajin' Cajuns, giving up five runs on 11 hits, striking out three and walking four.
The Sooners ended the weekend with four wins in five games as they opened their all-new $48 million softball stadium, Love's Field.
Oklahoma is back in action at Love's Field on Wednesday, when the Sooners will host Texas A&M Commerce. And next weekend, Iowa State comes to town to open the conference schedule and OU's final season in the Big 12.