Top-ranked Oklahoma softball rolls to pair of Saturday blowouts
By Chip Rouse
The top-ranked Oklahoma softball team opened its brand-new stadium on Friday, and on Saturday it rolled out the big lumber in adding two more wins to the Sooners' NCAA record 71-game win streak.
One day after Miami of Ohio threatened to end Oklahoma's record winning streak before a walk-off home run preserved it, the Sooner took no prisoners in scoring 40 runs on 46 hits in defeating Louisiana 8-0 and Liberty for the second time in two days, 15-3, both run-rule victories. With the two wins, Oklahoma improved to 18-0 on the season and 194-7 over the past three-plus seasons.
Alyssa Brito went three for three, driving in two runs and scoring two, Furman transfer Riley Ludlum pounded a solo home run and sophomore Kierston Deal started and went 4.0 strong scoreless innings allowing just three hits. to earn her third win without a loss as OU rolled to an 8-0 run-rule win over Louisiana in Game 1 on Saturday.
In the second game, the Sooners' high-powered offense unloaded for 15 runs on 17 hits, and starting pitcher Nicole May combined with Karlie Keeney and Kelly Maxwell, holding Liberty to three runs on five hits in a 15-3 blowout win in five shortened innings. Tiare Jennings, Cydney Sanders and Alyssa Brito hammered home runs for Oklahoma as the Sooners recorded their 11th run-rule victory of the season and third in four games this weekend.
Season-high in runs (15), hits (17) & #OU was back to looking like No. 1.
— Bob Przybylo (@BPrzybylo) March 2, 2024
Add two more for the #Sooners as the winning streak is now 71 games and finding the groove at Love's Field.https://t.co/FQOaqvxaJx pic.twitter.com/3GulTuq0Y9
May rebounded from a rough outing in Friday's tournament opener against Miami of Ohio. The senior right-hander was knocked out of Friday's start after 3.2 innings, giving up three runs on just two hits but walking five and striking out six. May was awarded the win over Liberty, her sixth of the season without a loss, and the Sooners second in as many days over the Flames out of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
In four games so far in the OU Tournament, Oklahoma has outscored its opponents 40-10 and outhit them 46 to 18.
The Sooners will cap off their home season-opening weekend with a single game on Sunday afternoon, a rematch against the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana.