Oklahoma Freshmen Sweep Big 12 Awards
Undaunted by the pressures of Bedlam, a pair of freshmen were Oklahoma’s two best players last weekend in Stillwater.
That was supported on Tuesday when the Big 12 Conference announced its final players of the week awards.
Nicole May was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week and Jayda Coleman was named Big 12 Player of the Week for their exploits in OU’s regular-season championship-clinching series win at Cowgirl Stadium.
May took home her first conference pitcher of the week honor, while Coleman received player of the week accolades for the first time in her career.
May came on in relief and got the win in Game 3 after entering in the bottom of the third with the bases loaded. She got out of the jam with a strikeout, then finished with 4 1/3 innings pitched, allowed three hits and just one run to go with four strikeouts and zero walks. She retired 13 of the 16 batters she faced.
In Game 2, May picked up her first career save when she came in with two on base in the seventh inning and got a pair of flyouts and a strikeout to end the game.
May’s first Bedlam series produced one win, one save and six strikeouts.
Coleman finished Bedlam weekend batting .625 with six RBIs, one home run, one double and nine putouts from centerfield, including two dramatic diving catches to keep the Cowgirls off the base paths.
Coleman hit her sixth home run of the season Friday, then went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk one Saturday and finished Sunday with three RBIs.
The Sooners begin postseason play on Friday in the Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City. No. 1-ranked OU takes on fourth-seeded Baylor at 2 p.m.