Oklahoma Run Rules Wichita State
All that’s left now is Bedlam. And history.
After going on the road and crushing No. 25-ranked Wichita State 14-3 on Tuesday night at Wilkins Stadium, top-ranked Oklahoma has but three regular-season games left on the schedule.
Then this team can truly begin fulfilling its destiny.
Whether the 2021 Sooners go down in history as one of the best in the annals of college softball remains to be seen. The Cowgirls (39-6) may or may not have something to say about it. Whatever, OU’s legacy will be written in the postseason.
Either way, count Wichita State as a believer.
The Sooners improved to 40-1 with their 30th run-rule victory over the season. The Shockers fell to 37-11-1.
Grace Green’s grand slam in the top of the fifth was the Sooners’ only home run of the night — but was the team’s 115th of the season, tying the school record set in 2019.
OU senior Shannon Saile (13-0) was dominant through the first three innings before issuing two walks in the fourth. But with runners at first and second, Saile struck out Bailee Nickerson and got Ryleigh Buck to ground out to end the threat.
Wichita State came in ranked second in the nation with 90 home runs (behind only OU) and among the nation’s leaders in batting average (32nd) and slugging percentage (seventh), but managed virtually nothing off Saile — three walks and just one hit.
Oklahoma scored four runs in the top of the second, sparked by Jana Johns’ bases-loaded walk that scored Grace Lyons. Mackenzie Donihoo’s single through the right side scored Nicole Mendes and Jayda Coleman to make it 3-0, and Tiare Jennings’ single to right brought home Johns for a 4-0 Sooner lead.
In the fourth, OU made it 5-0 when Mendes scored on a throwing error by Shockers catcher Madison Perrigan trying to throw out Donihoo stealing second. Donihoo went to third, then came home on Jennings’ double to left that put Oklahoma up 6-0.
The Sooners extended their lead in the fifth inning when Lyons led off with a double and later scored on Rylie Boone’s single through the right side, giving OU a 7-0 lead. Boone slid home on Donihoo’s double to left to make it 8-0, and a two-run single by Jennings brought home Donihoo and Johns for a 10-0 lead.
The rally continued when Jocelyn Alo and Taylon Snow walked to load the bases. Green came in to pinch hit for Coleman and blasted a 2-0 fastball over the fence in left-center field for a 14-0 lead.
Jennings went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, Donihoo had two hits and three RBIs, and Lyons went 3-for-4.
Nicole May pitched the fifth in relief of Saile and immediately walked two batters before Addison Barnard delivered an RBI single to break the shutout. May gave up two more runs on another walk and a throwing error on the infield, but OU's defense ended it with a rundown on the base paths.
The Bedlam series will be played in Stillwater this season. Friday’s game (ESPN+) starts at 6 p.m., Saturday’s (ESPN) begins at 3 p.m. and Sunday’s (ESPNU) gets going at 11 a.m.