Softball Live Blog: No. 1 Oklahoma Vying for Series Victory Over No. 4 Texas on Saturday

Follow along with Ryan Chapman as the top-ranked Sooners try and build on Friday's strong 5-2 victory over the No. 4-ranked Texas Longhorns.

AUSTIN, TX — Ryan Chapman offers his real-time observations from Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin as Patty Gasso’s top-ranked Sooners look to clinch their 12th-straight series victory over Texas after beating the No. 4-ranked Longhorns 5-2 on Friday night. Just keep the browser open and refresh often for Chapman’s updates throughout today's contest.

9:08 p.m.

After a lengthy review, the call stands. There will be a rubber match in Austin tomorrow at 1 p.m.

9:05 p.m.

Gasso sent Bland and she was called out at the plate. Under review, OU wanted obstruction. 

8:58 p.m.

Ground ball gets Keeney out of it. Texas up 2-1 headed to the seventh.

8:52 p.m.

Wow. Adayah Wallace was ruled to have left second base early. 

Instead of Texas taking a 4-1 lead, the at-bat resumes and there’s now an out. Huge swing to move the game back to 2-1.

8:51 p.m.

A bad night is getting worse for the Sooners. 

Stewart singled off the wall to plate a pair for Texas, extending the lead to 4-1 in the sixth with no outs. 

Gasso is calling for a challenge to see if a runner left early, which would erase the at-bat. Now we wait! 

8:46 p.m.

Things are falling apart here for Oklahoma. 

Deal hit Reese Atwood, and Gasso made the switch to Paytn Monticelli in the circle. 

Texas then drew a walk and laid down a bunt for a singe. Karlie Keeney now stepping into the circle with the bases loaded and no outs. The Longhorns are hunting for key insurance runs. 

8:35 p.m.

Ella Parker got dinged to start the sixth, but the Sooners couldn’t do anything with it. 

Texas looking to add to its 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning. 

8:30 p.m.

Really nice play by Tiare Jennings at short ends the fifth. 

Really curious what Gasso will do at pitcher tomorrow. If Deal closes this out, would doubt she lines her back up to start. 

Karlie Keeney gets the job done with her drop ball, which is something Texas feasts on (it’s what the Longhorns dialed in on against May).

Feels like it could be the return of Maxwell.

Regardless, plenty of work for OU to do here. Six outs left to get a run back.

8:25 p.m.

Nicole May fires a pair of strikeouts, but her day is done here in the fifth. 

Patty Gasso called Kierston Deal out of the bullpen. Fascinating move. Does this mean Maxwell is in line for a Sunday start?

Deal will take over with two outs and a runner on first. 

8:17 p.m.

Kinzie Hansen’s single snapped Gutierrez’s run, she had retired 11-straight OU batters, but the Sooners were unable to convert. 

Oklahoma is still rocking with Nicole May in the circle and there doesn’t appear to be any activity down in the bullpen. Both sides are level at four hits apiece. 

8:05 p.m.

Another great piece of hitting there from Viviana Martinez. 

She comes through for Texas with a two-out double off the wall. The ball bounced right off the bottom of the wall, preventing Rylie Boone from making any kind of play at the plate to tie the game 1-1.

Then freshman Katie Stewart hit the ball to essentially the same place and traded places with Martinez. 

The hosts have their first lead of the series, up 2-1, and OU pitching coach Jennifer Rocha is up to speak with May.

7:58 p.m.

Defense hasn’t been an issue for Texas tonight. 

A couple of great plays in the outfield denied Pickering and Jennings each a hit. 

Gutierrez has retired 10-straight OU hitters.

7:50 p.m.

Just the one hit allowed by Nicole May through the first three innings. 

She’s got two strikeouts and looks comfortable as ever.

Pickering-Jennings-Torres due up for OU. Pickering had the best contact of the game with her first inning double. 

7:37 p.m.

Rylie Boone saves a run with a nice grab in left field that wiped out Viviana Martinez’s double. 

Not that yesterday’s game lacked atmosphere, but a little extra juice today. 

There’s a really strong OU contingent in center field bringing the noise when the Sooners make a play. 

One Texas fan beyond the left field wall has a bullhorn to lead some chants there. Lovely way to spend a Saturday night. 

7:28 p.m.

Three straight ground balls for the Sooners in the top of the second. 

Pickering’s double was a shot, honestly would have probably been a home run in most ballparks but stayed in due to the height of the outfield wall, but everything else tonight has been pretty soft contact. Feels like the opposite of the first two innings yesterday. 

But OU is on top, and that’s all the Sooners will be worried about. Still 1-0 headed into the bottom of the second. 

7:21 p.m.

A two-out walk was the only trouble for Nicole May in the first. Easy first for the Sooner senior. 

Sanders-Hansen-Boone due up for OU. 

7:11 p.m.

Advantage: Sooners. 

Kasidi Pickering set OU up in prime position with a double off the wall to put Brito on third, and Tiare Jennings cashed in. 

Softly hit ball into shallow right-center field plated Brito. 

There was a mental miscue on the bases, however. Pickering, a true freshman, held up at second base to tag even though there were two outs. Patty Gasso was not pleased when she rolled into third base. Looked like Gasso might have sent her. 

Alynah Torres grounded out to end the frame, and the Nicole May will enter the circle with a 1-0 lead. 

7:03 p.m.

First pitch results in a single that sounded like it came off the end of Jayda Coleman’s bat. Little blooper gives the Sooners a leadoff runner.



The crowd is juiced, let’s have a night of softball.

6:44 p.m.

It’ll be OU’s Nicole May vs. Texas’ Citlaly Gutierrez in the circle tonight.

No change in the Sooners’ lineup in the field with Alynah Torres at second.

Oklahoma’s batting order:

Coleman - Parker - Brito - Pickering - Jennings - Torres - Sanders - Hansen - Boone 

6:40 p.m.

We’ve been served another nice evening in Austin, but today’s conditions will play a bit different. 

Yesterday’s wind gusts out to right field have been traded for a consistent breeze pushing out to left field. 

Also had some scattered showers around Austin today, so it’s much more humid. Might keep the ball in the park a bit more, though it was only Jayda Coleman’s three-run shot that left the park yesterday. 

Still waiting on Texas’ lineup card to get the official starters for both sides.