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Oklahoma Rallies to Beat Cal State Fullerton in Dramatic Fashion

The Sooners were down to their final out, but freshman Allyssa Parker delivered magic late.
Ryan Chapman|
Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso
Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2026 Sooners are no strangers to late-game dramatics. 

After erasing deficits in the sixth inning or later twice in the season’s opening weekend, Oklahoma conjured magic Thursday night. 

Down to its last out against Cal State Fullerton at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, OU got a solo shot from freshman Allyssa Parker to send the contest to extra innings. 

OU initially fell behind 4-1 in the third inning, but battled back with homers from Kendall Wells and Isabela Emerling to tie the game in the fourth inning. 

The Titans were able to halt Oklahoma’s momentum, however, and Cal State Fullerton took a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh with an RBI-double by Sarah Coccillos.

Parker’s fifth home run of the season tied the contest back up, but the Sooners had to head to extra innings to try and notch the come-from-behind victory. 

OU kept the game tied in the top of the eighth by throwing out Jenica Silvas at the plate, which gave the Sooners a chance to walk the game off. 

OU loaded the bases for Ella Parker with one out, but she struck out, which put Gabbie Garcia up to bat. 

Garcia battled Titans’ pitcher Trisha McCleskey to a full count, but the sophomore won the battle and ended the game with an RBI-single to win the game 6-5.

Oklahoma improved to 9-1 on the year with the win, while the Titans fell to 4-7 overall. 

Final Box Score
Final Box Score | OU Stats

Nelly McEnroe-Marinas opened the scoring for the Sooners. 

The redshirt sophomore roped a double down the third base line to plate Garcia and advance Wells to third. 

With two outs, Oklahoma starting pitcher Allyssa Parker had the opportunity to give herself some run support, but she struck out to end the first with OU on top 1-0.

The Titans got a run back in the second. 

Parker allowed a double and a walk, then Kate Verhoef legged out an infield single to plate a run. 

Emerling, who started at catcher, picked off the lead runner at third base and Parker battled back with a strikeout to limit the damage to one run in the second inning, but the Titans took control in the third.

Parker opened the inning with a full-count walk and then she plunked a batter to bring Lopez up to bat. 

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The Cal State Fullerton catcher doubled to put the Titans up 3-1, and she took third as the Sooners threw home to try and prevent the second run from scoring. 

Gasso then opted for a pitching change, replacing Parker with Lowry, but the Titans added another run with a squeeze bunt to push the advantage to 4-1.

From there, Lowry stabilized the game and rattled off three straight outs, but Oklahoma’s offense had to get to work.

Wells capitalized on Kasidi Pickering’s leadoff walk with a two-out homer in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 4-3, which was the freshman’s fifth home run in 10 contests. 

Emerling tied the game in the fourth with a two-out rocket to put the pressure on the Titans. 

The Sooners immediately loaded the bases courtesy of two hit batters and a walk, but Garcia was unable to take advantage of the mistakes. She flew out to left field, stranding the bases loaded and leaving the game tied at 4-4 as it headed into the fifth inning. 

OU then stranded a pair of two-out baserunners in the sixth before the Titans pulled back in front in the top of the seventh from Coccillos’ RBI-double. 

Wells struck out and McEnroe-Marinas lined out before Parker’s home run, but the international tiebreaker rules at the Mary Nutter Classic ensured drama in extra innings with a runner starting on second base. 

The Titans successfully used their first out to move the runner to third in the top of the eighth, but Ailana Agbayani was able to throw the lead runner out at home from second in a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning. 

Lowry slammed the door with her sixth strikeout of the evening to send the OU offense back to the plate needing just one run to seal the victory. 

Garcia delivered, but the Sooners’ work for the day isn’t done. 

OU will close its Thursday slate at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a contest against San Diego State that will run deep into the night. 

On Friday, the Sooners will return to take on No. 20 Duke at 3 p.m.

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Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is co-publisher at Sooners On SI and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

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