Oklahoma Softball: No. 18 Texas Upsets the No. 1 Sooners to End Unbeaten Start

Oklahoma’s perfect start to the season came undone on Saturday afternoon.

The Sooner offense was unable to find any answers against Texas, as the Longhorns won a pitchers’ duel 4-2 at McCombs Field in Austin.

With the win, the No. 18-ranked Longhorns (31-12-1) snapped a 23-game losing streak to the top-ranked Sooners (38-1), and Texas also ended Oklahoma’s 40-game unbeaten run dating back to last year’s Women’s College World Series.

The Sooners didn’t go down quietly, however.

Twice already this year Oklahoma had produced walk-off homers when staring down defeat, and Patty Gasso’s team nearly rallied in the seventh inning.

Down 4-0, Kinzie Hansen launched her first home run of the series off Texas pitcher Hailey Docini, driving in Jayda Coleman and cutting the lead to 4-2.

Alyssa Brito and Taylon Snow were unable to seize the momentum, however, as the pair recorded back-to-back outs after Hansen’s bomb to end the game.

Docini out-dueled Jordy Bahl, as the Longhorn senior held the Oklahoma lineup to just two hits for the afternoon.

A lot of Texas’ success containing the OU offense through two of the three games in the series came down to how well the Longhorn pitching staff contained the top of the Sooner lineup.

Tiare Jennings and Jocelyn Alo combined to hit just 1-for-19 across the three games, an off weekend for the Sooner stars.

While the offense struggled, Bahl battled in the circle.

Just as she had all year, Bahl rose to the occasion whenever trouble seemed to be brewing.

Texas led off the third inning with back-to-back hits, but Bahl fired back.

The true freshman forced three consecutive outs to get out of the jam and keep the Longhorns off the board.

But in the fifth inning, Texas finally found a breakthrough.

Courtney Day led the inning off with a double, but Bahl looked like she was going to get out of the threat. Mia Scott reached on an error to put runners at first and second, but it was Longhorn catcher Mary Iakopo who would play hero.

With two outs, Iakopo singled to shallow left field. Alyssa Brito was positioned too deep to make a play on the ball in the air before throwing home, and Texas grabbed a 1-0 advantage, its first lead of the series.

Bahl then got into more trouble in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Third baseman Mia Scott stepped in with the bases loaded and two outs, and the freshman delivered.

Scott smacked the ball off the left field wall, clearing the bases with a double to put the Longhorns up 4-0 headed to the seventh inning.

Twice this season the Sooners have come up with walk-off home runs when they’ve been down to their last out, but they found no such magic on Saturday.

For the afternoon, Docini allowed only four baserunners, striking out three Sooners in a dominant display.

Bahl was handed the first loss of her OU career as she allowed four hits and three walks while striking out nine Longhorn batters.

The Sooners will now look to rebound in a midweek road battle.

On Wednesday, Oklahoma travels to Denton, TX, to link up with the North Texas Mean Green. The contest is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., and will be streamed on ESPN+.

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