Oklahoma Softball: Sooners Looking to Clinch Big 12 Crown Against Oklahoma State

NORMAN — Oklahoma is one win away from locking in a decade of dominance.

After topping the No. 7-ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls on Thursday night, Patty Gasso’s No. 1-ranked Sooners just need to win one of the next two contests against the Cowgirls to seal the program’s 10th straight Big 12 regular season title.

In Game 1, true freshman Jordy Bahl dominated in the circle for OU (46-1) while Kelly Maxwell struggled for the Cowgirls (38-10) and was unable to contain the Sooner offense.

Not only was Bahl on top of her game, the Oklahoma defense proved to be real difference makers as well.

The Sooners only logged one error on the night, and the Cowgirls were unable to cash in on the mistake.

When, How to Watch:

Bedlam Game 2: Friday, 6 p.m., ESPN2

Gasso has been vocal about the team’s defense needing to take another step up to be ready for postseason play, and it appears the Sooners are getting closer to those levels after the past four games.

“This team, I don’t know that they really understood what I was saying,” Gasso said of the needed defensive improvements after the win on Thursday. “But I think they know now because now they’re going to different heights at the right time.

“We’re having fun with it. It looks free. They’re having a blast.”

As for the Cowgirls, a crucial defensive error helped Thursday’s contest start to unravel.

With Jana Johns on first and one out, Rylie Boone lined out to OSU second baseman Briana Evans. Johns appeared to be caught out after the hard-hit line drive, but Evans overthrew first base and Johns was able to slide back in safely instead of the inning ending then and there.

Oklahoma’s offense took the free out and ran with it, hanging four runs on the board with two outs, heaping more pressure on Maxwell.

Now, there is uncertainty about the next step for the Cowgirls.

Needing a win to force a decisive Bedlam battle on Saturday, OSU may be without the pitching of Miranda Elish, who has carried a bicep injury into the series.

Elish was able to hit on Thursday night, but it is still unclear if her bicep injury will keep her out of the circle.

If the Texas transfer can’t give it a go, Oklahoma state head coach Kenny Gajewski has a difficult decision ahead of him.

Morgan Day has pitched the third most innings for OSU this season, but her 2.40 earned run average for the year is a big step up from Maxwell and Elish.

Or Gajewski could once again hand the ball to Maxwell, though the Sooners will have plenty of film to continue to game plan for the Oklahoma State ace.

After the game on Thursday, Tiare Jennings said it was a big advantage for Oklahoma to get to see Maxwell pitch the entire game on Thursday to further prepare the team to see the pitcher later in the series.

“I think it’s very important,” Jennings said. “She made adjustments throughout the entire game, beginning of the game, middle of the game, towards the end. So it’s col that we got to see what she would go to next and how we can adjust to be better when we see her again.

“… Her pitching throughout the entire game just gave us more a look of what to expect from her and what we can do to be better.”

While the Cowgirls wrestle with what to do in the circle, Gasso has an embarrassment of riches at her disposal.

Bahl pitched a gem on Thursday, and the OU head coach still has the option to turn to a pair of pitchers who entered the series with a better earned run average than the true freshman.

Hope Trautwein leads the nation with a 0.09 ERA, and one of last year’s Bedlam heroes in Nicole May is having another great year with an ERA of 0.84.

Regardless of who takes the circle for Oklahoma, OU’s efficient offense will again be able to provide plenty of run support.

The Sooners plated seven runs on just six hits on Thursday night, taking advantage of seemingly any minor mistake the Cowgirls made.

Oklahoma will get its chance to capture the Big 12 crown at 6 p.m. on Friday, but the team is just looking forward to competing in another sold out environment at Marita Hynes Field where the fans will continue to honor this year’s slate of seniors.

“We’re just having fun with it one pitch at a time,” Jennings said. “… We’re just trying to enjoy the moment with them, celebrating the little things.

“So I think just taking it one game at a time, one pitch at a time and just being in the moment and having fun with (the seniors).”

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