OU Softball: Cydney Sanders' Excellent Month Continues in Win Over Tarleton State
NORMAN — Cydney Sanders’ scorching hot month continued on Tuesday.
In Oklahoma’s second contest of the day against Tarleton State, she opened the scoring with a three-run shot to left-center field.
It was her second blast of the day, as she also had a three-run home run in the first game of the day against the Texans, and it was the reigning Big 12 Player of the Week and National Player of the Week’s eighth bomb of March.
Sanders now leads the Sooners with 10 home runs in 2024.
"Everything's lifted off of me," Sanders said after the game. "It just comes easy for me now. Not really worried about anything. It's coming to me, I don't know. It's amazing to see for myself from progress from last year to here. Very uplifting."
Sanders’ homer set the tone for an explosive 12-1 win in five innings at Love’s Field.
The top-ranked Sooners moved to 24-1 on the year with the win, and Tarleton State dropped to 12-15.
Oklahoma’s first inning didn’t stop with Sanders’ two-out home run.
Jayda Coleman and Alynah Torres reached base after Coleman was hit by a pitch and Torres walked, setting the stage for Riley Ludlam to extend OU’s lead to 5-0 with a two-RBI single.
Final Box Score
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Right fielder Hannah Coor then enjoyed a special moment.
The redshirt sophomore hit her first career home run to right field, drawing a huge reaction from her teammates.
Oklahoma spilled out of the dugout, lining up in foul territory to cheer Coor as she flew home, mobbing her at the plate and playfully pushing her around to celebrate before heading back to the dugout.
"I was super excited," Sanders said. "I think I might had PR’d with a jump."
Coor’s night continued with a sacrifice fly to plate Alynah Torres in the third inning, extending the advantage to 8-0.
"We’re just excited for her," OU coach Patty Gasso said. "You all saw her in the fall, just having one of the best falls I’ve seen anyone have.
"Just trying to bring that back. That might be opening up some things for her."
The only uncomfortable part of the game came for OU’s starting pitcher Nicole May.
She allowed a single and a double to start the contest in the first inning, but quickly worked out of the jam to keep the Texans off the board.
May pitched three innings, surrendering three total hits while striking out four batters.
Karlie Keeney took over in the fourth inning and picked up right where May left off.
She allowed run run the fourth inning thanks to Kalyn Hill’s RBI-double to cut the lead down to 8-1.
Rylie Boone put the Sooners back up eight runs with an RBI-single in the fourth, and Maya Bland hit into a fielder’s choice to put OU up 10-1.
Ludlam tacked on her third RBI of the game with a single, and Kasidi Pickering drew a bases loaded walk to close the scoring.
Keeney returned in the fifth to close out the contest. She allowed two hits and hit one batter while striking out three Texans.
Ludlam finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.
Oklahoma catcher Kinzie Hansen did miss both games on Tuesday with an illness, Gasso confirmed after the game.
"Not feeling very well," she said. "Smart for us to keep her away in case she was infectious to keep her away from any of the athletes. She needs to rest, could hear it in her voice. But she’ll be fine."
Gasso said she expects Hansen to return for the weekend series in Lubbock against Texas Tech.
The Sooners and Red Raiders will meet in Game 1 on Friday at 6 p.m.
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