OU Softball: Kelly Maxwell Dazzles as Oklahoma Opens Big 12 Play With Win Over Iowa State
NORMAN — Kelly Maxwell dominated in her Big 12 debut with the Sooners.
The veteran left-hander allowed Iowa State to reach on a leadoff walk, but turned around to retire 11-straight batters.
She didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning, striking out eight Cyclone batters in the complete game shutout.
Oklahoma’s offense got all the support it needed in the circle from Maxwell, powering past Iowa State 4-0 thanks to a three-run home run from Cydney Sanders in the fourth inning at Love’s Field.
"I think we were anxious, excited to get started," OU coach Patty Gasso said after the game. "Kelly had one of her best games thus far."
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OU (20-1) avoided the upset bug that has passed around the Big 12 on opening weekend, holding off Iowa State (9-11) in the first game of Saturday’s double-header.
Alyssa Brito nearly opened the scoring in the first inning.
With Jayda Coleman already on second, the OU third baseman hammered a ball that looked destined for the bleachers in left field, but the ball was held up by the strong wind that blew back toward home plate all afternoon.
The elements kept the ball in the park, and Iowa State left fielder Angelina Allen camped out under the ball to make the catch.
Coleman got greedy and attempted to get to third after tagging up at second base anyways, by Allens’ relay throw beat her in for an anticlimactic tag at third base to end the inning.
The Sooners squandered a pair of baserunners in the second inning, but Brito’s RBI-single finally broke the deadlock in the third inning.
Oklahoma added to its advantage in the fourth inning.
Kasidi Pickering reached with a one-out single, and fellow true freshman Ella Parker drew a walk to put a pair on for Sanders.
The OU first baseman muscled one toward the wall in right-center field, causing a miscommunication between Iowa State center fielder Milaysia Ochoa and right fielder Tiana Poole.
They collided, and the ball bounced off Poole’s glove and over the fence, extending the Sooners’ lead to 4-0.
The three-run shot was actually the third time in Sanders’ OU career that she homered off a defender’s glove. The first came in last year’s OU Tournament against Kentucky, while she also enjoyed fortune in her home run against Long Beach State in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on Feb. 10 in the Sooners’ fourth game of 2024.
Iowa State threatened to cut the deficit in the sixth inning.
Olivia Wardlow doubled and Ochoa walked to give the Cyclones runners on first and second to start the frame, but Gasso stuck with Maxwell.
Avery Hodge backed her pitcher up, turning a hard-hit ball to the right side into a fielder’s choice at second to log OU’s first out of the inning.
Maxwell then induced a fly ball to Coleman in center field, and the Cyclones opted against testing her arm.
On her 102nd pitch of the game, Maxwell fired her seventh strikeout, escaping the jam to keep the four-run lead intact.
The entire pitching staff struggled at Love's Field, combining to give up eight home runs.
Under associate head coach and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha's leadership, they were able to get back on track Saturday.
"We had a really good week in the bullpen with coach Rocha, and I think it just showed today," Maxwell said. "All that hard work I put in, just being able to go after hitters and really believe in myself.”
Oklahoma stranded a pair in the sixth inning, sending Maxwell back in to close out the win.
Pool led the frame off with a walk for the Cyclones, but Maxwell shut the game down from there.
She allowed four hits and three walks to go with her eight strikeouts as she pounded the zone at an impressive rate. Maxwell fired 73 of her 126 total pitches for strikes.
No OU batter dinged Iowa State for more than one hit, as Coleman, Brito, Pickering, Sanders and Alynah Torres all finished 1-for-2 at the plate.
The Sooners and Cyclones will meet again at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, making up for Friday's contest that got moved due to rain.
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