OU Softball: Maya Bland Plays Hero's Role for Second Time This Week

Maya Bland sent a two-run pinch-hit home run over the right-field fence in the top of the seventh inning, a blast that put Oklahoma ahead en route to a 5-1 victory at Alabama Saturday.

Stepping in against reliever Jocelyn Briski with one out, Bland drilled a 1-and-2 pitch left out over the plate for her third home run of the year. It was her second homer dating back to OU’s 11-3 victory over Oklahoma State Wednesday night, a game OU trailed until Bland’s go-ahead three-run bomb in the fourth inning.

Asked about her pinch-hitting approach by the ESPN2 broadcast crew in postgame, Bland said: “Don’t make the game bigger than it is… Just get a pitch to hit.”

oh me oh @maya__bland strikes in the 7th! pic.twitter.com/D8V7EpzpZU
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 12, 2025

Bland started Bedlam. Saturday in Tuscaloosa, she pinch hit for right fielder Sydney Barker after Gabbie Garcia had opened the seventh with a bunt single and Cydney Sanders had struck out on a full count.

OU’s only hits before Bland’s swing were Abigail Dayton’s single off the glove of second baseman Kali Heivilin in the third inning, Kasidi Pickering’s infield single in the fourth and Barker’s single to left-center in the fifth.

The go-ahead blast sent a charge down OU's lineup. Dayton followed Bland with a walk. Pinch-hitter Kadey Lee McKay followed Dayton by reaching on a ground ball to Heivilin. Ailana Agbayani followed McKay by roping an RBI double down the left-field line.

Back at the top of the order, Pickering then lined an RBI single to left and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas dropped an RBI squeeze bunt in front of home plate.

Alabama coach Patrick Murphy tried a second reliever, Alea Johnson, and went back to starting pitcher Catelyn Riley during the rally, but could not prevent the five-run damage.

It was a rough break for Riley, who shut out OU over the first five innings.

It was a welcome sight for OU’s Sam Landry, who appeared bound to be Saturday’s losing pitcher despite giving up just one run on three hits.

Suddenly ahead 5-1, Landry finished the game by retiring pinch hitters Kristen White, Alexis Pupillo and Kennedy Marceaux on a comebacker and two strikeouts

Landry improved to 13-2. OU jumped to 36-3 overall and 10-3 in the SEC.

Alabama fell to 28-16 and 5-8 despite a packed, raucous crowd at Rhoads Stadium.

Bland smiled when asked on the telecast about rounding the bases in the seventh amid sudden silence.

“Awesome,” she called it.

It will be interesting to see if Bland returns to the starting lineup Sunday when OU and Alabama play game two of the series at 5 p.m. Game three is set for Monday at 6 p.m.