OU Softball: Oklahoma Douses Liberty in Offensive Onslaught
NORMAN — Cydney Sanders drove in four runs to help Oklahoma hammer Liberty for the second time this weekend.
The top-ranked Sooners set new Love’s Field bests for runs and hits against the Flames, strolling to a 15-3 run rule victory in OU’s second contest on Saturday .
Sanders needed just two official at-bats to do her damage, as she finished 2-for-2 with a walk to pace the Sooners in their 71st-straight win.
Final Box Score
OU Stats
Nicole May rebounded from her uneven first inning on Friday, ensuring Oklahoma (18-0) could get to work in the bottom of the first inning instead of working out of an early hole as they did against Miami (OH).
Sanders first sent Liberty (8-9) a warning shot in the second inning.
Leading off, OU’s first baseman stepped in and she hammered a massive shot foul.
The next swing got on time, however.
Sanders belted a no-doubter to open the scoring.
An Alynah Torres double proceeded a Jayda Coleman single, and a passed ball from Liberty starter Katie Love allowed Torres to race home.
Tiare Jennings then continued her strong Saturday.
After delivering a two RBI-double in OU’s first game of the day against Lousiana, she cleared the bleachers in left-center field with a towering two-run shot to put the Sooners up 4-0.
Kinzie Hansen reached base with a two-out single, stealing second base, to bring Kasidi Pickering up.
The freshman hit a ground ball deep into the infield beyond third base, but JaMaya Byrum was able to handle the ball.
Burym was unable to get the throw to first base before Pickering, but Liberty first baseman Megan Fortner failed to clean field the throw.
As it bounced past her, Hansen stole home to complete the five-run inning.
And yet, the third inning was still worse for the Flames.
Rylie Boone’s double brought in the first run of the inning, and then a sacrifice fly from Coleman brought the lead to 7-0.
Hansen and Pickering chipped in a pair of RBI-singles, bringing Sanders back up with the bases loaded.
Sanders appeared to pop up to shallow-left field, but the sun and wind made the fly ball difficult to play.
Liberty lost track of it in the air, allowing Sanders to end up safely on second and clear the bases, building the lead to 12-0.
Former Flames pitcher Karlie Keeney entered the fray in the fourth for OU, taking over for May.
It was a straightforward afternoon for May, who allowed just one hit while striking out a pair in three innings of work.
Keeney handled business without incident in the fourth, and made way for Kelly Maxwell in the fifth inning.
Coleman tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, driving in Avery Hodge with a single, before Alyssa Brito smashed a two-run shot.
Maxwell did surrender a pair of home runs in the fifth inning. First, Liberty first baseman Megan Fortner hammered a two-run blast, and then Byrum followed her teammate with a solo shot of her own. The veteran left-hander then shook off the homers to close out the game.
Coleman finished a perfect 3-for-3, and Jennings and Hansen both went 2-for-3 against Liberty.
The Sooners will return to Love’s Field one more time this weekend, meeting Lousiana on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
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