OU Softball: Oklahoma Handles Marshall in Omni Classic Opener

NORMAN — It wasn’t a perfect performance for Oklahoma on Friday.

But the Sooners rolled anyway.

No. 2-ranked OU cruised to a 9-1 victory over Marshall at the opening game of Oklahoma Omni Classic at Love’s Field.

The Sooners improved to 15-0 with another game Friday afternoon still ahead. Marshall fell to 5-9.

OU hitters stranded just six baserunners, but failed to score from third base three times in the first four innings.

There were no runners stranded in the decisive fifth inning, however, as OU got a two-run home run from Tia Milloy and an RBI single by Kasidi Pickering to end it in a run rule.

Pickering went 2-for-2 with four RBIs. Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, Abigale Dayton and Gabbie Garcia each had two hits for the Sooners.

Senior Isabella Smith (5-0) got the start for Oklahoma and scattered four singles and a double over five innings. Smith struck out two and walked two and pitched out of trouble four times, forcing six runners left on base.

It was again the visitor who struck first, as Marshall took a 1-0 lead when Reilly Lucas hit a two-out double and Tia Titi singled up the middle.

The Sooners quickly got the run back, but then wasted a baserunner. Ailana Agbayani led off with a walk and stole second, and Cydney Sanders moved her to third with a bloop single down the right field line. Pickering’s sacrifice fly to right field was deep enough to score Agbayani and tie it at 1-1.

But after McEnroe-Marinas singled through the left side, Sanders stopped at third even though Marshall left fielder Diamond Leslie charged and initially bobbled the grounder. Sanders then didn’t come home as McEnroe-Marinas tried to steal second. The throw to second beat McEnroe-Marinas, but she stopped and turned back toward first to give Sanders a chance to head home, but Sanders hesitated and McEnroe-Marinas was tagged for the third out.

OU finally seized control in the bottom of the third. Garcia beat out an infield single back to the pitcher, and Agbayani followed with a single to center. Ella Parker forced Agbayani with a fielder’s choice, and Pickering’s RBI single to right scored Garcia and moved Parker to third and put the Sooners up 2-1.

McEnroe-Marinas doubled inside the bag at third to score Parker and Pickering for a 4-1 lead. Dayton’s bunt died in front of the plate as McEnroe-Marinas took third, and Dayton quickly swiped second before the Herd pitcher even got the ball back from her catcher. After Sydney Barker was hit by pitch to load the bases, Isabella Emerling fouled out on the infield to end the rally.

OU loaded the bases again in the fourth as Garcia led off with a single and Parker and Sanders walked. Pickering then drew the third walk of the inning to bring home Garcia and put the Sooners up 5-1 with one out. But with the bases still full, Titi snagged McEnroe-Marinas’ hot line drive at third and doubled Parker off the bag for the final out.

In the fifth, after Dayton beat out an infield single, Tia Milloy pinch hit for Barker and mashed a 1-0 fastball over the right field wall for a 7-1 lead. It was Milroy’s fourth home run of the season, tying her for the team lead with Sanders and Pickering.

The Sooners loaded the bases yet again as Emerling, Garcia and Agbayani all walked and Parker hit a deep sac fly to center field to score pinch runner Chaney Helton to make it 8-1. After a wild pitch moved the runners up, pinch hitter Corri Hicks, in just her third plate appearance of the season, drew a walk to load the bases once more.

Pickering then delivered the game ender, a single to right field that scored Garcia and clinched the run rule.

After the grounds crew preps the field, the Sooners are right back at it against former conference foe Kansas. First pitch is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. OU will meet both KU and Marshall again on Saturday afternoon, with the opening game set for 3:15 p.m.