All Sooners

OU Softball: Oklahoma Outlasts Texas, Takes Series Opener

The Sooners survived a late rally from the Longhorns to take the first Red River Rivalry contest at Love's Field.
Ryan Chapman|
Oklahoma outfielder Kasidi Pickering
Oklahoma outfielder Kasidi Pickering | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN — Battles between Oklahoma and Texas are rarely straightforward. 

Ailana Agbayani’s third-inning grand slam gave OU a six-run lead and seemed to put the Sooners comfortably in front, but the No. 2-ranked Longhorns rallied to pull within a run. 

Agbayani delivered again, this time with a double in the bottom of the fifth, to extend the lead back out for starting pitcher Sam Landry. 

In the seventh, Texas star Reese Atwood stepped up to the plate with two on and two out and OU ahead by two runs, and a base hit would likely have tied the game. 

The Sooners intentionally walked the 'Horns' outstanding cacher to load the bases and face Joley Mitchell. 

Catcher Isabela Emerling was unable to knock down Landry’s 2-2 delivery, allowing a run to score.

Still, Landry shook it off to induce a fly ball and OU closed out the 7-6 victory — a classic even for this rivalry. 

Patty Gasso’s club moved to 40-5 overall and 14-5 in the SEC with the win, while Mike White’s Longhorns fell to 42-7 on the year and 13-6 in league action. 

After a smooth start by Landry in the circle, No. 3-ranked OU had the first chance to seize control in the second inning. 

A pair of hits and a walk loaded the bases for Emerling with no outs. She bounced into a fielder’s choice, but Texas elected to take the out at first and let Nelly McEnroe-Marinas score from third. 

Then Texas starter Teagan Kavan bowed up. She struck out Abby Dayton and got Hannah Coor to ground out to limit the damage to just the single run. 

The OU bats got back to work in the third. 

Kasidi Pickering ripped a single through the right side to open the frame, and it looked as if she’d immediately give the Sooners a runner in scoring position after stealing second. But White thought she left early, and he was proven correct after a video replay challenge, which ruled Pickering out. 

The early departure cost Oklahoma a run, as freshman Gabbie Garcia hammered the next pitch for a home run and a 2-0 lead. 

Garcia’s bomb ignited the record crowd — 4,587 — at Love’s Field, and the offense kept them on their feet. 

Ella Parker and McEnroe-Marinas stacked consecutive singles, and a Cydney Sanders walk loaded the bases for the second time. 

Agbayani refused to let Kavan off the hook. 

The transfer second baseman crushed her second home run of the year, a grand slam, to put OU up 6-0 and bust the game open. 

Agbayani’s bomb ended Kavan’s day. Mac Morgan replaced the Longhorn ace, but the damage was done. 

Texas slowed OU’s momentum in the fourth. 

Mia Scott put the visitors on the board with a solo home run, then Mitchell cut the lead to 6-2 with an RBI single. Both runs came with two out. 

The Longhorns struck with two out again in the fifth. 

Ashton Maloney reached on an error, a mistake that turned into a run two batters later when Scott singled to right. 

Pickering fired the ball on a rope to the plate, but Emerling couldn’t corral the throw, and Maloney beat the tag. 

Then Atwood cut OU’s lead to 6-5 with a two-RBI single. 

Agbayani converted McEnroe-Marinas’s leadoff double into a crucial insurance run to push the lead back out to 7-5 in the bottom half of the fifth. 

Landry settled back down and retired Texas in order in the sixth, and she took the two-run advantage into the seventh. 

The Longhorns brought the winning run to the plate in the final inning, however. 

Maloney reached with a one-out single, then Kayden Henry got aboard due to a Sanders error. 

Landry got Scott to bounce out to Sanders for the second out, then Mitchell came up after OU pitching coach Jennifer Rocha elected to unintentionally-intentionally walk Atwood to load the bases. 

A passed ball pulled Texas within one, but Landry got the best of Mitchell to avoid disaster and close out the win.

Oklahoma and Texas will reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m. for Game 2 of the series from Love’s Field. 

Published | Modified
Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is co-publisher at Sooners On SI and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

Share on XFollow _RyanChapman
Home/Softball