OU Softball: Oklahoma Overwhelms Iowa State to Complete Series Sweep
Oklahoma wasted no time jumping on Iowa State to close out the series.
The top-ranked Sooners scored eight runs in the first inning, breezing past the Cyclones to sweep the first Big 12 series of the season.
OU then cruised, run-ruling Iowa State 10-0 in the second game of Saturday’s double-header in Ames.
The win extended the Sooners’ winning streak to 22 games and 30-1 this year, and Iowa State fell to 11-17.
Oklahoma’s onslaught started from the very beginning.
Aggressive base running put Jayda Coleman and Tiare Jennings at second and third for Kinzie Hansen.
The OU catcher didn’t hame the hardest contact, but she placed the ball just over Iowa State shortstop Alesia Ranches’ glove and safely into the outfield to move Coleman across home.
Alyssa Brito then perfectly executed a squeeze play, laying down a bunch that simultaneously scored Jennings from third and saw Brito end up safely on first base.
An RBI-single from Grace Lyons and a two-RBI double from Jocelyn Erickson then extended the lead to 5-0 in the blink of an eye.
Trouble in the field struck Iowa State again, allowing Alynah Torres to reach base, and Jordy Bahl’s groundout scored Erickson.
Coleman then put the exclamation point on the inning, blasting a two-run bomb to put her team up 8-0 and bring the game into run-rule territory before the Cyclones even stepped into the batter’s box.
Lyons poured it on in the second inning, crushing a solo-shot that put passing cars in danger as it almost was hit to the street behind the right field wall at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
The Sooners again applied pressure in the third inning, loading the bases up for Hansen with two outs.
Hansen battled to a full count, but she bounced out to second base to keep the lead at 9-0.
Though the run support was overwhelming, Bahl ensured it was unnecessary.
The only hit the talented right-hander allowed came in the second inning, and Bahl responded by retiring the last 10 batters of the game.
Bahl finished with five strikeouts and no walks, only allowing the single hit across five innings.
Quincee Lilio added one more run in the top of the fifth inning for good measure, reaching on an infield error to score Torres.
Now the Sooners will turn their attention to a rematch of last year’s Women’s College World Series Championship Series, squaring off against the Texas Longhorns.
The first meeting between the two teams will take place at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on Friday, and first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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