OU Softball: Oklahoma Rolls Iowa State in Saturday Sweep
NORMAN — Oklahoma’s offense came alive to swallow up Iowa State on Saturday night.
The top-ranked Sooners scored in every inning and got a pair of home runs from Cydney Sanders, blowing past Iowa State 11-2 in five innings at Love’s Field.
It was the second win of the day for OU (21-1, 2-0 Big 12), as the Sooners swept Saturday’s double-header over the Cyclones (9-11, 0-2).
"The energy in the first game was not exactly what we were looking for," OU coach Patty Gasso said after the game. "We had a little conversation and they came out in game two looking like the team that everyone’s been used to seeing. It was really wonderful to see that."
The victory was also Oklahoma’s 12th run rule of the year, but the start of the game didn’t go according to plan.
Final Box Score
OU Stats
Nicole May found trouble in the first inning.
The senior right-hander started the game with a groundout for the Sooners before walking Iowa State slugger Angelina Allen.
Tiana Poole delivered a double for the Cyclones, putting runners on second and third.
Ashley Minor fouled off six of May’s pitches before grounding out, but Alesia Ranches opened the scoring with a two RBI-single.
The Sooners ended the inning by throwing her out at second, but the damage was done to put the hosts in s 2-0 hole.
Oklahoma’s response was rapid and emphatic.
The Sooners strung together a handful of productive at-bats, starting with Kasidi Pickering’s leadoff double.
Alyssa Brito quickly traded places with the true freshman, cutting Iowa State’s lead to 2-1.
Tiare Jennings bounced out, but moved Brito over to third, before Kinzie Hansen hit the ball straight back to starting pitcher Karlie Charles for the second out of the inning.
Ella Parker delivered with the pressure on, doubling herself to bring Brito home and tie the contest.
As much as OU enjoyed stacking doubles, the Sooners upped the ante to close the frame. Jayda Coleman rocketed a two-run shot on the first pitch she saw, and then Sanders made it back-to-back home runs, blasting a ball on a rope that careened into the juniper shrubs in dead-center field.
Sanders made things look easy at the plate in both games on Saturday, which she credits to a simple approach.
“Just seeing a strike and swinging, honestly," she said. "At my last at-bat, I told coach at the first-pitch strike and I ended up not, but it ended up working out in the end. Just seeing pitches and taking good swings on them.”
The top half of the second inning only lasted long enough for a fan to retrieve Sanders’ home run ball, as May sat the Cyclones down in order, and Oklahoma continued to add to its lead.
Left fielder Rylie Boone, usually known for her inch-perfect bunts, showed off her power for the first time at Love’s Field.
She crushed the fourth pitch she saw halfway up the stands in right field, hammering her first home run of the season to put OU up 6-2.
Jayda Coleman added another run for the Sooners with an RBI-double in the third inning, but her most impressive contribution of the day came in the top half of the third.
Poole looked to reach base for the second time in the game, pushing a ball into shallow center field. But Coleman got an excellent jump and laid out to make a spectacular diving catch to bring her offense to the plate.
"We’re spoiled," Gasso said. "I mean Jayda Coleman makes some of the greatest plays out there. She will not be denied."
Oklahoma put the game away in the fourth inning.
Riley Ludlam drove Brito on a groundout to the right side to start the fourth in what should have been OU’s only run of the inning. But Ella Parker reached base after Olivia Wardlow couldn’t handle a ground ball, and the three-time defending champions made Iowa State pay.
Coleman drew a four-pitch walk, and then Sanders smashed her second home run of the game, which was also her third of the day, to push the advantage to 11-2.
The bomb in the fourth inning was Sanders’ seventh of the season, which is tied with Brito to lead the Sooners.
May’s day ended after the fourth inning. She battled back from her uneasy first inning to throw three strikeouts while allowing four hits and a walk.
Karlie Keeney entered the game in the fifth inning to close down the victory.
Sanders and Coleman both ended the game a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate, and Brito and Parker both hit 2-for-3.
The Sooners and the Cyclones will close out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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