OU Softball: Oklahoma Wallops Baylor, Avenges Only Loss
Oklahoma exacted a bit of revenge on Friday.
Cydney Sanders paced OU with a second inning home run, helping the top-ranked Sooners avenge their only loss of the year to Baylor.
The offense steadily added run support as the game wore on as Oklahoma beat the No. 16-ranked Bears 7-0 at Getterman Stadium in Waco.
The victory extended OU’s winning streak to 32, pushing the Sooners to 40-1 on the year, and Baylor fell to 34-11.
Oklahoma nearly struck first right from the jump.
Tiare Jennings, who walked and advanced to second on a passed ball, got the green light from OU coach Patty Gasso when Haley Lee sent a ball into right field.
Baylor’s Emily Hott got a good jump on it, however, throwing Jennings out at home with a couple of steps to spare for the second out of the inning.
The Sooners then proceeded to load the bases, but Alynah Torres lined out to end the threat.
The Bears wouldn’t be so lucky in the second inning.
Riding high off a strong outing in Ohio last weekend, Cydney Sanders hit her second home run in as many weekends, blasting a solo shot well past the wall in left field.
Jennings and Gasso had a chance for a different ending in the third inning.
With the star second baseman back standing on second, Gasso again had Jennings round third and head home when Grace Lyons bounced a grounder straight back up the middle.
This time Jennings slid into home with plenty of time to spare, doubling OU’s lead.
Fielding issues cost Baylor in the fourth inning.
Left fielder Taylor Strain dropped what should have been a routine out for the Bears on the left field line, allowing Sanders to score from third base.
In the next at-bat, Jennings rocketed a ball right back to Baylor shortstop Amber Toven, who bobbled the ball and allowed Rylie Boone to score to increase the Sooner advantage to 4-0.
Alyssa Brito had a chance to bust the game open with runners on first and second with two outs, and she delivered.
After taking a ball, Brito bounced a double off the left-field wall to bring Jayda Coleman home and put Jennings on third base.
The double knocked Baylor pitcher Dariana Orme out of the game, but Kaci West was able to get the last out of the inning and keep the lead at 5-0 headed to the bottom of the fourth inning.
Sophia Nugent then took advantage of an opportunity off the bench in the top of the fifth inning.
The OU pinch-hitter doubled off the wall, driving in pinch runner Jordy Bahl who was motoring around the bases from first base.
Coleman then rewarded Nugent, driving her home in the ensuing at-bat to put the Sooners up 7-0.
Oklahoma’s offense provided plenty of run support, but Bahl didn’t need any of it.
She confounded the Baylor offense, striking out 10 batters while only allowing three hits and one walk. Friday marked Bahl’s third straight start where she registered double-digit strikeouts.
Nicole May stepped in for Bahl and ensured the combined shutout would stand.
Sanders finished a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate, also drawing a pair of walks to start her weekend off on the right foot.
The second game of the series is slated for 2 p.m. Saturday. Game 3 was scheduled for Sunday, but weather has forced the series finale to be moved up to a doubleheader on Saturday. That game is scheduled to start 30 minutes after the first wraps up.
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