Softball Live Blog: No. 2 Oklahoma Opens the NCAA Tournament Against Cleveland State

NORMAN — Ryan Chapman and Bryce McKinnis offer their real-time observations as the 2-seeded Oklahoma Sooners open the NCAA Tournament against Cleveland State at Love's Field. Just keep the browser open and refresh for Chapman and McKinnis' updates throughout this evening's contest.

8:55 p.m.

Tiare Jennings hits a two-run home run (Parker) to end the game at 9-0. Sooners will play Oregon at 2:05 p.m. Saturday. Goodnight from Ryan, Bryce and Randall in Norman.
— BM

8:54 p.m.

Rylie Boone's grounder double to center field puts runners on second and third (Hodge). Parker scores both on a double. OU 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth.
— BM

8:47 p.m.

Keeney strikes out her first batter of the game; team's 10th. Sooners exit top of sixth inning holding 5-0 advantage.

8:37 p.m.

Kasidi Pickering hits a solo shot into the fifth row behind the back wall to bring OU's lead to 5-0.
— BM

8:35 p.m.

Bland brought in to pinch run for Hansen after a double; tagged out attempting to steal second. For the second time Friday, Britto gets ahold of a ball but lands it a few feet short of the back wall and into Cleveland State's glove. Sooners lead 4-0 with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
— BM

8:28 p.m.

Nicole May is up to nine strikeouts tonight, two shy of leveling her career-high.

The most she’s had in a single game this season is seven, which she hit against both Loyola Marymount at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic and against Baylor.
— RC

8:18 p.m.

Ella Parker didn’t have to do much there to plate Coleman. An easy single back up the middle, and the Sooners are up 4-0 here in the fourth.
— RC

8:15 p.m.

Doesn’t always have to be pretty. Rylie Boone with a little flare to score pinch runner Hannah Coor and double OU’s lead.

Important sacrifice bunt from Alynah Torres moved Coor up before Boone, a key piece in helping the Sooners go up 2-0.

Coleman then added another with an RBI-triple, and OU is in business with two outs up 3-0.
— RC

8:08 p.m.

Nicole May closes out the top of the fourth with her seventh strikeout of the game. Sooners still lead 1-0.
— BM

8:03 p.m.

Melissa Holzopfel then followed up her massive strikeout with an infield single to start the fourth. She leads the Vikings both in the circle and on defense, and she’s performing on a massive stage so far in Norman.
— RC

7:58 p.m.

Wow, what a moment for Cleveland State’s starter, Holzopfel. Brito battled through a nine-pitch at-bat with the bases loaded, but she pulled the string on a nasty offspeed and got Brito to chase for the strikeout.

She’s got three strikeouts tonight, but has thrown 67 pitches to get through the first three innings. Running the pitch count up is a minor consolation, but not the start Oklahoma’s offense wanted in Norman.

Prolonged fist pump from Holzopfel as she walked back to the dugout with multiple chapters, well-earned after getting the best of one of the best hitters in the country.
—RC

7:54 p.m.

Kinzie Hansen walked a play after Tiare Jennings’ double over the middle. Brito up to bat with bases loaded and two outs.
— BM

7:52 p.m.

Into the third inning, OU still struggling to get much momentum offensively. Ella Parker caught out, like Brito, just inside the warning track for OU’s second out.
— BM

7:50 p.m.

Just got a huge bat flip and roar from Jayda Coleman after drawing that walk. She’s trying to bring the energy, let’s see if it sparks anything in the third. Ella Parker stepping in. — RC

7:45 p.m.

The Vikings have put a pair of runners aboard tonight, but neither single was a hard-hit ball.

Nicole May looking really comfortable through three innings, as you would expect.
— RC

7:35 p.m.

Once again, one of Patty Gasso’s freshmen gets it done.

Nice little solo shot from Kasidi Pickering puts the Sooners up 1-0 on Cleveland State in the bottom of the second.
— RC

7:34 p.m.

Alyssa Brito caught out just inside the warning to track to open the Sooners’ second inning. Oklahoma still without a hit.
— BM

7:27 p.m.

The Vikings faithful is small but a hearty group. Looks like just friends and family, but bringing the energy to help support a noisy Cleveland State dugout.

Tiare Jennings’ excellent diving stop quelled that for a bit, however. Flipped the ball up to Avery Hodge, who almost was able to turn two and end the top of the second in style. — RC

7:21 p.m.

Nice work from Cleveland State.

The Vikings strand Jayda Coleman at second after Tiare Jennings strikes out and Kinzie Hansen grounds out to first.

Expected a sprinted effort from the Vikings in the first, it’s about riding that storm and dialing in as the game presses on.
— RC

7:11 p.m.

Just a single is all that Cleveland State could muster off of Nicole May in the first.

She worked around that two-out hit with no issues, however.

Coleman-Parker-Jennings to get things rolling for OU in the bottom of the first.
— RC

6:50 p.m.

A couple of notable lineup decisions from Patty Gasso.

Alynah Torres will start at first base instead of Cydney Sanders, clearing the way for Avery Hodge to start at second. Sanders has been in a massive slump the last four weekends. Nicole May will get the ball in the circle to start.

The winner of Oklahoma and Cleveland State will get Oregon tomorrow at 2 p.m. with a spot in Sunday's Regional Final on the line. The loser of tonight's contest will face Boston University in an elimination game at Love's Field tomorrow at 4:30 p.m.
— RC

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