Home Slate Opens with Two Ranked Wins

Friday, March 1

Norman

2:00 PM

University of Oklahoma

Oregon State

March 01, 2019 | Softball

By: Athletics Communications

^25/23Oregon State

^4/4Oklahoma

Box Score

Highlights

Photos

^11/11Louisiana

^4/4Oklahoma

Box Score

Highlights

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
OSU	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	2
OU	0	1	1	1	0	0	X	3	5	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Lopez (7-1)	6.0	5	0	0	1	8
L - Mazon (4-2)	6.0	5	3	3	7	3
S - Saile (1)	1.0	1	0	0	1	1

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
OSU - Weeks	4	0	2	0	0	0
OU - Romero	4	1	2	1	0	1

NORMAN – Playing its first home games of 2019, the No. 4/4 Oklahoma softball team earned a pair of ranked wins on Friday, shutting out No. 25/23 Oregon State 3-0 before run-ruling No. 11/11 Louisiana 9-1 in five innings at Marita Hynes Field.

The Sooners (15-2) have now won 36 straight home games, dating back to 2017 NCAA Regionals. Additionally, OU has shut out seven opponents and won eight run-rule games this year.

"The weather was trying for everybody, so I was really proud of the way we approached it," OU head coach Patty Gasso said. "(Oregon State and Louisiana are) two very good teams. I think this is the best I've seen our outfield play... It was just a good, complete game all the way around. To us, that builds confidence for the entire team because that is the way we play. They haven't felt that in a while, so it's good to get back on that page, especially when we're playing two really good teams."

Against the Beavers, junior Mariah Lopez improved to 7-1 with the win in the circle. She scattered five hits and struck out eight while walking one.

Lopez combined with classmate Shannon Saile on the shutout. Saile earned her first save of the year, allowing one hit and registering one strikeout in the final inning.

Senior Sydney Romero powered the Sooner offense in the home opener, finishing 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored thanks to a third-inning solo homer.

The Beavers (12-4) out-hit the Sooners by a 6-5 clip. It was just the second time this season OU has been out-hit, and it was the first time OU won despite totaling fewer hits than its opponent.

OU got on the board in the bottom of the second when a sacrifice fly by Lynnsie Elam plated Grace Green.

Romero doubled Oklahoma's advantage in the third with her sixth home run of the season. With 40 career home runs, the senior now has an outright hold of 10th place in OU history in career home runs.

In the bottom of the fourth, Jocelyn Alo doubled off the center-field wall to drive in pinch runner Audrie LaValley.

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
UL	0	1	0	0	0	1	5	0
OU	2	3	2	0	2	9	12	0

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Juarez (6-0)	5.0	5	1	1	1	6
L - Ellyson (9-3)	1.0	3	3	3	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
UL - Hudek	2	1	2	1	0	1
OU - Knighten	3	2	2	1	0	1

The Sooner offense heated up in the nightcap, scoring nine runs on a dozen hits. Seniors Romero, Caleigh Clifton and Shay Knighten led the way with a pair of hits apiece.

Romero finished with three RBIs, good for her fourth multi-RBI game of the season.

Senior Falepolima Aviu also drove in multiple runs thanks to a two-run home run, one of three Sooner homers in the game. Aviu's shot put the Sooners on the board in the bottom of the second and was good for the 20th of her career.

The Ragin' Cajuns (15-3) responded with a homer of their own in the top of the second, halving OU's lead with a solo shot to center by Sarah Hudek.

Knighten led off the bottom of the inning with a monster home run over the left-field fence, her third of the season and No. 35 of her career.

With a runner in scoring position, Nicole Mendes doubled to left center to plate Grace Lyons. Mendes then scored on a single by Romero.

Oklahoma continued to grow its lead with another pair of runs in the third as Clifton and Alo laced a pair of RBI singles through the left side, scoring Knighten and Kylie Lundberg.

The Sooners earned their run-rule win in walk-off fashion. Pinch hitting to lead off the bottom of the fifth, freshman Sami Skelly recorded her first collegiate hit with a homer to right field.

Raegan Rogers came inches short of a home run, doubling off the top of the right-center wall to put Elam on third. Romero then singled to bring Elam home and seal the run-rule victory.

Junior Giselle Juarez earned a complete-game win, surrendering one run on five hits while striking out six to move to 6-0.

Saturday's schedule at the Courtyard Marriott Tournament has been altered due to anticipated inclement weather. The Sooners will play Oregon State at 1 p.m. CT, and OU's rematch against Louisiana has been canceled.