Bahl Shines as No. 1 OU Beats No. 3 UCLA

Saturday, February 12

Irvine, Calif.

6 PM CT

University of Oklahoma

4-0, 0

UCLA

4-1, 0

UCLA

Oklahoma

Bahl Shines as No. 1 OU Beats No. 3 UCLA

February 12, 2022 | Softball

Box Score Box Score: OU 4, UCLA 1 Highlights

IRVINE, Calif. — In a much anticipated early-season matchup, No. 1 Oklahoma beat No. 3 UCLA, 4-1 Saturday at the Mark Campbell Invitational in Irvine.

Freshman Jordy Bahl took center stage, striking out 14 batters and allowing just four hits and three walks to the veteran Bruin lineup. It marked the most strikeouts for a Sooner pitcher since Giselle Juarez K'ed 16 vs. Wisconsin in the Norman Regional in 2019 and the most by a Sooner freshman since Keilani Ricketts struck out 15 vs. Texas A&M on April, 10, 2010.

On the offensive side, the latter half of the Sooners lineup stepped up. In the second inning, following a double from senior Jana Johns, fellow senior Taylon Snow registered an RBI single through the left side for the first run of the game.

UCLA tied things up in the top of the third courtesy of an OU throwing error before the Sooners quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the inning.

Following a hit by pitch to senior Grace Lyons and Johns second hit of the game on a single to center, junior Mackenzie Donihoo ripped an RBI single up the middle to score Lyons. The next at-bat, senior captain Lynnsie Elam entered as a pinch hitter and hit an infield single to score Johns from third, putting OU on top 3-1 after three.

Following a pair of scoreless innings and more strikeouts from Bahl in the circle, the Bruins allowed the Sooners to put another insurance run on the board in the sixth. Three Bruin errors in the frame let pinch runner Hannah Coor advance home to bring the final to 4-1, Oklahoma.

Bahl collected her second win of the season and has allowed just five hits and three walks in 12.2 innings pitched to go with 24 strikeouts in the early season. Johns led the Sooner bats with a 2-for-3 performance with one double while Donihoo, Elam and Snow each batted in one run a piece.

OU moves to 4-0 on the year and has outscored opponents 32-1.

The Sooners close their weekend in California on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT, facing off against UC-San Diego in the final game of the Mark Campbell Invite. The game can be seen on FloSoftball via subscription and heard on The Franchise 2 (1560 AM, 103.3 FM) in Oklahoma.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.