Shutouts Extend No. 1/1 Oklahoma’s Win Streak to 61

Saturday, February 17

Lake Charles, La.

1:30 PM

University of Oklahoma

7-0

Lamar

3-4

Lamar

Oklahoma

Photo by: Morgan Givens/University of Oklahoma

Shutouts Extend No. 1/1 Oklahoma’s Win Streak to 61

February 17, 2024 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

LAKE CHARLES, La. – No. 1/1 Oklahoma pushed its NCAA-record win streak to 61 games on Saturday with shutouts of Lamar and NR/RV McNeese State in Lake Charles, outscoring their opponents 11-0 while allowing just five hits across 12.0 innings of play.

OU (8-0, 0-0 Big 12) saw its pitching staff strike out 17 batters and allow just 10 base runners between the two games, blanking Lamar (3-4, 0-0 Southland) 8-0 before earning a 3-0 win over McNeese (5-4, 0-0 Southland). Kierston Deal piled up a career best 10 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout of Lamar before four pitchers combined to four-hit McNeese.

The Sooners have now recorded five shutouts through their first eight games of 2024, outscoring their opponents 59-7 with a 0.55 team ERA.

No. 1/1 Oklahoma 8, Lamar 0 (5)

The OU lineup supported a terrific start by sophomore left-hander Kierston Deal on Saturday afternoon, downing Lamar 8-0 in five innings. Deal struck out a career-high 10 batters in her first collegiate shutout, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball while walking a pair. She piled up 18 swinging strikes on her 94 pitches to punctuate her dominant effort, stifling a Lamar lineup that had plated 11 runs against Central Arkansas earlier in the day.

Oklahoma opened the scoring in the first inning as Kinzie Hansen blasted a solo home run off the scoreboard beyond the left field wall. Tiare Jennings blasted a solo homer of her own to lead off the second, then OU filled the bases for Alyssa Brito. The Sooner third baseman promptly drew a free pass to push the lead to 3-0.

Rylie Boone continued her stellar start to the season with a clutch two-run single in the fourth. OU plated their final three runs of the afternoon in the home half of the fifth as Alynah Torres brought home Jennings with one away followed by a two-run, walk-off Riley Ludlam single into left field.

Kasidi Pickering went 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored while Jayda Coleman enjoyed a 2-for-3 afternoon of her own.

No. 1/1 Oklahoma 3, NR/RV McNeese State 0

Oklahoma struck early again in its evening tilt with McNeese, plating two runs in the first. Alyssa Brito tripled off the right field wall with one away and was promptly brought home via a Riley Ludlam double off the wall in dead center. Tiare Jennings singled in Ludlam to make it 2-0 Sooners through half of one.

Karlie Keeney scattered three hits and a walk across 3.0 shutout innings in her first OU start, receiving a no-decision. Redshirt freshman left-hander SJ Geurin made her collegiate debut in the fourth and retired both batters she was asked to face with a strikeout and a lineout.

Nicole May took over with two away in the fourth and retired six consecutive Cowgirls with five going down on strikes. The right-hander worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the sixth by inducing a pop-up in foul territory to end the frame. She recorded her third win of the season with her tremendous relief effort.

Cydney Sanders provided insurance in the sixth, launching a monster solo home run into the oak tree beyond the left-center field wall to push OU's lead to three.

Kelly Maxwell slammed the door in the seventh for her first save of the spring, striking out one.

Jayda Coleman went 2-for-3 in the win while Ludlam reached base three times by going 2-for-3 with a walk.

Up Next

OU closes its appearance in Lake Charles on Sunday, Feb. 18, with an 11 a.m. CT start against Central Arkansas. The game will be available for streaming via a webcam on SoonerSports.com/watch and broadcast on 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2.

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