Upcoming Event: Softball versus Battle Series - 1 on October 3, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
Softball
vs Battle Series - 1
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Thursday, February 8
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
10:30 AM
University of Oklahoma
1-0
13
vs
0
Utah Valley
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Utah Valley
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
1
Oklahoma
4
5
4
0
X
13
9
0
No. 1/1 Sooners Sweep Opening Day, Blank Utah Valley and No. 9/11 Duke
February 08, 2024 | Softball
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – The No. 1/1 Oklahoma softball team opened the 2024 season with a pair of shutouts on opening day, run-ruling Utah Valley 13-0 before earning a thrilling 3-0 win over No. 9/11 Duke.
Oklahoma (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) extended its winning streak to 55 games, dating back to Feb. 24, 2023. The Sooners own the longest winning streak in NCAA Division I history and have now tied the all-division record held by then-Division II program Western Kentucky.
The Sooners' 13-0 win over Utah Valley (0-1, 0-0 WAC) marked their seventh consecutive season-opening victory as the program improved to 39-15 overall in season openers. OU has not lost an opening game since Feb. 9, 2017, a 3-2 setback to Auburn.
OU's pitching staff spun 12.0 scoreless innings over the course of opening day with five different pitchers making appearances. Nicole May threw 3.0 shutout frames to earn the win over Utah Valley, striking out two while allowing just one hit. Kelly Maxwell won her OU debut in the matinee versus Duke (0-1, 0-0 ACC), tossing 5.0 scoreless innings and limiting the Blue Devils to one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. The staff held its two opponents to a .175 batting average, scattering seven hits – all singles – and two walks while striking out seven.
The Oklahoma lineup struck early and supplied three crooked numbers in a rout of Utah Valley, including four runs in the first on an opposite-field grand slam off the bat of freshman Kasidi Pickering. The blast came in Pickering's first collegiate at-bat, punctuating a terrific debut in which she drove in five runs.
OU added five more runs in the second inning, starting with a two-run Ella Parker single that spiraled into a "little-league" home run. The Duke cutoff player fired an errant throw into right-center field as Parker attempted to take second on a throw home, allowing the freshman to score on the play. Alyssa Brito and Kinzie Hansen followed with back-to-back home runs, pushing the Sooner lead to 9-0. Hansen's towering blast to left field was the 50th homer of her collegiate career.
May didn't need much help as she stymied the Wolverines over her 3.0 innings of work. In recording her 49th career win, the right-hander allowed just one base runner on a lone infield single and Utah Valley managed just two balls that left the infield.
A two-run double from Jayda Coleman, her second hit of the game, began a four-run third inning that also featured sacrifice flies courtesy of Riley Ludlam and Pickering.
Kierston Deal posted a scoreless fourth inning, navigating around three singles and striking out one. Paytn Monticelli closed things out with a 1-2-3 fifth in her OU debut and recorded a strikeout of her own.
Coleman finished 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a pair of RBIs while Parker reached three times with a single and two walks. Jennings drew three free passes in her three plate appearances as part of an eight-walk game worked by the OU lineup.
Maxwell made her Sooner debut in OU's first ranked matchup of 2024 and tossed a one-hit gem, going 5.0 scoreless innings. The southpaw struck out two and walked one, closing her afternoon by retiring the final 11 batters she faced.
Oklahoma's defense shined behind Maxwell, providing a handful of highlight plays to squash Duke scoring threats. In the second inning, Hansen caught a runner stealing at third with a perfect throw that put Brito in position to execute a masterful swipe tag just in time for the out. Brito made a handful of key snags on hot shots to third while Boone added a tumbling grab in shallow right in the second.
The OU lineup battled against Duke left-hander Cassidy Curd, driving up her pitch count with long at-bats. Jennings opened the scoring in the third by belting a solo home run to deep center field with one away. Two batters later, Cydney Sanders drew a walk before Brito singled through the left side. Pinch-hitter Alynah Torres won a seven-pitch battle with Curd, lining an RBI single into right-center, then Pickering plated Brito with an infield single to the left side.
Jennings' home run highlighted a terrific 3-for-4 afternoon for the senior. Torres reached twice with her run-scoring single and a walk while Pickering went 2-for-2 off the bench.
Karlie Keeney took the ball in the sixth inning, making her Sooner debut in a save situation with OU leading 3-0. She worked around a pair of base runners by starting a 1-6-3 double-play to end the sixth, then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh with a strikeout and a fielder's choice. Keeney's save marked the seventh of her career as she finished with 2.0 scoreless frames, scattering two hits and a walk with one punchout.
OU returns to action on Friday, Feb. 9 with an 8:30 p.m. CT start vs. No. 10/7 Washington in Puerto Vallarta. The game will be broadcast on FloSoftball with radio coverage on 107.7 FM The Franchise and 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.
Oklahoma (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) extended its winning streak to 55 games, dating back to Feb. 24, 2023. The Sooners own the longest winning streak in NCAA Division I history and have now tied the all-division record held by then-Division II program Western Kentucky.
The Sooners' 13-0 win over Utah Valley (0-1, 0-0 WAC) marked their seventh consecutive season-opening victory as the program improved to 39-15 overall in season openers. OU has not lost an opening game since Feb. 9, 2017, a 3-2 setback to Auburn.
OU's pitching staff spun 12.0 scoreless innings over the course of opening day with five different pitchers making appearances. Nicole May threw 3.0 shutout frames to earn the win over Utah Valley, striking out two while allowing just one hit. Kelly Maxwell won her OU debut in the matinee versus Duke (0-1, 0-0 ACC), tossing 5.0 scoreless innings and limiting the Blue Devils to one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. The staff held its two opponents to a .175 batting average, scattering seven hits – all singles – and two walks while striking out seven.
#1/1 Oklahoma 13, Utah Valley 0 (5)
The Oklahoma lineup struck early and supplied three crooked numbers in a rout of Utah Valley, including four runs in the first on an opposite-field grand slam off the bat of freshman Kasidi Pickering. The blast came in Pickering's first collegiate at-bat, punctuating a terrific debut in which she drove in five runs.
OU added five more runs in the second inning, starting with a two-run Ella Parker single that spiraled into a "little-league" home run. The Duke cutoff player fired an errant throw into right-center field as Parker attempted to take second on a throw home, allowing the freshman to score on the play. Alyssa Brito and Kinzie Hansen followed with back-to-back home runs, pushing the Sooner lead to 9-0. Hansen's towering blast to left field was the 50th homer of her collegiate career.
May didn't need much help as she stymied the Wolverines over her 3.0 innings of work. In recording her 49th career win, the right-hander allowed just one base runner on a lone infield single and Utah Valley managed just two balls that left the infield.
A two-run double from Jayda Coleman, her second hit of the game, began a four-run third inning that also featured sacrifice flies courtesy of Riley Ludlam and Pickering.
Kierston Deal posted a scoreless fourth inning, navigating around three singles and striking out one. Paytn Monticelli closed things out with a 1-2-3 fifth in her OU debut and recorded a strikeout of her own.
Coleman finished 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a pair of RBIs while Parker reached three times with a single and two walks. Jennings drew three free passes in her three plate appearances as part of an eight-walk game worked by the OU lineup.
#1/1 Oklahoma 3, #9/11 Duke 0
Maxwell made her Sooner debut in OU's first ranked matchup of 2024 and tossed a one-hit gem, going 5.0 scoreless innings. The southpaw struck out two and walked one, closing her afternoon by retiring the final 11 batters she faced.
Oklahoma's defense shined behind Maxwell, providing a handful of highlight plays to squash Duke scoring threats. In the second inning, Hansen caught a runner stealing at third with a perfect throw that put Brito in position to execute a masterful swipe tag just in time for the out. Brito made a handful of key snags on hot shots to third while Boone added a tumbling grab in shallow right in the second.
The OU lineup battled against Duke left-hander Cassidy Curd, driving up her pitch count with long at-bats. Jennings opened the scoring in the third by belting a solo home run to deep center field with one away. Two batters later, Cydney Sanders drew a walk before Brito singled through the left side. Pinch-hitter Alynah Torres won a seven-pitch battle with Curd, lining an RBI single into right-center, then Pickering plated Brito with an infield single to the left side.
Jennings' home run highlighted a terrific 3-for-4 afternoon for the senior. Torres reached twice with her run-scoring single and a walk while Pickering went 2-for-2 off the bench.
Karlie Keeney took the ball in the sixth inning, making her Sooner debut in a save situation with OU leading 3-0. She worked around a pair of base runners by starting a 1-6-3 double-play to end the sixth, then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh with a strikeout and a fielder's choice. Keeney's save marked the seventh of her career as she finished with 2.0 scoreless frames, scattering two hits and a walk with one punchout.
Up Next
OU returns to action on Friday, Feb. 9 with an 8:30 p.m. CT start vs. No. 10/7 Washington in Puerto Vallarta. The game will be broadcast on FloSoftball with radio coverage on 107.7 FM The Franchise and 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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: May, Nicole (1-0)
L: Morris, Halle (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Coleman, Jayda 1 ; Torres, Alynah 1
HR: Brito, Alyssa 1 ; Hansen, Kinzie 1 ; Pickering, Kasidi 1
RBI: Coleman, Jayda 2 ; Parker, Ella 2 ; Brito, Alyssa 1 ; Hansen, Kinzie 1 ; Ludlam, Riley 1 ; Pickering, Kasidi 5
SF: Ludlam, Riley 1 ; Pickering, Kasidi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Coleman, Jayda 2 ; Parker, Ella 3 ; Brito, Alyssa 1 ; Hansen, Kinzie 2 ; Jennings, Tiare 1 ; Pickering, Kasidi 1 ; Coor, Hannah 1 ; Boone, Rylie 1 ; Torres, Alynah 1
SB: Coleman, Jayda 1 ; Parker, Ella 1
HBP: Lilio, Quincee 1 ; Coor, Hannah 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
dp/1b
AB
2
R
3
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
LHP
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballUTL
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UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
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