Sooner Bats Stay Hot as OU Earns Top-25 Series Sweep

Saturday, March 23

Norman

2:00 PM

University of Oklahoma

30-1, 8-0

Baylor

17-10, 1-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Baylor	0	0	0	2	1	3	5	3
Oklahoma	0	2	1	2	7	12	8	0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Baylor	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	4	6	0
Oklahoma	1	0	2	1	2	1	X	7	9	2

Photo by: Peyton Martin/University of Oklahoma

Sooner Bats Stay Hot as OU Earns Top-25 Series Sweep

March 23, 2024 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

NORMAN – The top-ranked Oklahoma softball team took both games of Saturday's split doubleheader behind seven home runs, earning a series sweep over No. 19/22 Baylor at Love's Field to remain unbeaten in Big 12 play.

Oklahoma (31-1, 9-0 Big 12) run-ruled Baylor (17-11, 1-8 Big 12) 12-3 in front of a stadium-record 4,520 fans in game one before taking the doubleheader and series finale 7-4. Ella Parker provided the "walk-off" run-rule win in game one with an opposite-field grand slam, Alyssa Brito homered in both games and six multi-hit performances were delivered by the Sooner lineup between the two games.

The Sooners enter Sunday's off day a game-and-a-half ahead of Texas and 2.0 full games ahead of Oklahoma State in the Big 12 standings at 9-0. OU extended its winning streak to 13 games with the doubleheader sweep.

A total attendance of 17,469 saw Oklahoma sweep Baylor over the three-game series, establishing a new program record for the largest attendance of a single series.

Game One: No. 1/1 Oklahoma 12, No. 19/22 Baylor 1 (5)

Oklahoma's lineup blasted four home runs and drew seven walks in Saturday's first game to support a strong start by Nicole May as the Sooners welcomed a Love's Field-record 4,520 fans to their new home. The senior right-hander improved to 10-0 on the season by tossing 5.0 innings of three-run ball, scattering five hits and a walk while striking out seven.

Rylie Boone (2-for-3, 2 R) smacked a two-out single back up the middle in the second inning, bringing Jayda Coleman (1-for-2, 2 BB, 3 R, HR, 2 RBI) to the plate in a scoreless game. OU's centerfielder promptly blasted a 2-1 offering over the center field wall for her fifth home run of the season, putting the Sooners in front 2-0.

Alyssa Brito (2-for-2, 2 BB, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) launched a leadoff home run to open the third inning. Brito would go on to reach in each of her four trips in the win, scoring twice and driving in a pair. Baylor responded with a two-run home run pulled around the right field foul pole to make it a one-run game in the fourth.

OU struck back quickly an inning later as each of the first five Sooners to bat in the home half of the fourth reached, highlighted by a Tiare Jennings (1-for-3, BB, RBI) run-scoring single. Ella Parker (1-for-3, R, HR, 5 RBI) added a one-out sacrifice fly, pushing the Oklahoma lead back to three.

Baylor tacked on another run in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly. Oklahoma responded immediately, plating seven runs on three hits, three walks and one Bear error to take the run-rule win. Riley Ludlam (1-for-2, R, HR, 2 RBI) launched a two-run home run to right and Brito singled home Boone before Parker sent the record crowd into a frenzy with a "walk-off" grand slam crushed into the left field bleachers.

Game Two: No. 1/1 Oklahoma 7, No. 19/22 Baylor 4

A gritty series finale awaited the Sooners in Saturday's second game. Jayda Coleman (2-for-4, R, 2B) led off the home half of the first with a double, advanced to third on a Tiare Jennings (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI) fly out then scored two batters later on an Ella Parker (1-for-3, BB, R, RBI) single back up the middle to give OU an early 1-0 lead.

Kierston Deal worked through trouble in the second, escaping a bases-loaded jam with a soft fly ball, a strikeout and a fielder's choice. Oklahoma's sophomore battled through control issues to provide 4.0 effective innings of one-run ball. She struck out a pair while navigating around four walks and three hits, improving to 7-0 on the season.

The Sooners pushed their advantage to 3-0 on an Alyssa Brito (2-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI) two-run home run in the third that sailed over the junipers in the batter's eye, becoming the first player to clear the eye at Love's Field. Baylor got a run back with a solo shot in the fourth, but Alynah Torres (2-for-2, BB, R, HR, 2 RBI) blasted a towering solo shot to center while leading off the home half of the frame.

Karlie Keeney entered in the fifth and retired five of six batters faced, the lone runner reaching on an error. Oklahoma's right-hander recorded her 700th collegiate inning pitched, retiring her 2,100th college batter as part of her effective evening out of the pen, and logged the first Sooner hold of 2024.

Two more runs came across for Oklahoma in the fifth on a laser leadoff solo home run off the bat of Jennings and a Torres RBI single. Baylor plated three runs in the sixth, cutting OU's lead to two.

A Brito RBI single plated Quincee Lilio in the sixth, stretching Oklahoma's cushion back to three runs. Kelly Maxwell finished Baylor off, retiring four of seven faced.

Up Next

OU begins seven straight games on the road with a Tuesday midweek contest at Wichita State in Wichita, Kansas. The Sooners and Shockers are set to start at 6 p.m. CT at Wilkins Stadium with the game broadcast on ESPN+ 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.