NORMAN — No. 1 Oklahoma Softball (16-0) finished February in style, earning 9-1 run-rule wins against Marshall (5-9) and Kansas (8-6) Friday, Feb. 28 to open the OU Omni Classic at Love's Field.
The Sooners tallied four home runs between the two games, while pitchers
Isabella Smith and
Sam Landry each moved to 5-0 in the circle.
Ella Parker surpassed 100 career hits during the doubleheader, doing so in her 82nd game played at OU.
GAME 1 | OU 9, Marshall 1 (5 inn.)
Marshall took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Rielly Lucas doubled to right field and scored on Tia Titi's single up the middle.
OU got even with one in the bottom half.
Ailana Agbayani walked, stole second and eventually scored on a
Kasidi Pickering sac fly to right.
The Sooners took a 4-1 lead with three runs on four singles and a double in the third.
Gabbie Garcia started it with a bunt single, Agbayani chopped her own up the middle and Pickering plated Garcia with a single to right.
Nelly McEnroe-Marinas rolled a double inside the third base bag, scoring two.
Pickering earned her third RBI of the game with a bases-loaded walk on a 3-2 delivery in the fourth, making it 5-1.
Smith spun a scoreless fifth and OU added four in the bottom half to end the game.
Abigale Dayton started things off with an infield single, setting up
Tia Milloy for a line drive pinch-hit home run to right. Three consecutive walks set up
Ella Parker for a sac fly and Pickering for an RBI single through the right side.
Pitchers of Record
Win:
Isabella Smith (5-0)
Loss: Emily Cole (0-1)
Statistical Snapshot
- Isabella Smith | W, CG, 5H, ER, 2BB, 2K
- Kasidi Pickering | 2-for-2, 4RBIs, R
- Nelly McEnroe-Marinas | 2-for-3, 2RBIs, 2B
- Tia Milloy | HR, 2RBIs
Notes
- Smith allowed her first earned run of the season, snapping a streak of 18.2 scoreless innings to start her OU career
- Agbayani earned her third straight start at the leadoff slot
- Agbayani has scored in four consecutive games and swiped at least one bag in three straight
- It was the first meeting between these two teams
- Milloy hit her first home run at Love's Field. She has four on the season
GAME 2 | OU 9, Kansas 1 (6 inn.)
OU broke a pitcher's duel with four runs in the third inning, courtesy of some small ball and also the long ball. Dayton walked and moved up 60 feet on a groundout. Parker roped a single through the left side and Parker plated Sanders with a squeeze bunt RBI single.
After fouling off three pitches and taking two more for balls, McEnroe-Marinas leaned into a three-run home run to right field, making it 4-0.
After KU scored its lone run in the fourth, OU responded with more from the bats.
Isabela Emerling launched a two-run shot to right and Parker followed with her own to left, giving OU three opposite field home runs in two innings.
Landry retired the first batter she faced in the fifth,
Kierston Deal worked a pair of groundouts and Parker sent OU home early with an RBI double to close the game.
Pitchers of Record
Win:
Sam Landry (5-0)
Loss: Kaelee Washington (2-1)
Statistical Snapshot
- Ella Parker | 4-for-4, 2R, 3RBI, HR
- Nelly McEnroe-Marinas | 1-for-2, 3RBI, R, HR
- Isabela Emerling | 1-for-2, HR, 2RBI
- Sam Landry | W, 5.1IP, 6H, ER, BB, 8K
Notes
- Milloy made her first-career start in right field
- Landry joined Smith for the team lead with five wins
- The Sooners have won via run-rule nine times
- Parker tied a career high with four hits. She had four against Cal Baptist this season
- McEnroe-Marinas hit her first home run at Love's Field
- OU has gone undefeated in February for the sixth time under head coach Patty Gasso
- Landry is up to 54 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched
Up Next
Oklahoma continues the OU Omni Classic with two more games on Saturday. The Sooners will host Kansas at 3:15 p.m. and Marshall at 6 p.m.