No. 1 Softball Takes Two Against No. 10 South Carolina, Sweeps Series

Sunday, March 9

1:30 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

21-0, 2-0

South Carolina

20-2, 0-2

South Carolina

Oklahoma Sooners

Garcia delivered the walk-off RBI double in the seventh inning of OU's 10-9 win in game one.

Photo by: Morgan Givens/University of Oklahoma

No. 1 Softball Takes Two Against No. 10 South Carolina, Sweeps Series

March 09, 2025 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

McEnroe-Marinas Homers Twice in Game One, Lowry Pitches Complete Game in Game Two

NORMAN — No. 1 Oklahoma Softball (22-0, 3-0 SEC) clubbed back-to-back-to-back homers in game one to outlast No. 10 South Carolina (20-3, 0-3 SEC), 10-9, while freshman Audrey Lowry was efficient and effective in a complete game victory in the second contest as OU won, 2-1, Sunday, March 9.

OU played in front of a combined 12,203 fans over the three games, including a weekend-high, 4,140, Friday.

The Sooners swept their first series in Southeastern Conference play, bringing OU to 22 straight wins to start the season. It's OU's first three-game sweep of a top-ten team at home since sweeping Texas at Marita Hynes Field in 2023.

Gabbie Garcia produced her fifth straight game with a homer in game one, becoming the first freshman since Jocelyn Alo to homer in five consecutive games. Alo did so in March of 2018.

Lowry tallied the second seven-inning complete game for a Sooner this year after Sam Landry did so against Loyola Marymount February 8.

G1 | OU 10, South Carolina 9
Isabella Smith worked around two singles and induced an inning-ending groundout to strand three South Carolina runners in the first. Oklahoma put up five runs in the first inning thanks to back-to-back-back home runs from Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, Garcia and Cydney Sanders.

South Carolina responded with back-to-back solo home runs themselves, getting one each from Abigail Knight and Natalie Heath.

Up 5-2, OU scored the first run of the game without the way of a home run after McEnroe-Marinas doubled and Ailana Agbayani singled her home with a two-out base knock to left.

The Gamecocks answered with their own five-run frame with the help of a Ella Chancey grand slam in the fourth, giving SC the 7-6 lead. The lead became 8-6 when a single and an error brought home Chloe Lackey in the fifth.

That's when McEnroe-Marinas chimed in again, hitting a 2-2 delivery to the bleachers in left field to plate Maya Bland and Ella Parker and vault the Sooners in front, 9-8.

The scoring continued as Natalie Heath hit a game-tying homer to left center in the sixth.

The freshman Garcia stayed hot in the seventh, doubling to left center to plate Ella Parker for the game-winning run after she walked to start the inning.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Kierston Deal (5-0)
Loss: Sam Gress (3-1)

Statistical Snapshot

Nelly McEnroe-Marinas | 3-for-4, 3R, 6RBIs, 2B, 2HR
Gabbie Garcia | 2-for-4, R, 2RBIs, HR, 2B
Cydney Sanders | 1-for-2, HR
Kasidi Pickering | 2R, 3BB
Kierston Deal | W, 1.1 IP, H, 0ER, BB, K

Notes

Sanders reached base streak made its way to 20 games
OU hit back-to-back-to-back homers for the first time since April 23, 2023 against Kansas
Garcia homered in five straight games. She is the first freshman to do so since Jocelyn Alo March of 2018
Deal is the third Sooner pitcher to reach five wins on the season
McEnroe-Marinas is the fifth Sooner to have a multi-home run game this season

G2 | OU 2, South Carolina 1
The Sooners kept it rolling in the first inning after a one-two-three inning from Audrey Lowry.

Baserunning played a big role in the Sooners' two-run frame, giving Lowry all the run support she would need. After Pickering reached on a fielder's choice, McEnroe-Marinas singled to right, advancing her to third. Pickering took advantage of a slow relay back into the infield, moving up the final 60 feet to score. Garcia put down a bunt single and moved up a base on an errant throw to first, allowing McEnroe-Marinas to score.

Lowry worked around a single in the second, retired the side in order in the third and surrendered her only run on an Arianna Rodi homer in the fourth.

Maya Bland and Parker worked walks to start the sixth as OU looked for insurance runs, but SC's Sam Gress induced a pop out, line out and strikeout.

Despite an error to open the seventh, Lowry coaxed a double play and ground out to finish the complete game.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Audrey Lowry (5-0)
Loss: Jori Heard (10-2)

Statistical Snapshot

Nelly McEnroe-Marinas | 1-for-3, R
Gabbie Garcia | 1-for-3, SB
Audrey Lowry | W, 7.0 IP, CG, 3H, ER, 2K

Notes

Prior to the weekend OU hadn't played in a one-run game. The Sooners finished the weekend 3-0 in such games
OU is 7-6 all-time against South Carolina and 7-2 under head coach Patty Gasso
Lowry has turned in two complete games this season, improving to 5-0
Garcia extended her team-high hitting streak to nine games
Lowry only needed 71 pitches. She induced 12 groundouts and six flyouts, fanning two while not allowing a walk

Up Next
The Sooners hit the road for the first time since Feb. 16 when they go to Tulsa Wednesday, March 12 to take on the Golden Hurricane. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.