OU Softball Downs I-State 9-0: Plays UT in the Big 12 Finals SAT

[OUBeliever56A]

The Oklahoma Sooners downed Iowa State 9-0 on Friday afternoon on a 1-hit shutout (Shutout #30) and a strong offense (Run-Rule #24) paced by Coleman, Lyons and Brito to win their 50th game in 2023 against that one lone loss.

Alex Storako started in the circle for OU and provided a quick 1, 2, 3, inning in the first on 7 pitches and 3 ground balls to the Sooner infield.

Jayda Coleman opened the game for Oklahoma against Saya Swain with a double off of the glove of the leaping Cyclone LF'er just short of the wall on a 3-2 count. I think that play affected Swain in a negative way. She just did not pitch well after that. Tiare Coleman advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch as Swain walked Jennings on 4 straight pitches. Jennings stole second as Cydney Sanders walked on 5 pitches. Then the Captain, Grace Lyons, delivered a bleeding looping single over the drawn in second baseman for the Sooners first run to drive in Coleman. After Haley Lee grounded out into a fielder's choice at home plate, Alyssa Brito ended the suspense of the game. With the bases still loaded, Brito ripped a double into LC-CF that two hopped up into the fence to plate 3, opps only 2 runs after the review to give OU a 3-0 lead. On the play, Lee was originally called safe on a nifty little 'here-is-my-hand-nope-it-is-here" move by Lee at the plate. The play was a bit reminiscent of a Leah Wodach play several years ago for the Sooners. But after a review requested by I-State, she was ruled out. Brito picked two RBI on the play as Sanders and Lyons scored. Brito's double was something the Sooners needed. The inning ended on a strikeout. OU lead 3-0.

Storako took the lead to the circle in the second and just could not find the plate suddenly. After only having 13 walks in 91.2 innings this year, Storako walked the first two Cyclone pitchers on 9 pitchers. Some things you just can't understand. But Rocha, Hansen and Storako figured things out as Storako struck out the next hitter on 3 pitches before Boone caught a shallow fly to LF for two outs. Storako finished the second inning on her second strikeout with the Cyclone batter looking at the pitch.

With 1 out after a hard hit ground ball by Kinzie Hansen to second base for the first out and a Rylie Boone walk by Swain, the Cyclones changed pitchers to Ellie Spelhaug. Spelhaug had pitched a complete game on Thursday in I-State's win over Baylor. Spelhaug got Coleman to fly out to LF before Boone moved to second base on a wild pitch. Jennings dinged Spelhaug with a single to RF to plate Boone. Sanders walked to push Jennings to 2B. Lyons then crushed a pitch deep to RC and over the fence for a 3-run HR to make the score 7 - 0 in favor of the Sooners. Lee added a single to deep SS and advance to 2B on a wild pitch before Brito flied out to RF to end the inning.

Storako went through the top of the third on a swinging strikeout and two infield popups in quick fashion on 9 pitches.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Sooners added more 2 out runs as Boone singled before a 2-run HR to RF as she pulled a pitch inside for a line drive HR that got out of the park quickly. that put the Sooners in run-rule territory. Jennings added a double before Sanders flied out to end the inning.

The Sooners made several substitutes to open the top of the 4th that included Kiersten Deal going out the the circle for the Sooners. Deal was aided by Quincee Lilio in RF on a very nice running, diving catch in foul territory for the first out. With most of the Sooners running to RF to congratulate her, Lilio seemed very happy to be a Sooner. On the next batter, Grace Lyons almost turned in a another great defensive play against Carli Spelhaug on a diving, get up quickly to make a strong throw to first base play that Spelhaug just beat out. The Sooner fans were on their feet for the second play in a row to applaud very good defense. During the nest at bat, Nugent made a good block on a ball down in the dirt, Nugent quickly picked up the ball and threw a strike to Lyons at 2B to throw out Spelhaug trying to advance to second base for the second out. When the next batter grounded out to Brito, OU had their third, 1, 2, 3 inning in a round-about way.

The Sooners picked a second single by Lee and a walk by Lilio but did not score in the inning.

Deal got the first batter of the inning on a ground ball to SS. That was the day for Deal as Coach Gasso went to the circle and brought in Jordy Bahl to finish the 5th. Bahl made it a quick bottom of the inning as she struck out both batters she faced on 8 pitches total.

The pitching looked very sharp for the Sooners once again as the pitching staff picked up their 30th shutout on the season. This pitching staff is just very good. They threw 41 of 61 pitches for strikes on the day. A batted ball did not hit the outfield grass against the Sooners in the game.

On offense the Sooner bats were 10 for 21 in the game with 3 doubles and 2 HRs. That is what the Sooner offense should yield most of the time in a five inning game. Coleman, Jennings, Lyons and Lee had 2 hits apiece. Lyons had 4 RBIs with Coleman and Brito adding 2 each and Jennings adding 1. It was also good to see Hansen back behind the plate catching as her left wrist seems to not be a concern a week later.

Great play-in game to move to the finals today against Texas. Texas defeated Kansas 9-1 in the late game yesterday.

Bahl will start today against Kansas I believe. I think the 2-out appearance for Bahl in the game on Friday was a warm-up for her start today. I could see May perhaps starting with Bahl warmed up and ready, but I think the Sooners will start Bahl and plan to get May in the game late to pitch this weekend.

Morgan has started both games for Texas this weekend and pitched 3 innings each game. I think that will be the Longhorns plan today as well. Czech and Gutierrez will be in the pen ready to relieve Morgan when it is needed.

The game today will be the veteran Sooners at most every position against the very young Longhorns. Texas had three good innings early in the 3-game series this year. They scored 1 run in the first inning twice and 1 run in the second inning once. If the Sooners can avoid that today against Texas, I think the offense will get to Morgan fairly quickly today and will have an early lead to protect as the game moves past the 3rd inning. Texas has started to play Quiroga at first base lately. She adds a good left handed power hitter in the lineup for the Longhorns. But the key may be the defenses. The very good Sooner defense should show up for Oklahoma today. But the sometimes poor defense by the Longhorns can show up at any time, especially in the infield. Texas has moved Scott back to 3B (not in CF) lately with Popelka starting in the outfield. Look for the pressure to show up on defense at some point today against the Longhorns.

Here is the staff wrtiers article about the Sooners win on Friday.

https://soonersports.com/news/2023/5/12 ... ampionship

Good luck to the Sooners today as they play for their 43rd straight win today. I hope the weather holds off today to get the game in starting at Noon.

Boomer Sooner!

[TropicalSooner]

Thanks for the recap of the Iowa State game '56, and always glad to hear your thoughts in your previews too.

I hope they do start Morgan today. She has given up the most runs (4 - Simpson the other 3) this weekend so far for Tejas and by far the most hits (11 total). And those were against Tech and Kansas. I'm kind of expecting either Czech or Gutierrez to get the start today, but I'm kind of leaning toward Gutierrez---another freshman pitcher that nobody has seen just a whole lot of. In any case, today is for all the marbles so regardless of who starts, we'll probably see all of 'em at some point. Especially if we are able to get to the starter early and often.
Also, my thinking is Jordy get's the call today. She has been just nails lately. And I would think May comes in in the 5th inning or 7th inning, depending on how our offense is doing.
Hopefully, the adjusted start time will allow us to get the whole game in before rain starts in.
Boomer!

[OUBeliever56A]

'TropicalSooner' got it right today with Gutierrez starting for Texas.

I thought it would be Bahl for OU, but I allowed for May to start and for Bahl to finish as a possibility.

More later.