Sooner Softball Wins Game #1 at Tech - 14-0 -K-Max and TRA stars

[OUBeliever56A]

The Oklahoma Sooners traveled to cool and windy Lubbock to play their first game of the weekend against Texas Tech and won the game 14-0 a the Sooners scored in 5 of the 7 innings. Kelly Maxwell lead the effort from the circle as M-Max allowed 2 hits (both singles with 4 walks and 1 HB in her 6 innings along with 10 Ks. Paytn Monticelli pitched the 7th inning for the Sooners and struck out 2 hitters along with hitting a hitter. Maxwell got the win, her 8th of the season along with her 4 CG.

On offense, Tiare Jennings had a big night with a double and 2 HRs for 6 RBIs (tying a career high). She double in the first with 2 outs as Brito was tagged out at the plate on the play for thee final out of the inning. In the 4th Jennings hit a 3-run HR that was a no doubter as soon as she hit it. In the 7th, Jennings hit another HR with a runner on base for runs 12 and 13. TRA finished the night 3 for 3 with 2 walks to earn 12 bases in the game. The HRs for Jennings was her 81st and 82nd HRs of her career. The 6 RBIs give her 276 for her career.

One of the two other HRs were hit by Kinzie Hansen. In the top of the 2nd, Hansen hit a solo HR on an off-speed [itch that she recognized and timed the swing well to hit it out over the RF wall with perhaps some help for the wind. But it cleared the wall easily. It was Hansen's 56 HR of her career to tie her with Amber Flores for Career HRs. Alynah Torres added a solo HR in the top of the 4th on HR to LF/LC for her 41st of her career.

Think about that for a moment. OU hit 4 HRs yesterday and they were the 176th, 177th, 178th and 179th HRs of their careers. Is there another team that can say things like that? I admit that most of Torres' HRs were at Arizona State, but still. That is fairly amazing to me.

The other six runs were driven in by Jayda Coleman (2 for 4 with 2 RS and a RBI), Maya Bland with a 2-RBIs double (1 for 1 w 2 runs), Boone RBI-single (1 for 4 RS), Sanders an RBI bases loaded walk, (0/1 with 4 walks and a RS) and Lilio with a ground out RBI (0 for 2 with two hard hit balls).

Coor was 1 for 2 with a double and a RS. Pickering and Brito (1 walk) had the last two hits. Parker was hitless for the night but scored a run and had a SB. Ludlam, subbing for Hansen was 0 for 1 with a RS and 2 walks.

OU was 12 for 31 at the plate with 13 walks and only 1 K. They hit 3 doubles and 4 HRs. That is a .387 BA night with a .568 OB% and an .871 Slug%. Pretty nice night at the plate for OU.

About Ludlam subbing for Hansen. During the last inning she caught, something happened with Hansen right knee, thigh, hamstring etc. All of a sudden you could tell she was having and issue after she caught a pitch. She tried stretching her leg, she called timeout and went out to talk to Maxwell as she flexed her leg and looked uncomfortable. She went to the dugout at the end of the inning and never returned to the game. LET's ALL hope she is fine and maybe it was just a 'thing' that occurred.

I must say I appreciated the batting order last night. The lineup was Coleman, Sanders, Parker, Brito, Jennings, Hansen, Pickering, Torres and Boone. It was a "traditional order" familiar to Sooner fans.

For today's game. I will be surprised to see anyone but Nicole May start the game in the circle for OU. I would guess the lineup will be generally the same which I would again.

Here is the Sooner staff wrtiers article about the win last night.

https://soonersports.com/news/2024/3/15 ... texas-tech

Good luck to the Sooners today at 1 PM.

Boomer Sooner!