Oklahoma Softball: OU Wins Second Straight National Title Behind Dominant Defensive Display

One night after OU’s 16-1 drubbing of the Longhorns, Texas (47-22-1) dug deep to respond and again opened the scoring in the first inning.

Janae Jefferson and Mia Scott were dialed in on Jordy Bahl early, as both Longhorns hit back-to-back singles to start things off.

Bella Dayton then drew a walk, and Texas cashed in on a couple of runs via two consecutive sacrifice flies from Alyssa Washington and Mary Iakopo.

Texas designated player Courtney Day looked as if she would continue her hot streak with a three-run shot to left center field, but Jayda Coleman had other ideas.

The star sophomore timed her leap perfectly, extending her glove over the wall to keep the trio of runs off the board and end the inning.

UT left-hander Estelle Czech then did a nice job keeping the Sooner bats relatively quiet the first time through the order while Bahl’s struggles continued.

Oklahoma’s NFCA Freshman of the Year allowed a single and a walk to start the second inning before recording three straight outs, courtesy of a nice snag by Taylon Snow at first base to end the inning.

Bahl erased a leadoff walk in the third with a strikeout and an outstanding effort by shortstop Grace Lyons to turn a double play, keeping OU in the game while the offense dialed in on Czech.

Grace Lyons did well to field Mary Iakopo's hard-hit grounder 

The star shortstop then fired the ball over to Tiare Jennings at second, starting the double play

Oklahoma's defense set the tone early on, helping contain the Texas attack 

Finally, OU found a breakthrough in the fourth inning.

Left fielder Alyssa Brito found grass in right center field, arriving at second safely to start the rally.

Then, disaster struck for the Longhorns.

OU’s Hansen appeared to bounce into a routine groundout, but Texas first baseman JJ Smith couldn’t handle the throw at first base, deflecting the ball up the right field line.

Savvy base running saw Brito score from second and Hansen advance all the way to third, cutting Texas’ lead in half off the error.

Alyssa Brito stayed aware on the base paths for Oklahoma

She took advantage of a Texas error to give Oklahoma its first run of the game

Later she would put the Sooners ahead with an RBI double

On the very next pitch, Snow tied the game with an RBI single.

Back level on the scoreboard, Bahl appeared to settle in.

Already with one out, Texas’ Smith tried to stretch a single to the wall into a double. Coleman again proved to be the eraser, firing a missile to second base and throw Smith out.

Bahl then sat Lauren Burke down on just her second strikeout of the night to end the fourth.

Just as they did on Saturday against Texas, Oklahoma’s offense erupted in the fifth.

Brito gave OU the lead with a two-out double, advancing Lyons to third.

Hansen then delivered the knockout punch.

The Sooner catcher uncorked a no-doubter to left field, handing OU a 6-2 lead. It was her first home run in 20 games — which was Oklahoma’s last regular season matchup against the Longhorns.

Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso turned to sophomore Nicole May in relief of Bahl to start the fifth inning and finish the job.

May rung up a strikeout and a fly out before the defense again made an impactful play. This time Brito got on her horse to wrangle in a diving catch in shallow left field to sit the Longhorns down in order.

OU iced the game in the sixth.

Tiare Jennings drove in Rylie Boone with a fly ball to center field, and Lyons blasted a three-run shot to put her team up 10-2.

May helped close out the contest with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out two Texas batters and allowing only one hit to seal the National Championship.

Game in hand, Gasso made a few final moves to close out the storybook season.

Super senior Jocelyn Alo was inserted into the game in left field in the bottom of the seventh, and she recorded the first two outs of the inning on fly balls.

Gasso then withdrew Alo, allowing the crowd at Hall of Fame Stadium to give the best hitter in the history of college softball one final curtain call as she fought back tears, hugging her teammates on the way back to the dugout.

Transfer pitcher Hope Trautwein was then called upon to fire home the final two outs of the season, a fitting end to the Sooners’ season. 

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