Sunday was Senior Day for Oklahoma’s decorated graduating class, but OU’s freshmen gave the Sooners their swagger back.
Kasidi Pickering went yard in the fourth inning, belting OU’s first long ball of the series.
The two-run shot put the first two runs on the board for either team, helping Oklahoma salvage a game and avoid a sweep at the hands of Oklahoma State.
Jayda Coleman delivered the go-ahead RBI in the sixth inning, but freshman Ella Parker’s three-run shot sealed the victory for the Sooners to avoid the Bedlam sweep.
Oklahoma won the contest 8-2 at Love’s Field, sealing the 2-seed in next weekend’s Big 12 Tournament, but more importantly the dam finally broke on OU’s struggles with runners on base.
The six-run sixth inning outpaced the four total runs the Sooners (46-6, 22-5 Big 12) had scored in the first two games against Oklahoma State (44-9, 21-6) on the weekend.
Oklahoma senior Karlie Keeney made her first start in the circle since OU’s 12-1 win over UT Arlington on March 20 and kept OSU’s bats mostly silent.
It took until the third inning for Oklahoma State to put stress on the Sooners’ right-hander, but Keeney’s defense stepped up.
With runners on the corners and no outs, Cydney Sanders fired a ground ball straight back home, prompting a rundown that ultimately ended in keeping the run off the board and making the first out of the inning at third base.
Alynah Torres then ended the inning with a leaping grab. She quickly stepped on second base before OSU’s Tallen Edwards could return to the bag, doubling the Cowgirls up and sending OU to the plate with the Love’s Field crowd on their feet.
Rylie Boone reached with her signature infield single to start the bottom half of the inning, but a strikeout and a fielder’s choice quickly put two outs on the board.
Pickering singled to put runners on the corners for Tiare Jennings, but the OU shortstop’s recent slump continued.
She bounced out, extending her skid to 2-of-her-last-26 at the plate.
Pickering left no doubt in the fourth, however.
She hammered a no-doubter to left-center field, and Oklahoma looked to seize on more than just the two-run lead.
Kinzie Hansen walked and Boone singled again, but Sanders and Coleman couldn’t extend the lead.
All series long, Oklahoma State has responded immediately to erase any semblance of momentum when the Sooners score.
Again, OSU found itself in that spot with runners on first and second and two outs in the top off the fifth, but Jennings made a fantastic play in the field to ease the nerves.
She made a diving stop, fully extending to her left, and landed close enough to second base to stretch and tag the bag with her glove to keep Keeney’s shutout intact.
Kierston Deal took over for Keeney in the sixth. Keeney allowed three hits and three walks and got just one strikeout, but crucially kept the Cowgirls off the board for the first five innings — but it wasn’t the end of her day.
The arrival of the fresh arm was no guarantee. Deal, who is generally excellent as a starter, entered the game with an 8.40 ERA as a reliever.
Oklahoma State hit three straight singles off Deal, and after the first out of the inning, Patty Gasso went back to Keeney.
The inherited runners ended up coming back to bite the Sooners, as Micaela Wark singled to bring a pair home and tie the game.
Keeney ended the inning with a strikeout and a ground ball, sending the bottom of OU’s lineup to the plate.
Boone and Sanders both reached with singles to turn the order over, and Coleman put Oklahoma back on top with an RBI-single.
Then the Sooners put the game away.
Parker hammered her three-run shot, and it was followed by a Jennings double that was converted to a solo home run after a review to check and see if the ball came back into play from the stands.
Hannah Coor plated another win with an RBI-single of her own, capping off the six-run outburst.
Keeney returned to the circle in the seventh to close out the victory.
Oklahoma now awaits its first opponent for the Big 12 Tournament.
As the 2-seed, the Sooners will take the field at Hall of Fame Stadium at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. OU will take on the winner of Wednesday’s contest between Kansas and Houston for a spot in Friday’s semifinal.
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