OU Softball: Alabama Levels Series, Nearly Shuts Out Oklahoma

Oklahoma mustered just two hits, and the No. 2 Sooners fell to 36-4 on the year and 10-4 in SEC play. 

No. 23 Alabama improved to 28-17 overall and 6-8 in conference matchups. 

OU will hope to avoid a second straight SEC series loss on Monday. The Sooners haven’t fallen in back-to-back conference matchups since 2004.

Alabama opened the scoring in the second. 

With runners on the corners and one out, Lauren Johnson grounded into a fielder’s choice. OU first baseman Cydney Sanders tried to turn a double play, getting the out at second, but the return throw was not in time to gun Johnson and the run scored. 

Two batters later, Alabama 9-hole hitter Kristen White singled to right to double the lead. 

The Crimson Tide picked up where they left off in the third. Kali Heivilin hammered a no-doubter to right to immediately extend the lead to 3-0 with no outs. 

Starter Kierston Deal lasted just two more batters. After a one-out walk, Patty Gasso went to the bullpen to bring in Isabella Smith. 

Smith immediately fired a strikeout, then catcher Isabela Emerling prevented a steal at second to end the third. 

Deal allowed four hits, a walk and hit a batter while striking out two in 2 1/3 innings. 

Alabama almost busted the game open in the fourth. 

A walk was followed by back-to-back bunt singles, loading the bases with no outs. 

Gasso had to head to the pen again, this time to get freshman Audrey Lowry. 

The always-steady lefty allowed just a sacrifice fly to keep OU in the fight and send the game to the fifth with the Sooners trailing 4-0.

Alabama first baseman Abby Duscherer extended the advantage to 6-0 with a two-run shot off Lowry in the fifth, but Oklahoma had no response. 

OU sent Ella Parker, Gabbie Garcia, Barker and Abigale Dayton to the plate in the seventh, but the Sooners were unable to replicate Saturday’s five run outburst in the final frame. 

Barker's two-out homer was the only sign of life all afternoon for Oklahoma.

Kasidi Pickering registered the first hit of the day for the Sooners, a two-out double in the third. 

Briski allowed just one other baserunner until Barker's bomb, which was a walk issued to Parker in the first inning. Briski only struck out two OU batters, but it was enough to shut down Oklahoma. She had retired 12-straight batters before Barker's solo shot.

Only one of the two runs scored on Lowry was earned. She gave up just one hit, the home run, and struck out one of the 11 Alabama batters she faced. 

The Sooners and the Crimson Tide will close the series on Monday at 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.