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Battles between Oklahoma and Texas are rarely straightforward.
Ailana Agbayani’s third inning grand slam seemed to put OU comfortably in front, but the No. 2-ranked Longhorns plated two in the fourth and three in the fifth to pull within one.
But Agbayani delivered again, this time with a double in the bottom of the fifth to extend the lead back out for OU starting pitcher Sam Landry.
Texas star Reese Atwood stepped up to the plate with two on and two outs in the seventh with OU up 7-5, and a base hit would likely have tied the game.
The Sooners intentionally walked the outstanding cacher to load the bases and face Joley Mitchell.
Emerling was unable to knock down Landry’s 2-2 delivery, allowing a run to score, but Landry shook it off to induce a popup so the No. 3-ranked Sooners could close out the 7-6 win.
Patty Gasso’s club moved to 40-5 overall and 14-5 in the SEC with the win, while Mike White’s Longhorns fell to 42-7 on the year and 13-6 in league action.
After a smooth start by Landry in the circle, OU had the first chance to seize control in the second inning.
A pair of hits and a walk loaded the bases for Oklahoma catcher Isabela Emerling with no outs. She bounced into a fielder’s choice, but Texas elected to take the out at first and let Nelly McEnroe-Marinas score from third.
Then Texas started Teagan Kavan bowed up. She struck out Abby Dayton and got Hannah Coor to ground out to limit the damage to just the single run.
The OU bats got back to work in the third.
Kasidi Pickering ripped a single through the right side to open the frame, and it looked as if she’d immediately give the Sooners a runner in scoring position after stealing second. But Texas coach Mike White thought she left early, and he was proven correct after a challenge, which ruled Pickering out.
The early departure cost Oklahoma a run, as freshman Gabbie Garcia hammered the next pitch for a home run.
freshman sending Love's in a frenzy
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 25, 2025
ℹ️» https://t.co/Th2U6csrhI pic.twitter.com/7nvBfJIXNS
Garcia’s bomb ignited the crowd at Love’s Field, and the offense kept them on their feet.
Ella Parker and McEnroe-Marinas stacked consecutive singles, and a Cydney Sanders walk loaded the bases for the second time.
Agbayani refused to let Kavan off the hook.
The transfer second baseman crushed her second home run of the year, a grand slam, to put OU up 6-0 and just the game open.
Agbayani’s bomb ended Kavan’s day. Mac Morgan replaced the Longhorn ace, but the damage was done.
Lana back to talkin' launch angle pic.twitter.com/mAA05dACtp
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 25, 2025
Texas slowed OU’s momentum in the fourth.
Mia Scott put the visitors on the board, then Mitchell cut the lead to 6-2 with an RBI-single. Both runs came with two outs.
The Longhorns struck with two outs again in the fifth.
Ashton Maloney reached on an error, a mistake that turned into a run two batters later when Scott singled to right.
Pickering threw the ball on a rope to the plate, but Emerling couldn’t corral the ball, and Maloney beat the tag.
Then Atwood cut OU’s lead to 6-5 with a two-RBI single.
Agbayani converted McEnroe-Marinas’s leadoff double into a run to push the lead back out to 7-5 in the bottom half of the fifth.
punch right back pic.twitter.com/lyEU8RDFGI
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 25, 2025
Landry settled back down and retired Texas in order in the sixth, and she took the two-run advantage into the seventh.
The Longhorns brought the winning run to the plate in the final inning.
Maloney reached with a one-out single, then Kayden Henry got aboard due to a Sanders error.
Landry got Scott to bounce out to Sanders, then Mitchell came up after OU pitching coach Jennifer Rocha elected to intentionally walk Atwood to load the bases.
A passed ball pulled Texas within one, but Landry got the best of Mitchell to avoid disaster and close out the win.
Oklahoma and Texas will reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m. for Game 2 of the series from Love’s Field.
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