Sooners win 5-1 over Texas in Big 12 Finale! Big Win by Sooners!

[OUBeliever56A]

The setting was set well. It was OU vs Texas in the Big 12 Final. The last one in their last season in the conference before they exit to the SEC. The rest of the Big 12 had to be happy and sad.

OU was the underdog ? It seemed that way. They were the visiting team due to the regular season championship won by Texas. Texas was in the home dugout. But it ended up perfect in the end.

As the visiting team, Oklahoma got to hit first. they got to make the first impression after a closely played series in Austin. OU won the first game there 5-2. then Texas won two games by the score of 2-1 in comeback wins.

The first ball put in play by Coleman against Gutierrez resulted in a Stewart error at first base as the ball bounded off her into foul territory. The Longhorn's 53rd error of the season. then Parker hit a ball between first and second and Parker outran the play and was safe on a late throw from Washington. Not an error but a slow play on defense by Texas. Then Jennings was in the batter's box vs Gutierrez. The slumping Jennings, found a pitch that she drove off the wall in RC to drive in Coleman and move Parker to 3rd with no one out. The run was unearned due to the Stewart error. After a Brito strikeout, Hansen hit a ground ball to the hole between SS and 3B. Martinez for Texas got to the ball but Jennings got caught trying to advance to 3B as Parker scored from third giving Hansen an RBI. Jennings was tagged out between 2nd and 3rd as Hansen reached first base. Pickering popped up to end the inning but OU scored 2 runs in the inning to put pressure on Texas.

In the bottom of the first, it was Kelly Maxwell in the circle for OU. Maxwell pitched a great first inning going 1, 2, 3 in 8 pitches with a ground out, a K an d a ground out.

After a 1, 2, 3 inning in the top of the first for the Sooners, Maxwell struck out the first two Texas hitters to get to two outs. But Maxwell walked Mitchell before Henry hit a hot ground ball that made it all the way to the wall in RC to plate Mitchell for a Texas run. Maxwell got the third out on a ground ball to end the inning. Sooners led 2-1 after 2 innings.

After Coleman struck out looking on a questionable call by the home plate umpire, Parker singled up the middle. Parker moved to 2B on a wild pitch that got away from Atwood. Jennings then grounded out to 3B for the second out of the inning. With two outs, Brito singled through the right side to plate Parker to make it 3-1. Hansen then hit a ball to the wall in RC for an-RBI double that she tried to stretch into a triple. The relay throw was perfect, the second relay throw was perfect and Hansen was out by a half-step to end the inning. But the Sooners answer back with two runs to lead 4-1 after the top of the 3rd inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Dayton singled to open the inning for Texas. Maxwell struck out Maloney for the first out. Scott then grounded to the right of Sanders. Sanders made a nice play to get to the ball and then threw a strike to 2B for the force and the second out of the inning. Maxwell closed the inning with a strikeout looking against Martinez.

After a leadoff strikeout by Pickering on a very nice pitch by Gutierrez, Torres hit a ground ball down the 3rd base line that Scott fielded for Texas. She then threw the ball high to 1st base and Torres reached second base on the throw. Another error by Texas. After a strikeout by Sanders and another wild pitch that got away from Atwood, Torres was on 3B with two outs. Rylie Boone delivered a single up the middle to drive in Torres. Another unearned run against Texas as OU led 5-1. Coleman stuck out to end the inning on a somewhat questionable call of a swing.

Maxwell was superb in the bottom of the 4th with a 1, 2, 3 inning in 7 pitches on two popups and a ground ball out.

Oklahoma was also set down in order by Gutierrez in the top of the 5th. After a walk to Henry to open the bottom of the 5th, Maxwell picked up two strikeouts before she got a ground ball out to end the inning. The Sooners still led 5-1.

Oklahoma again went 1, 2, 3 in the top of the 6th as Gutierrez was in her groove. In the bottom of the 6th, Texas made a bid to get into the game. Scott walked to open the inning against Maxwell. On a 1-2 pitch, Maxwell hit Martinez on the thigh to put runners on 1st and 2nd. As Hansen called time to go talk to Maxwell, Coach Rocha cem out of the dugout followed by Coach Gasso. They talked to the home plate umpire about something, but they retreated to the dugout without talking to Maxwell. I have no clue about what was being discussed. Maxwell pitched to Atwood. The big hitter for Texas. On a 1-0 pitch, Atwood hit a rope to CF right at Coleman. After a half step in, Coleman moved back pivoted and reached up to make a highlight catch for the first out and then threw to second base to keep the runners at 1st and 2nd. The talent that Coleman has defensively in CF is amazing as she made on more big play.

After the scare off of Atwood's bat, Coach Gasso brought in Nicole May. May simply shut the rally down. She first faced Stewart, the same player that hit a double off of May late in game two in Austin to drive in the winning run for Texas. This time, May got a popup in foul territory down the 1B line that Sanders made a nice play on for the second out. Then May struck out the dangerous Mitchell to end the inning. Clutch effort by May!

The Sooners opened with a double by Sanders to left field. With Bland running for Sanders, the Sooners went 1, 2, 3 to end the inning.

May went to the circle and pitched like she owned the game. She struck out Henry, then she struck out Goode looking. she ended the game on a popup to Hodge at 2B.

Ball Game! OU won 5-1. Here were the keys.

Texas made two errors. Both of those runners scored. The RBIs for OU came from Jennings on a double, from Brito on a single, from Hansen on a ground out and a double, from Boone on a single. The defensive gem of the game was made by Coleman in CF in the sixth. THOSE FIVE did it ONE MORE TIME! How appropriate.

Maxwell pitched 5.1 innings allowing 2 hits with 3 walks and 7 Ks and she gave up one run. May pitched the final 1.2 innings and struck out 3 and delivered when the Sooners needed it most. THOSE TWO veterans stepped up for Oklahoma.

The Sooners won the Big 12 Tourney in their final season in the Big 12. They finished second in the regular season. They are 49-6 for the second best record in the country to Boston U's 52-4 record. The Sooners are #2 in RPI and should be #1 or #2 in the polls after this weekend.

I think the Sooners have things in order right now. They seem to be ready for the playoffs. They start next 'weekend'. The announcement of the NCAA bracket is tonight at 6 PM on ESPN2. Will the Sooners be the #1, #2, #3 or #4 team? We will see. How will be sent to Norman? We will see. Who is on the other side of the Supers Bracket? We will see.

Boomer Sooner!

[OUBeliever56A]

Here is the Sooner staff writers article about the BIG win over Texas last night.

https://soonersports.com/news/2024/5/11 ... ment-title

OU freshman designated player Ella Parker was named the tournament's most-outstanding-player after batting .700 (7-for-10) across the week, driving in five runs and scoring six times while collecting three extra-base hits. Alyssa Brito, Kierston Deal, Kinzie Hansen and Kelly Maxwell joined her on the Big 12 All-Tournament team. Parker becomes the Sooners' ninth most-outstanding-player honoree.

Boomer Sooner!

[Brisket]

Well, maybe these ladies really can turn it on when the lights shine the brightest - and perhaps as important, perhaps the pressure led to defensive miscues. After all my fretting about a team-wide slump at the plate & concerns about the pitching staff heading into the Big 12 Tournament, they put together their most complete stretch of games on the season. What a fitting way for these warriors to close out OU's time in the Big 12.

Let's hope they can keep things rolling as they head into Regionals, the Supers, & hopefully the WCWS! BOOMER!!!