Softball - Game #1 - Sooners Win 8-1 & Set Attendance Record !

[OUBeliever56A]

The #1 Oklahoma Sooners packed the lower and the upper decks of the Hall of Fame Field on Friday Night with 8,930 fans to set a new individual game attendance record for D1 Softball. the crowd was not disappointed either as the Sooners sent the Longhorns back to their hotel as the 8-1 losers of Game #1 of the 3-game series this weekend.

Jordy Bahl got the start for OU in a windy (without it affecting the play) night in front of the full house. Bahl gave up a leadoff HR to the freshman 2B, Leighann Goode on a 1-1 pitch to CF. After a walk to Scott on a 3-2 pitch, Bahl got zeroed in as she struck out Washington and Day for 2 quick outs. After Bahl hit Cimusz, Martinez grounded out to 2B to end the top of the first.

OU came right back with the help from the porous Texas defense. On a fly ball to LC, Scott tried to run down a ball and called Dayton off the play. The ball bounced out of Scott's glove for an error as Coleman reached second base. As Scott threw the ball to 2B, Coleman took off and made it safely to 3B on the throw behind her. Jennings followed with a single up the middle to plate Coleman for the Sooners first run. Lee hit a rope line drive to Dayton for the first out of the inning. Hansen singled in the hole between SS and 3B with Jennings moving to 2B. Lyons singled to LF to load the bases with one out. Erickson and Brito left the bases loaded with a K and a pop up to end the inning.

Bahl allowed one walk (on 4 pitches) but got the other three hitters she faced out on ground out to 3B and to fly balls to LF and LC. Boone made good plays on both balls to record the final two outs of the inning.

Torres and Boone opened the bottom of the 2nd inning with singles. They both moved up a base on a passed ball. Coleman flied out to shallow LF for the innings first out. Jennings then put the Sooners ahead to stay with a 3-run HR to LC that one hopped the 300 foot back fence. Lee followed with a solo HR to LF that also one-hopped the back fence. 5-1 Oklahoma. Texas Coach, greeted with a chorus of boos, removed Czech from the game in favor of Simpson after Lee's HR. Simpson gave up a 2-out single to Lyons but got out of the inning without further damage for Texas.

After Bahl walked the leadoff hitter, Scott to open the top of the 3rd. Washington then hit a ground ball up the middle that Lyons fielded in front of the bag at second, and the made the play to 2B to Jennings. At second base Scott's slide was ruled to be off the back into Jennings on the play. Scott was out on the play with good footwork by Jennings. Due to interference by Scott on Jennings, Washington was ruled out at 1B. The play went to "review" with the umpires getting it right in my mind. Bahl then got Day to pop out to SS.

Oklahoma only managed a walk in the bottom of the 3rd by Boone. In the top of the 4th, Bahl recorded her first 1, 2, 3 inning on a popup, a K and a ground ball.

In the bottom of the 4th, after Lee reached base on a swinging strikeout and wild pitch to allow Lee to reach base, Hansen hit into double play 5-4-3 to end the inning.

After Bahl allowed a slapping single up the middle, Dayton fouled out to Hansen. On an 0-2 count, Goode hit a sharp line drive inside the bag at 1B. Erickson was there to catch the line drive and then step on 1B for the line drive double play. The Sooners went to the bottom of the 5th leading 5-1.

After Lyons walked to open the bottom of the 5th inning, the next three Sooners went down in order.

Bahl recorded another 1, 2, 3 inning in the top of the 6th with 2 Ks and a popup.

With two outs in the bottom of the 6th, Jennings doubled down the LF line as the ball struck the fence about a foot from the top of the fence. Lee then singled to RF to move Jenning score Jennings. Hansen then crushed a 2-run HR to CF for the 8-1 lead.

Bahl walked the leadoff hitter Cimusz on another 3-2 eight-pitch count. Bahl recovered though to get two ground outs and a K to end the game.

Boomer Sooner 8-1 WIN over Texas.

Bahl pitched 7.0 IP, allowing 2 singles with 4 walks and a HB with 6 strikeouts and earned her 9th win of the season against 1 loss. I thought Bahl pitched well most of the time tonight. the strike zone at times seemed to disappear with what looked like good pitches being called balls. But Bahl, did overcome the early run in the 1st inning and finished the game strong.

On offense, Jennings, Lee and Hansen were the leaders. Each had 2 hits with a HR and 4 RBIs, 2 RBIs and 2 RBIs respectively. Jennings also had a double. Lyons and Boone added two hits each with Torres adding one single. Offensively the Sooners were 12 for 30 for a .400 BA with 2 walks and 3 Ks while stranding 6 of 15 baserunners for 40% LOB.

While committing only 2 errors, the Longhorns probably had 2 or 3 more plays that if they could have made the plays the game would have been closer. But they just don't make the plays for some reason.

The next game is Saturday with a 11 AM first pitch with the game televised on ESPN2.

With Bahl starting today, I think we might see Storako tomorrow in Saturday's game. I thought other than Goode for Texas, the Longhorns bats were a bit slow and can probably be overpowered by Storako. But I can see May pitching well against Texas well. I think Texas will pitch their freshman Citaly Gutierrez Saturday.

Good luck to the Sooners on Saturday.

Boomer Sooner!