Saturday at Mary Nutter: 2 Wins, Better Offense, Strong Pitching

[OUBeliever56A]

The Oklahoma Sooners won by the score of 10-3 over Utah and 10-1 over LMU on Saturday in "Wrigley Field" at Big League Ballfields. The weather was not terrible but it was not ideal either. It started out with a bit of a mist and a damp field with two bags of quick-dry dumped in the pitchers circle for footing purposes right before the game started. Overall I would say that the field crew did a good job getting the field ready to play the first game. By the end of the second game it was a nice day at the ballpark.

OU 10-3 over Utah:

Jordy Bahl got the nod to start the 1st game of the day. The first hitter was quickly disposed of by Bahl on a 0-1 count when the batter grounded out to SS. No better way to start the game than Grace Lyons getting a ground ball hit to her. The second hitter for Utah, a lefty slapper, sliced a line drive to LF that was curving towards the foul line. Rylie Boone attempted a death-defying one hop catch of the liner on wet grass on the first play of the game. It was a good effort but to no avail. The ball got by her and made it al the way to the fence. By the time Lyons raced to the fence to retrieve the ball and throw the ball to the infield, the Utah runner rounded the bases for an inside the park home run. It was not start anyone envisioned. IMO, it was not the play that should have been made by the tremendous OF named Rylie Boone. She knows that as well. In the game conditions, the play was to move over, keep the ball in front of you and give up the single. Charging the ball and trying to keep a quick hop in front of you was fool's gold. Bahl shook off the play and got a fly ball out on a 3-2 count and a swinging strikeout to end the inning.

Bahl had a 1,2,3 second inning with Brito making a nice play to end the inning. In the top of the 3rd inning, Bahl quickly got two outs. The second out was a fine play by Jennings going far to her right fielding a short hop and making a strong throw to first for the out. Then the 3rd hitter topped a grounder down the line that Bahl had trouble picking up and the runner was safe by a step. Two-hands on the ground ball before looking up to throw the ball was the key on that play. The next hitter topped a ball to 3B and beat the throw to 1B to put runner on 1st and 2nd. The next hitter walked on 7 pitches to load the bases. Then, to me, a strange play happened. The hitter hit a ground ball to the left of Brito. she moved and fielded the ball with the runners moving. With two outs, Brito had the ball and the runner moving to 3B in front of her. If she opened towards the runner (to her right) she could have made an easy play to tag the runner. Instead she turned to her left, away from the runner, and raced to the bag for the force. The runner beat her with a quicker step to the bag. The play allowed a run to score and left the bases loaded. I think I am reading the play correctly. It seemed simple. But the play was not made. Bahl got a swinging strikeout for the final out to end the inning. The score at this point was 6-2. So there was no real damage, but with some better luck, she could have still had a shutout.

The potential shutout was gone in the top of the fourth inning. With one out on a sharp line drive right hit right back at Bahl that was caught with great reflex action, the next hitter on a 1-2 count found a pitch up in the zone, over the plate and she hit a rocket to LC for a HR. Bahl bounced back with a swinging K, then allowed a soft single to RF and then got a ground ball to Lyons to end the inning. 6-3 Sooners through the top of 4 innings.

After a 1,2,3, inning in the 5th and a ground ball out to open the 6th, Nicole May entered the game to relieve Bahl. May retired all five batters she faced to end the game.

On offense the Sooners faced an old familiar foe. Sanchez, won of the two Utah pitchers that kept the Sooner offense in check last year in this tourney was in the circle. The Sooners were ready in 2023 as they scored 3 in the first and 6 in the second. In the first, the offense was familiar. Coleman walked on a good 6-pitch at bat. Lyons doubled to LC to score Coleman from first. When Lyons hit the ball, I thought it was a HR. Then Jennings did hit a 2-run HR to LC to make the score 3-1. Sanchez recovered to gets 3-straight outs against Lee, Erickson and Brito.

In the second inning, Nugent opened the inning by getting hit in the right wrist. (More later.) After a K of Boone, Torrez doubled inside the bag at 3rd base to score Nugent from first base. Nugent got around the bases well on the play. Coleman singled to the left side with Torrez remaining at 2nd. Sanchez was removed by Utah after the single by Coleman with Morris entering the game. After a flyout to LF by Lyons, Jennings walked on four straight pitches to load the bases. In the key play of the game, the Utah 2B failed to field a ground ball by Lee with all the runners advancing as Torrez scored. Erickson followed with a 1-2 count double to drive in 2 runs. then Brito singled to drive in 2 more runs to make the score 9-1. the inning ended on a Nugent fly ball to CF. More about Nugent, In the top of the fourth, time was called and Nugent was replaced behind the plate by Hansen just before the HR allowed by Bahl. Nugent would not play the rest of the day as she had ice on her wrist the most of the rest of the day. I hope she is not injured.

After not scoring in the 3rd, OU hit into a FC RBI by Hansen as Brito hustled to beat the ball to second base on a close play with Lee scoring. The play ended the scoring for Oklahoma in the 10-3 seven inning win for Oklahoma. (In the inning, Erickson hit her second double of the game to left field that was almost a line drive HR.)

Oklahoma was 9 for 28 with 5 walks and 7 strikeouts in the game along with the HBP of Nugent. The Sooners had 4 doubles and 1 HR.

OU 10-1 over LMU:

Kiersten Deal took the circle for OU to start her second game for the Sooners. After another ground ball out to Lyons to open the game, Deal recorded two strikeouts around a double to end the first inning. Deal had a 1,2,3 second inning followed by a 3-batter, 3rd inning as Lyons ended the inning with an unassisted double play. Deal recorded another 1,2,3 inning in the top of the 4th.

In the fifth inning, Deal opened the inning by allowing a single up the middle, followed by a single to LF with the runner moving to 3B. After Deal walked the next batter to load the bases, Storako was called on to finish the game for the Sooners. Storako struck out the first hitter on 3 pitches. The second hitter against Storako grounded out to 2B, Avery Hodge making the play to 1B for the second out of the inning. Hodge could have perhaps made a play to home plate for the force with the bases loaded, but with a 10-0 lead, the smart play was get the out at first and give up the run. Storako then ended the game with heat and her second strikeout.

On offense, the Sooners played everyone but Nugent. Oklahoma was 14 for 25 with 1 walk and 0 strikeouts. The Sooners collected 3 doubles, 2 triples and 1 HR. Coleman got her first HR of the season in the 2nd inning after a Boone double for 2 RBIs. Lee and Brito had the other doubles. Lee and Lilio had the 2 triples. Twelve Sooners had a hit with Avery Hodge picking up her first hit as a Sooner. Cydney Sanders was 1 for 3 in the game.

Lilio had 3 RBIs in the game with her triple. Erickson had a 2-RBI single. Hansen, Lee and Boone each had 1 RBI.

OU score 3 in the first inning, 4 in the second and 3 more in the 3rd. LMU used four pitchers in the game after Utah used 3 in the earlier game to try and slow down the Sooners.

The Day Wrap Up:

The four OU pitchers threw 12 innings allowing 4 runs on 9 hits, 4 walks with 2 Ks. They allowed 1 double and 1 HR during the day. I think I can say that OU probably has the best four-person staff of pitchers that they have had in a while at OU. All four pitchers can get the job done. As a staff they have a 1.20 ERA and have allowed about 1 baserunner per inning while striking out 1.38 batters per inning. The Sooner pitchers are allowing a .171 Batting Average by the opponents.

On offense the Sooners were 23 for 53 for a .434 BA, with 7 free bases for a .500 OB% and a .755 Slug%. Nine Sooners had EBH and 12 Sooners had hits.

The Sooners are 12-1 on the season.

UCLA Today:

Today's game is against UCLA. They Bruins have things going their way. They are 17-0 and own wins against Liberty, Alabama, Florida State, VA Tech, Florida, Kentucky, Northwestern among others. They have four strong pitchers in Faraimo, Yanez (XFER), Tinsley (FR) and Shaw. They play 12+ players regularly and have an offense averaging 6.82 runs per game compared to OU's 8.38 runs per game. Their team ERA is 0.92 and allow a .144 BAA.

Today will be a game between two of the very best teams of 2023. I think we will see Faraimo an Storako against each other to open the game. I think both bullpens will be ready to go if needed. The game could be won by a big defensive play or a big hit late in the game.

It is just a fun game in February between UCLA and Oklahoma. It will be a packed house, It is supposed to be about 50 degrees at game time. Dry and hopefully no wind.

Looking forward to the game. Good luck to the Sooners!

Boomer Sooner!