Sooner Softball Wins 2: Maxwell No-Hitter & Sanders hits 2 HRs

[OUBeliever56A]

The Oklahoma Sooners won two run-rule games over Tarleton State by the scores of 8-0 and 12-1. Oklahoma played the doubleheader without Kinzie Hansen on Tuesday who was reportedly home not feeling well from what has been said or rumored. Rylie Ludlam filled in nicely for Hansen as she was 3 for 5 with a RS and 3 RBIs and a walk as the Sooner catcher.

In the first game, Kelly Maxwell tossed a CG 5 inning no-hitter that was one batter away from a perfect game. The third batter of the game reached on an error by Brito at 3B which prevented a possible perfect game by Maxwell. In her 5 innings Maxwell picked up 7 Ks along with 3 fly ball outs and 5 ground ball outs. Maxwell pounded the strike zone with strikes as she threw 44 strikes in her 61 pitches. It was a very nice game by Maxwell.

On offense in the first game, the Sooners scored 3 runs in the first and 5 runs in the 5th to end the game on a walkoff hit. In the first, a Jayda Coleman leadoff HR to CF made the score 1-0. Two walks to Kasidi Pickering and Alyssa Brito put runners on 1st and 2nd. A wild pitch moved the runners to 3rd and 2nd with Pickering scoring on an error by the catcher on the throw to second base and Brito moving to 3B to make the score 2-0. Cydney Sanders' SFLY plated the third run. The SFLY was Sanders' 10th straight at bat without a recorded AB for an out. With two outs, Ella Parker hit a smash down the 1B line past the first baseman into the RF corner that plated one more run. Originally the play was called an error on the 1B, but later changed to a double by Parker which I agree with. The final out was a ground out to 1B. OU lead 3-0 after the inning.

In the 2nd inning, Alynah Torres had a 1 out single though the 5/6 hole. In the 3rd inning, Sanders made her first out since her first at bat in the first game against Iowa State. Tiare Jennings followed that with a two out double to CF wall past the CF very quickly. Parker then walked before another ground out to 1B. In the 4th inning, the Sooners went 1, 2, 3 down in order.

In the 5th, Pickering walked for the second time and was replaced by Hannah Coor as a pinch runner. Brito added a single to LC that moved Coor to 3B with good baserunning. On an 0-2 pitch, Sander hit her 5th HR in 4 games and 12 plate appearences over the RF fence to make the score 6-0. Jennings walked and was replaced by Maya Bland as a pinch runner. Bland stole second base to move into scoring position. Parker followed with her second double of the game to drive in Bland to make it 7-0. After a pinch hit fly out by Quincee Lilio and a walk to Riley Ludlam, Torres singled up the middle to score Parker to bring in the game-ending 8th run to end with a run rule game.

As a credit given, the Tarleton State pitcher, Rehmeier, pitched all 4.1 innings against the Sooners while throwing 114 pitches and kept her team in the game until the bottom of the 5th. She scattered 4 hits and 3 innings in the first four innings and allowed only the three runs in the first inning as OU left 4 runners on base in the first four innings.

In the second game, Oklahoma sent Nicole May to the circle. After an ominous start to her game, a single followed by a double to put runners on 3rd and 2nd, May did what she so often does, flipped a switch and became 'SuperNicole'. she struck out the next two hitters on 7 pitches before getting the third out on a ground ball to 3B to end the threat. In the next two innings, May allowed 1 single to the leadoff hitter in the 2nd but was never in trouble in the two innings. May ended with 4 Ks and 3 hits allowed in 3 innings and picked up the win. She threw 32 strikes out of 41 pitches for another strike-filled performance as did Maxwell in Game 1. Karlie Keeney followed with two innings of relief. Keeney allowed 2 hits and a HB with one double. the double drove in the batter that she hit in the 4th inning for the run she allowed in the inning. Keeney struck out 3 hitters.

The Sooners on offense scored in the first inning, 3rd inning and the fourth inning against four Tarleton State pitchers. In the first inning, a two-out walk by Brito was followed with another walk to Jennings to bring up Sanders. Yep, she hit an 3-run HR to LF to make the score 3-0 to run her total to 6 HRs in 12 plate appearences. A Coleman HBP caused Tarleton State to change pitchers. The change did not help much. Torres walked. A wild pitch moved Coleman and Torres to 3rd and 2nd. A Ludlam single through the 5/6 hole plated both Coleman and Torres for 2 RBIs. Coor, starting in RF, then got all of a pitch as she hit her first HR as a Sooner to RF for 2 RBIs and the 7th run of the inning. Parker followed with a walk before a Pickering fly ball to CF to end the inning.

Tarleton State sent their 3rd pitcher to the circle in the 2nd and she recorded a 1, 2, 3 inning for the Texans. The last hitter for OU in the 2nd was Sanders who hit a big popup that was caught by the third base player. Oklahoma made several changes in the lineup in the top of the 3rd inning.

In the bottom of the third, Torres singled again with 1 out. Ludlam singled to RF as Torres moved to 3B. Coor then added a SFLY to plate Torres for the 8th run of the game. A walk and a ground out ended the bottom of the 3rd.

In the fourth inning, Lilio walked to open the inning. Hodge singled to LF to move Lilio to 2B. Boone, now in the game for Sanders, doubled to RC to plate Torres. Bland then grounded out to the pitcher to plate Hodge with Boone moving to 3B. Torres walked. Ludlam single to plate Boone with Torres moving to 2B. Coor grounded into a FC to move Torres to 3B. Parker walked loading the bases. Pickering then walked to plate a run and pick up an RBI. Lilio then lined out to CF for the final out of the inning. The 4th inning ran the score to 12-1 in favor of OU.

Oklahoma wa 16 for 38 in the DH. (.421 BA) With 16 walks and 1 HBP the Sooners OB% was .593%. The Sooners hit 3 doubles and 4 HRs for a .816% Slug%. The Sooner pitchers allowed 1 run in 10 innings for a 0.70 ERA in the DH. The allowed 5 hits, 1 HB and picked up 14 Ks in the DH.

The Sooners are 24-1. The team batting line is .390 BA, .481 OB% and .714 Slug% with a team ERA at 1.28. things are going pretty well for the Sooners right now. They now have 15 run-rule victories and 14 shutouts.

Up next is a 3-game series in Lubbock against Texas Tech over the weekend in what looks like some tough weather perhaps. Good luck to the Sooners and I hope Hansen feels better very quickly.

Boomer Sooner!

[OUBeliever56A]

Here is the Sooner staff writers article about the Sooner DH sweep of Tarleton State.

https://soonersports.com/news/2024/3/12 ... eton-state