Game #1 of Bedlam Softball - Cowgirls outscore the Sooners 6-3 !

[OUBeliever56A]

There is no way to sugarcoat the loss by the Sooners in the opening game of the Bedlam series with Oklahoma State. The Cowgirls powered their way to the 6-3 win over the Sooners as they hit three HRs and 3 doubles. The duo of Karli Godwin (HR and 3 doubles) and Micaela Wark (HR) for OSU, provided more than enough offense for the Cowgirls as they combined for 5 hits and 5 RBI to lead the way. Jillian Poullard added a solo HR and a walk with 2 runs to the OSU offense.

In a surprise move, OSU sent Kyra Aycock to the circle to open the game and pitched the game 'backward' by saving their ace Lexi Kilfoyl and bringing her into the game to start the 4th inning. The move, which was somewhat risky, did work as the Sooners were unable to take full advantage of six walks and hit in the first three innings as they only scored 2 runs off of Aycock in three innings. Kilfoyl gave up an unearned run in the 6th, but kept the Sooner behind on the scoreboard after the Cowgirls took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 4th.

The Sooners on offense only managed 3 hits (one double) but accepted 8 walks from the Cowgirl pitchers to score thier 3 runs (five below thier average) in the game. In the circle for OU, the combo of Kelly Maxwell and Kierston Deal gave up 6 runs in 4.2 inning of pitching on 7 hits and 3 walks and all of the EBH by OSU. Karlie Keeney relieved Deal in the 5th and pitched 2.1 innings of hitless and walk-less softball with 1 strikeout to end the game for OU.

Each team had a 'turning point' in the firs tinning. In the top of the 2st inning, OSU was kept off the scoreboard only because of a well-used review request by Coach Gasso when it appeared Tallen Edwards scored on a Godwin double. Initially the play was called safe, but after a length review, the call was reversed as the replay showed that Edwards' hand was above the plate as Kinzie Hansen tagged Edwards' leg. The reversal ended the inning for OSU instead of being ahead 1-0 with a runners on second base with 2 outs.

In the bottom of the first, Aycock for OSU had trouble finding the strike zone and walked four Sooners, walking in a run with one out on a walk to Hansen. The Sooners could not pick up a hit though, or another walk, as the Sooners led 3 runners on base to end the inning with one out. The second out was a medium fly ball to LF. I was surprised that the Sooners did not send Jennings from 3rd base on the play. I do not know how good an arm that Claire Timm has but her throw to Edwards at third was not particularly strong. If sent, Jennings would have been safe easily, I think. But hindsight is always 100%. Give credit to Aycock as she survived the inning and she only allowed 1 run in a very rough first inning from a control perspective. But OU could have helped themselves a great deal if they could have picked up a hit late in the inning.

Maxwell pitched a good 2nd inning allowing only a 2-out single to Wark. The Sooners scored another run in the second inning where a walk was instrumental. Cydney Sanders walked to open the inning against Aycock. The lead to Boone being on 2nd base when Kasidi Pickering picked up OU's first hit on an infield single which was fielded by Rose Davis in the hole between first and second base. On the sliding stop the ball got away as she transferred the ball to her throwing hand and Boone took advantage on the play and scored from second base to give OU a 2-0 lead.

In the OSU top of the 3rd, Maxwell allowed a one out walk and then hit the next batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd and facing Wang, OSU's strong hitting catcher. Maxwell struck out Wang to get to 2 outs in the inning. After a wild pitch by Maxwell, that moved up both runners, Godwin hit her second double of the game down the left field line to plate both OSU runners to tie the game 2-2. Maxwell got Davis out to end the inning for OU.

The Sooners picked up another walk by Brito to open the 3rd. Hansen hit what originally looked like a well hit single to RF, but Lexi McDonald in RF made a shoestring catch for the out. An error by Blood worth of OSU at SS allowed Ella Parker to reach base with 1 out as Brito advanced to second base. OSU got out of the jam though as Torres ripped a line drive that might have gotten by Bloodworth at SS, but it did not as she reached up to make the catch and then throw behind Brito to double her off of second for a inning-ending double play on a close play. That could have been another 'turning point'.

Oklahoma State took the lead in the top of the 4th as Micaela Wark hit a solo HR off of Maxwell with one-out to make the score 3-2. Coach Kenny made a pitching change to open the bottom of the fourth, to go to their ace Lexi Kilfoyl. She allowed a 2-out walk to Jayda Coleman but that was it.

In a surprising move to me, not that it counts, the Sooners made a pitching change and brought in Kierston Deal. to pitch the 5th. Let me be clear here. It was not that I thought Deal was not up to the challenge, it was that I thought Maxwell was settling in to pitch better. I also thought at the time, getting more out of Maxwell was possible. But it was the third time through the lineup for OSU, which can sometimes trigger a pitching change.

After two pitches, one low in the zone for a strike and one up out of the strike zone, Poullard put the barrel of the bat on a pitch up in the zone over the plate and Poullard hit a HR to RF. It was now 4-2 in favor of OU. After a 3-1 walk to Edwards, Deal got an out against Wang on a little jam popup that Hansen caught in foul territory to the firs base side of the plate area for the first out. With Godwin at the plate on a 2-2 count pitch, the next pitch was hit deep to CF for a two-run HR. 6-2 in favor of OSU. After a fly ball to CF played by Coleman, Claire Timm double deep to LC. That was it for Deal as the Sooners brought in Keeney to pitch. Keeney got Wark to fly out to LF to end the inning.

It was a tough outing for Deal. After pitching very well the last couple of weeks, Deal left one pitch up in the hitters zone and OSU (Poullard) took advantage. She either missed up too high or missed up not high enough. Godwin hit a good pitch by Deal that was on the outside corner and low in the zone. Godwin just hit it hard. Timm hit a pitch that was not too bad but it was in the center of the plate and Timm just hit it the other way. It was a big moment to bring Deal into the game. It probably means that the probably pitcher to start game #2 for OU will not start that game. But with only 24 pitches thrown, Deal could still do that and or relieve in game two. Maxwell is also available for game two as she only threw 73 pitches.

Kilfoyl put the Sooners down 1, 2, 3 in the bottom of the 5th with two strikeouts and a fly ball to RF.

Keeney had her own 1, 2, 3 inning in the top of the 6th.

In the bottom of the 6th, Alynah Torres hit the only Sooner EBH on a double to RC with one out. Avery Hodge was sent in as a pinch runner for Torres. Sanders was walked on an 8-pitch at bat. Maya Bland was sent in to pinch-run for Sanders. With two outs, Coleman hit an infield grounder to SS. The ball was to the right of Bloodworth and as Coleman beat out the throw, the throw was low and got away from Godwin at first base. Hodge read the throw well and scored on the play from second base. That made the score 6-3 in favor of OSU. With runner on 1st and 2nd, Pickering came to bat. [She almost tied the game on a fly ball to LF but the ball was caught by Timm on the warning track against the fence for the third out of the inning. EDIT: Sorry, this was the previous at bat by Pickering. This time the ball was in medium LF on the foul line that was caught fairly easily.]

With Hodge staying in the game at second base and Sanders re-entering the game to play 1st base, Keeney pitched another 1, 2, 3 inning.

In the bottom of the 7th, Kilfoyl put down the heart of the Sooner lineup with her own 1, 2, 3 inning to end the game.

The Cowgirls offense and the inability of the Sooners to score more in that first inning was the big difference in game to me. Yes, runners LOB can be a problem, especially when the Sooners only get 3 hits. All the walks in the world do not help if you can not get a hit to take advantage of them. I think the Sooners have become 'passive' at the plate a bit. It is like they have to be convinced to swing and while they are 'thinking about is the pitch a strike or not' their bat becomes slow and late through the zone. For the most part, only Torres hit the ball well last night. The Sooners scored two runs on infield singles where two runs were scored on 'miscues' by OSU after the infield singles. The other run was a bases loaded walk by Hansen. That is not much offense.

In the circle, the Sooners need to put last night behind them except for Keeney. She pitched well. Today in Saturday's game, I guess it will be Nicole May in the circle to start the game. It could be Deal also as Coach Gasso sometimes choose to put a player right back in the action after the falter a bit. Saturday's game is a BIG game for OU. It is important to be Co-Champs of the Regular Season in the Big 12.

I think OSU might try the 'backwards pitching' strategy again. I think Ivy Rosenberry will start and the Cowgirls will save Kilfoyl for the latter innings if it needed. If it is not, they will save her for Sunday.

Oklahoma has to swing the bats on Saturday. If they don't it could be a long day.

The Sooners are 45-5. There is a lot of Softball left to play this season. Nothing is written in the history books yet. We will see how well the Sooners rebound today.

Boomer Sooner!