All Sooners

No. 1 Oklahoma Stunned by Louisiana, NCAA Record Win Streak Snapped at 71

The Sooners committed a litany of uncharacteristic mistakes on Sunday, and Louisiana capitalized to hand OU its first loss of 2024.

Ryan Chapman

NORMAN — A mistake-riddled performance saw Oklahoma’s historic winning streak come to a screeching halt on Sunday.

The top-ranked Sooners walked in a pair of runs, posted a season-high for errors and committed multiple mental mistakes on the bases as Louisiana stunned a capacity Love’s Field crowd.

The Ragin' Cajuns' 7-5 victory over the Sooners at Love’s Field snapped Oklahoma’s 71-game winning streak, which stands as the NCAA softball record.

OU played its worst game in more than a year. And still, Patty Gasso’s team almost conjured Sooner Magic.

Down to its last out in regulation, OU got an RBI single from Tiare Jennings in the bottom of the seventh to pull within one, and then a pair of mistakes from the visiting Ragin’ Cajuns.

Riley Ludlam appeared to pop out to shallow right field, but the ball was lost in the sun, allowing pinch-runner Maya Bland to get from first to third. Then the throw into home snuck between Lousiana catcher Victoria Valdez’s legs, allowing Bland to scurry home to tie the game.

But the visitors responded, plating three runs in the top of the eighth to knock out the three-time defending champions.

"We are human. We are human beings. That's what happened today," Gasso said after the game. "Got to absolutely give credit to Louisiana... They deserved to win 100 percent. 

"We knew a game like this would be coming at some time. I don't know that we were ready to have it happen here, but it happened. So nothing was good enough today for us."

Final Box Score
Final Box Score / OU Stats

OU (18-1) committed a season-high three errors, the most since the Sooners lost 8-4 to Florida State in Game 1 of the 2021 Women’s College World Series Championship Series.

Louisiana (10-12) also handed the Sooners their first loss in Norman since North Texas downed Oklahoma 4-3 on Feb. 29, 2020, the season that was canceled after 24 games.

"We had the spirit of coming back which was great," Gasso said. "But from defense to pitching to timely hitting, we wasted a lot of time early in the game. This was a game we didn't deserve to win."

Sunday the Ragin’ Cajuns took the lead in the second inning, seemingly out of nowhere.

OU left-hander Kelly Maxwell seemed on her way to an efficient inning, retiring the first two batters of the frame on just four pitches.

Louisiana designated player Jourdyn Campbell had other ideas.

She ripped Maxwell’s 1-1 delivery to left field, putting her team in front with a solo home run.

The Sooners were unable to get any runs back in the second inning, but they threatened in the third.

Jayda Coleman fired up the dugout with a fist pump after drawing a one-out walk, turning the lineup over.

OU third baseman Alyssa Brito seized the momentum, moving Coleman up one more bag with a single.

Jennings was unable to deliver like she so often does as she struck out, meaning Riley Ludlam would be Oklahoma’s last chance in the inning.

She looked two balls into the catcher’s glove, but a good spot from the Louisiana dugout meant Ludlam couldn’t finish out the at-bat.

The Ragin’ Cajuns believed that Coleman left second base early on a 2-0 count, and after challenging the play, were proven correct by video replay. Coleman’s out ended the inning and sucked the air out of Love’s Field.

"It's just maybe being overly aggressive, things like that," Gasso said. "... but you give Louisiana credit for seeing opportunities to — they're watching Jayda. Nobody watches Jayda, you know? So they got us on that."

With a bit of momentum back in their own dugout, Lousiana doubled the lead.

Cecilia Vasquez delivered a clutch, two-out single, scoring Victoria Valdez to put the visitors up 2-0 and end Maxwell’s day.

Gasso called upon Karlie Keeney in relief with runners on first and second, and the threat continued.

Keeney was unable to fire in a full count strike to pinch-hitter Laney Creduer, loading the bases for leadoff hitter Mihyia Davis.

Again, Keeney issued a full count walk, extending Lousiana’s lead to 3-0.

Keeney then made a nice play on a hard-hit ball back to the circle, bringing OU’s bats back up to chase the game.

And as they so often have, the Sooners responded.

Ludlam’s leadoff single was immediately converted into two runs when Kinzie Hansen belted a no-doubter to make it 3-2 and get the fans and the home team back into the contest.

In the fifth inning Coleman again drew a one-out walk, hoping to incite a rally. Brito made the second out of the inning, but Jennings’ two-out double put the pressure on true freshman Ella Parker.

Parker grounded to third, but the slow bounce meant there would be a play at first. Sophie Piskos’ throw pulled first baseman Sam Roe high off the bag, causing a collision between Parker and Roe.

Parker was called out, and the call stood after a lengthy review. It appeared Parker's foot never touched the bag, meaning she was out when Roe landed on the base after making the catch.

Gasso further clarified the call after the game.

"We were out of the running lane," Gasso said. "So it was obstruction, or interference by the runner. That’s where the contact happened. It was a crazy game like that. A lot of controversy."

Regardless, Coleman didn’t score, keeping Oklahoma in a one-run hole headed to the sixth inning.

Lackadaisical base running again proved costly for OU in the sixth inning.

Hansen walked and Boone laid another perfect bunt for a single to start the frame, but Hansen’s jump off second base was too large, and the Sooner senior was caught in a rundown at third. Boone was able to advance to second, but the first out of the inning coming from Hansen at third was a backbreaker.

Cydney Sanders’ laser was hit right at Lousiana pitcher Chloe Riassetto, and she was able to knock the ball down and shuffle it over to first for the second out.

True freshman Kasidi Pickering then grounded out, sending the game to the seventh with the visitors still up 3-2.

Another mistake helped Louisiana extend the lead in the top of the seventh.

With runners on second and third and just one out, the ball found Brito at third and she threw home with plenty of time to tag the runner.

But the unthinkable happened. Hansen dropped the ball as she went to apply the tag, allowing the runner to score on the error.

Keeney kept the damage to just the single run, bringing OU to the plate down 4-2 in the seventh.

Down to their final three outs, Avery Hodge got things going for the Sooners with a leadoff walk.

Coleman and Brito both lined out, but being down to the last out has never bothered Oklahoma.

Jennings, who Gasso labeled as “the most clutch hitter” she’s ever seen on Saturday night, singled into the gap to score Hodge, extending the game.

Then the Sooner Magic truly struck.

Ludlam popped up into shallow right field in what was seemingly a routine play to end the game, but nothing is routine when trying to knock out OU.

The ball was dropped, allowing Maya Bland, who was pinch-running for Jennings, to get to third.

Louisiana’s throw to the plate amazingly snuck through, allowing Bland to race home and tie a game that should have been over moments earlier.

The visitors dug deep, however.

Samantha Graeter put Louisiana back on top with an infield single to extend the lead to 5-4 with the bases still loaded and no outs.

Keeney got a strikeout and a fielder’s choice for the next two outs, keeping the deficit at one, but Roe added needed insurance with a two-RBI single to extend the lead to three.

Sanders got one back for the Sooners with a one-out homer in the bottom of the eighth, but Louisiana was instead able to close out the stunning upset in eight innings. OU's last loss was in February 2023 when the Sooners dropped a non-conference game at Baylor.  

"We know how to come back, I know," Gasso said. "There's too much pride on this team to mope around. We're gonna come back and be stronger. We've shown that and we're made like that."

OU returns to action looking to start another streak on Wednesday. Oklahoma will host Texas A&M Commerce at Love’s Field, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. 

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Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

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