Oklahoma Softball: Hope Trautwein Powers OU in Low-Scoring Contest Against UAB

The OU offense only scored two runs, but a shutout it was all Hope Trautwein needed as the super senior shut out the Blazers.

NORMAN — For her second straight start, Hope Trautwein fired the Sooners to victory.

Patty Gasso’s No. 1-ranked Oklahoma squad survived a pitchers' dual on Saturday afternoon, beating the UAB Blazers 2-0 at Marita Hynes Field on Saturday afternoon.

Though OU (32-0) remained unbeaten, the UAB (20-13) pitching staff frustrated the Sooner lineup for most of the afternoon.

“Give credit to UAB,” Gasso said after their game. “They threw some adversity at us. Their (defensive) shifts were tough and their shifts were right on… We fell into that trap.”

While the offense tried to find a breakthrough, Trautwein bottled up any UAB threat.

The super senior only allowed two Blazer hits, striking out eight of the 23 batters she faced.

“Hope was really one of the heroes of this game,” Gasso said. “She threw a masterful game. She threw really, really well and stayed ahead of their hitters all game long.”

UAB’s greatest threat came in the top of the second inning.

Left fielder Lilly Crowe snaked a ball up the first-base line past a diving Grace Green for a hit. The ball dribbled into the right field corner, and Crowe was in safely to third before right fielder Rylie Boone could get the ball back into the infield.

Despite there only being one out, Trautwein was unfazed by the runner on third.

The right-hander posted back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat and keep the game scoreless.

“Experience helps a lot,” Trautwein said after the game about her even-keel manner in the circle. “This is my fifth year so I’ve seen and played a lot of softball.

“And it’s just kind of being that rock for the defense and for the team knowing that I have their back and they have mine.”

At one point, Trautwein retired 12 straight Blazer hitters, keeping the UAB lineup on their heels all afternoon long. 

Another piece of clutch hitting from Jayda Coleman finally fired Oklahoma in front.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Sooner centerfielder rocketed a homer into the second row of the left field bleachers to hand her team the 1-0 lead.

Gasso said she moved Coleman up in the lineup and she though the left-handed hitters would be able to have a big day, and the energetic sophomore delivered.

“Whatever you need, she can be,” Gasso said.

The solo bomb was Coleman’s second of the weekend, and her fifth of the season.

In the ensuing at-bat, senior caption Lynnsie Elam doubled the advantage.

Elam continued her hot streak with a line drive shot to center field, handing Trautwein a 2-0 lead to defend in the seventh inning.

The measured approach from the Sooner hitters has served them well, as they’ve rocketed a series of late homers against Tennessee, Baylor and UAB to push themselves across the finish line.

“We’re always trying to be in attack mode whether it’s the first pitch of the game or the last,” Elam said. “So we’re just trying to continue to be ourselves whether we’re run ruling or whether we’re in extra innings and needing some hits.

“I think that’s something really special about this team and a lot of teams I’ve played on here at Oklahoma — just not feeling so much pressure that you have to hit the ball in those situations.”

The pair of homers were a much-needed boost to an OU offense that only registered six total hits throughout the contest.

Trautwein had no trouble closing out the game, as she sat the Blazers down in order to finish off her ninth win of the year.

Oklahoma will now have a rare Sunday off before squaring off against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane next Wednesday. First pitch between OU and Tulsa is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field. 

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