OU Softball: Kelly Maxwell Debuts, Freshmen Shine in Battle Series
NORMAN โ Oklahoma softball officially kicked off its slate of fall scrimmages on Wednesday night.
Originally slated to start on Oct. 4, OUโs first scrimmage of the Battle Series was scrapped due to weather.
A number of freshman and transfers instead had to wait another week to make their Sooner debut at Marita Hynes Field.
OUโs roster was divided into three different teams, all hitting for four innings with a unique scoring system.
A pair of true freshman, Kasidi Pickering and Maya Bland, started the traditional scoring with home runs.
Pickering blasted a two-run shot off the arm of Kierston Deal, and Bland drove in fellow freshman Ella Parker with a two-run blast of her own off of veteran pitcher Nicole May.
โOur freshman are really showing well,โ OU coach Patty Gasso said. โSo Iโm really excited about that.
โโฆ Theyโre athletic. Theyโre nervous as all get out. I could feel that in some of the newcomers. But they were hitting balls over the fence. Making diving plays. They were really showing their athleticism. And theyโre fighting for spots.โ
Returning star Alyssa Brito hit the third home run shot of the night, battling against Oklahoma State transfer Kelly Maxwell in the circle.
Britoโs homer was the only run Maxwell gave up on the night, as she allowed two hits and one walk in three innings of action.
Center fielder Jayda Coleman finished off the scoring with a two-RBI double in her final at-bat of the night.
Neither Cydney Sanders or transfer pitcher Karlie Keeney took the field on Wednesday night.
โThere was a play at the plate where (Sanders) did something weird yesterday,โ Gasso said, though the legendary Oklahoma coach didnโt appear too worried about Sanders missing significant time.
Keeneyโs absence will be much more significant.
โIโm so bummed about that,โ Gasso said. โShe broke her finger. I was really anxious to see her on the mound as well.
โThatโs a good example of having somebody just go out with a freak accident, and sheโs out for three months.โ
Oklahoma will return to Marita Hynes Field again next Wednesday night for another Battle Series scrimmage.ย
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