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OU Softball: No. 1 Oklahoma Opens Season in Style, Rolls Utah Valley

True freshman Kasidi Pickering set the tone with a first inning grand slam as the No. 1-ranked Sooners started the season hot in Mexico.

Ryan Chapman

OU Softball: No. 1 Oklahoma Opens Season in Style, Rolls Utah Valley
OU Softball: No. 1 Oklahoma Opens Season in Style, Rolls Utah Valley /

Oklahoma’s new faces wasted little time showing making a mark for the three-time defending national champions.

True freshman Kasidi Pickering got the start in right field, and announced herself in the first inning.

Taking advantage of three walks drawn by fellow true freshman Ella Parker, Kinzie Hansen and Tiare Jennings, Pickering watched three straight balls.

Patty Gasso gave her young right fielder the green light, a decision that immediately paid dividends.

Pickering rocketed the pitch well beyond the outfield wall, smashing a two-out grand slam in her first OU at-bat, setting the tone for a dominant season opener.

The Sooners went on to run rule Utah Valley, as the contest finished 13-0 in five innings at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Mexico on Thursday.

Parker then got her turn in the second inning.

Back-to-back singles by Rylie Boone and Jayda Coleman put a couple on, and Parker singled up the middle.

A defensive error let Parker get on her horse as she rounded the bases to extend the early lead to 7-0.

Alyssa Brito then blasted her first solo home run of the year, which was followed by a Hansen solo bomb, putting the game into run rule territory before OU pitcher Nicole May could even make a third trip to the circle.

May didn’t need the help, as she retired nine of the first 10 batters, allowing just one hit on an infield single while throwing a pair of strikeouts.

Gasso then started to sift through the roster in the bottom of the third inning, rolling out a number of pinch hitters, but it was Coleman who further extended the lead.

With Hannah Coor and Alynah Torres already on, Coleman drove in her teammates with a double to push the advantage to 11-0.

Brito and Parker then walked to push Coleman over to third base, and Furman transfer Riley Ludlam plated the star centerfielder with a sacrifice fly.

Pickering got another chance to inflict pain with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, but she lifted the ball to left field and settled for plating Parker with a sacrifice fly of her own, extending the lead to 13-0.

Final Box Score
Final Box Score / OU Stats

Left-hander Kierston Deal took over in the circle for May in the fourth inning, as Gasso said she plans to use all six pitchers at her disposal in 2024.

A pair of defensive miscues helped Utah Valley load the bases on Deal with one out, but the sophomore battled back.

Deal struck Mya Higareda out, and then induced a slow-rolling grounder from Amber Rodriguez that was easily turned for the final out of the inning to keep the shutout intact.

Utah Valley pitcher Cam Davis held OU scoreless in the fourth inning, clearing the path for Paytn Monticelli to take over for Deal and close out a 54th-straight win for Oklahoma.

Monticelli retired the side in order in her Sooner debut.

Avery Hodge got the start at second base for the Sooners, the lone infield position left open by Jennings’ move to shortstop. Gasso said Hodge, Torres and Quincee Lilio were all battling for time at second before Oklahoma jetted out to Mexico on Monday.

The Thursday work isn’t done for the Sooners, however.

Oklahoma will turn around to face No. 11 Duke at 1 p.m. before closing down shop for the day.

Published
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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