All Sooners

OU Softball: Oklahoma Blanks South Dakota State

The Sooners run-ruled the South Dakota State Jackrabbits behind another dominant display from Nicole May in the circle.

Ryan Chapman

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s winning streak was stretched to 13 games on Monday night.

The top-ranked Sooners played host to South Dakota State, run-ruling the Jackrabbits 8-0 at Marita Hynes Field.

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Oklahoma moved to 21-1 on the year with the win, and the Jackrabbits fell to 14-11.

“We needed this game,” OU coach Patty Gasso said after the win. “… I wasn’t happy with our performance (against Mississippi State on Saturday). I thought we just stepped off the gas way too early.

“So to see them come out and win games not with big hits but with big walks and timely hits was important for us.”

Talented right-handed pitcher Nicole May continued her strong start to the season, shutting SDSU out in four innings of work.

May has yet to allow a run this season in her 43 total innings pitched, and she added seven strikeouts to her season total on Monday night.

While May set the tone in the circle, Alynah Torres ignited the cold crowd in the first inning.

Walks drawn by Haley Lee and Tiare Jennings put runners on first and second, and Jocelyn Erickson wore a pitch to load the bases.

South Dakota State pitcher Tori Kniesche battled Torres to a 3-2 count, but then the Sooner hitter struck.

Torres turned on the delivery, rocketing the ball over the bleachers in left field and into the expanse beyond the complex.

The grand slam was the third for the Sooners this season, and it gave OU an early 4-0 advantage over the Jackrabbits.

“One thing about Alynah is she’s just trying to be a mainstay in the lineup,” Gasso said. “So when she gets opportunities she’s really aggressive. And she’s very confident. Just swings hard.

“And that’s indicative of what you saw. That’s what her ball does when she does that. So I think again she’s just fighting to get in the lineup. Like a lot of these players when they get playing time they’re just trying to make a statement.

“And she did tonight.”

Oklahoma then added to its lead in the second inning.

Jayda Coleman and Jennings produced back-to-back two-out singles, and Lee walked to bring Kinzie Hansen to the plate with the bases loaded.

The Sooner catcher produced, dropping a ball softly into shallow center field between the second baseman and the center fielder. Coleman and Jennings both were able to score, putting OU up 6-0.

Jennings produced again for Gasso in the fourth inning, plating Quincee Lilio with a sacrifice fly lifted deep to right field.

“It was important for us to feel a game like this where we have to manufacture runs in different ways,” Gasso said. “… A couple of timely hits with a couple of runners on. It was a complete game.”

Jordy Bahl took over in the circle for May in the fifth inning, helping to keep the shutout intact.

Rylie Boone got a chance to end the game in the bottom half of the inning.

She stepped into the box with the bases loaded and no outs, but the OU left fielder grounded into a fielders’ choice and SDSU threw Sophia Nugent at home.

A second chance was all the Sooners needed to walk the game off.

Alyssa Brito fouled off pair of pitches with the count full, but she then had to wear the next delivery on the small of her back to take first base and score Erickson.

The win set up a marquee matchup with the No. 6-ranked Florida State Seminoles at Marita Hynes Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday. 

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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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