OU Softball: Oklahoma's Firepower on Full Display in Battle Series
NORMAN — Oklahoma’s high-powered offense was on full display in the third edition of 2023’s Battle Series on Thursday night at Marita Hynes Field.
The intrasquad scrimmage, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was pushed back one night due to rain, was a showcase for Sooner bats both familiar and new.
Senior Alyssa Brito and redshirt sophomore Hannah Coor both blasted a pair of home runs, while Tiare Jennings and Furman transfer Riley Ludlam both added a single home run apiece.
The scrimmage, which split the team into three groups to maximize at-bats, tilted more in favor of the offense as the night pressed on.
Ludlam plated the first run of the night, hitting the ball on a rope over the wall in right field, and Jennings then drove in Brito to continue the scoring as the trio was grouped together in gray uniforms on the same team.
The gray squad then struck again in their second at-bat.
Brito launched home runs in consecutive plate appearances off pitcher SJ Guerin, belting the first offering out of the complex in left field and lining her second home run of the night into the right field bleachers.
Though her power is a known quantity, Brito has looked determined to win the shortstop job left by Grace Lyons throughout all her performances this fall, and even OU coach Patty Gasso has noticed a different level of intensity from Brito.
“I feel maturity,” Gasso said after the scrimmage. “She loves softball… Brito is just in tune with everything all the time and I think she knows it's her senior year and I think that is the attitude of 'I'm not going to waste a minute of my time.'
“She's an extreme competitor, so she loves this stuff. She loves competition. You can see her march off after a strikeout and I know in my mind when she comes back, she's gonna hit a tank. You just feel that from her.”
Two frames later, Jayda Coleman and Alynah Torres combined for a pair of runs.
Torres first drove in Coleman, who reached on a single off veteran right-hander Nicole May, and then Coleman returned the favor with another base knock to trade places with Torres and bring a second run across.
Coor then hammered the first of her two home runs to close out the inning, brining Rylie Boone home with a two-run shot off Kierston Deal.
In the next inning, Coor continued her strong night with another bomb, this one a one-run shot.
Coor’s performance was a welcome sign for Gasso, as the utility player has battled through back injuries to return to the lineup this fall.
“I was excited,” Gasso said. “She had a good Battle Series last time we played, so I specifically wanted to put her in a leadoff position. She showed out. Not just at the plate but some of her throws from right field were just money.
“She’s dealing with back issues that are chronic and every day and she’s just trying to manage the pain the best she can, and she’s showing out. I was really proud of her tonight.”
Ludlam, Brito and Jennings combined for more fireworks in the final inning.
Back-to-back singles by Ludlam and Brito set the table for Jennings, who looped Kelly Maxwell’s delivery past the bleachers in right field for her lone home run of the night.
Quincee Lilio closed the scoring with a two-RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning, but endured a scary moment in the penultimate at-bat.
With Boone in the batter’s box, the energetic outfielder fouled a ball back toward Oklahoma’s dugout, hitting Lilio in the helmet.
Lilio was checked by a trainer before ultimately rising back to her feet and headed back to the dugout.
“They’re still looking at her. I think it scared her more than anything,” Gasso said. “I think it really jarred her facemask pretty good. So they’re testing her right now.”
The Sooners will take the field in another installment of the Battle Series on Nov. 1 at Marita Hynes Field.
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