All Sooners

OU Softball: Stellar Pitching Fires Oklahoma Back Into Super Regionals

Nicole May and Kelly Maxwell controlled Sunday's rematch with Oregon to clinch the Norman Regional for the 2-seeded Sooners.

Ryan Chapman

SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

NORMAN — Nothing came easy for Oklahoma on Sunday. 

The 2-seeded Sooners needed every bit of excellence from Nicole May and Kelly Maxwell in the circle to advance to next weekend’s Super Regionals. 

The duo combined to allow six hits, but held Oregon’s offense to a pair of runs in a rematch of Saturday’s contest at Love’s Field. 

Patty Gasso’s offense did just enough as Oklahoma won 3-2 to eliminate Oregon and move on in the NCAA Tournament. 

The Sooners will head into Super Regional action with a record of 52-6 on the year, and Oregon’s season ended at 30-21.

"I thought both teams played well," Gasso said after the game. "It should have been an entertaining game for anybody watching. Two teams fighting really hard and I thought pitching on both sides was really good. 

"... Timely hitting was a key for us and Nicole May went to another place for the Sooners and we’re really excited about that, taking that into further postseason."

Final Box Score
Final Box Score / OU Stats

May nearly got through the Ducks’ lineup before allowing a hit, striking out six batters in five innings of action. 

Maxwell took over in the sixth inning and she picked up where May left off. 

On top by just a run, Maxwell faced the bottom of Oregon’s batting order in the seventh inning.

The veteran left-hander needed just seven pitches to end the inning and cap off the victory. 

"We’re all capable," Gasso said of her pitching staff. "So to have a group of pitchers that could come in at any time and get the job done... Everyone is fighting to get on the mound somehow. We’re gonna need all those arms, without question.”

OU’s duo in the circle issued no walks all afternoon, making the Ducks earn every base.  

Starting the day as the visitors, the Sooners jumped out on Oregon early. 

A pair of singles from Jayda Coleman and Ella Parker to start the game turned into a 1-0 lead off Kasidi Pickering’s sacrifice fly, but Oklahoma had the chance for more. 

After opening the scoring, OU loaded the bases with two outs, but Rylie Boone flew out to deep center field to end the threat. 

Coleman then doubled in the second inning to score Avery Hodge from first, doubling the lead and giving May a 2-0 advantage headed into the bottom of the second inning, but OU’s offense stranded a pair of runners. 

"Today Jayda really kind of led the offense," Gasso said. "Definitely a spark plug for us."

Oregon made the Sooners pay for failing to extend the lead in the third inning. 

Tehya Bird, the Ducks’ third baseman, homered off May to end her streak of retiring the first seven batters of the game. 

Then Alyssa Brito couldn’t handle a hard-hit chopper in the infield, and Pickering fumbled a ball in left field to put Kai Luschar on third base. 

Oregon catcher Emma Kauf singled into right field to tie the game, but Boone threw Ariel Carlson out at the plate to keep the game level headed into the fourth. 

"There was a lot of preparation that we've done since the fall with that happening," Boone said of her massive defensive play. "So I really like when it happens and even when it happens... Seeing it actually come to life in a game, everyone was fired up."

Tiare Jennings immediately put the Sooners back on top with a full-count, two-out single, but the pressure was still firmly on May to keep Oregon’s bats quiet with a 3-2 lead. 

Maxwell shut the game down from there, closing out another OU win.

"All week long we've worked on being decisive," Maxwell said of the pitching staff's approach on Sunday, "and I think that was the word of the day and I think Nicole May started with that and I think I just wanted to pick her up in that moment and have her back and be decisive too.

"... Just being all-in with every pitch. If (coach Jennifer Rocha) calls a pitch and we have any type of hesitation, she gives us the green light to shake. I think being all in and knowing what you want to throw. 

Oklahoma will host a Super Regional in Norman next weekend, where the Sooners will need to win two out of three games to return to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. 

The 15-seeded Florida State Seminoles will meet Auburn in the final of the Tallahassee Regional for the right to head to Norman and take on the Sooners. 

Auburn will have to defeat Florida State twice to eliminate the Seminoles. 

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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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