Photo credit Ty Russell/OU Athletics
For just the second time this season Oklahoma’s softball team walked off the field on the losing side of the scoreboard. This time it was perhaps a bit more costly than the previous loss in Athens, Georgia. In that instance the Sooners bounced back in the second game of the double header to run-rule the Bulldogs 12-3. In this instance they must bounce back and take the Bedlam Series or their Big 12 championship winning streak is going to come to an end at eight in a row.
The Sooners got off to a fast start with Jayda Coleman blasting a 2-run homer to left field for a 2-0 lead. The Cowgirls responded in the bottom half of the frame with a solo shot from Reagan Wright and that would be the winning formula for O-State.
Jocelyn Alo launched a bomb in the top of the third that plated two more runs for the Sooners to produce the largest lead of the night at 4-1. Once again OSU responded but this time in a much bigger way.
The Cowgirls scored four runs in the bottom of the third off a pair of 2-run home runs. Chyenne Factor went yard to left center field, pulling Oklahoma State to within a run of the Sooners, and then Hayley Busby went yard to right field to provide a 5-4 OSU lead. The Cowgirls weren’t finished yet as Kiley Naomi scored an insurance run with a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the fifth, providing the final score of 6-4 in a game where each run was scored off a home run.
Giselle Juarez dropped her first game of the season (15-1) after giving up five of Oklahoma State’s six runs in 2.1 innings of work. Freshman Nicole May took the circle in the third and went the rest of the way, allowing just the Naomi home run.
Oklahoma State is now just a win away from taking the Bedlam Series and winning the Big 12 regular season championship. Oklahoma can accomplish the same feat by winning Saturday and Sunday’s games.
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