It’s been a decade of dominance for Oklahoma. Backed by a 6-0 win over Oklahoma State on Friday night the Sooners claimed an unprecedented tenth consecutive regular season conference title. OU had entered this weekend’s Bedlam series with an even record to the Cowgirls but wins on Thursday and Friday night put the title out of reach for the ladies from Stillwater and keeps it in Norman for another year. The Sooners, who have now won 14 regular season titles and 7 Big 12 tournament titles, have locked up the top seen in next week’s conference tournament and will be going for a sweep of their in-state rivals on Saturday.
“Just really proud,” Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso said after Friday night’s game. “This is hard to do. We don’t talk about it, but it’s a grind. To continue this run is phenomenal. Our coaches have been outstanding, support staff through the roof. It’s an all-in buy in from everybody and here we are right now.”
Oklahoma improved to 47-1 on the season, and 16-1 in conference play, thanks to a continued bombardment from the pitching battery and patience at the plate that produced bases loaded walks and timely hits during crucial moments of the contest.
Redshirt senior Hope Trautwein shook off a rocky start to pitch 5.1 innings in which she allowed just three hits and three walks to go with four strikeouts and no runs allowed. She left to a standing ovation in the top of the sixth, giving way to freshman Jordy Bahl who closed the final 1.2 innings with no hits or runs and a pair of strikeout’s. It was OU’s 28th shutout of the season which is the most of any program in the country.
Once again it was the third inning that provided the backdrop for Oklahoma’s first run of the game. Jocelyn Alo delivered a single to right field and advanced to second on the throw to put two on with one out. With Alo at second and Jayda Coleman at third, sophomore Alyssa Brito dropped an RBI single to left field scoring Coleman for the first run of the night. The Sooners would double the lead two batters later when Jana Johns battled her way to a bases loaded walk, on an an 11-pitch plate appearance, that would score Alo. Still not done in the third, Kinzie Hansen would deliver a 3-RBI double as OU’s eighth batter of the inning to blow open what had been a scoreless tie into a 5-0 lead.
Grace Lyons sent a solo home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the fifth for the sixth run of the game, wrapping up Oklahoma’s scoring for the evening. It was the 18th home run of the season for Lyons.
The Sooners and Cowgirls will close out Bedlam with the series finale scheduled for a 4 PM first pitch. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
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