The winning streak is now at 59 games as top-ranked Oklahoma swept through Friday’s doubleheader to open up the Cowgirl Challenge in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Sooners blasted Central Arkansas 9-0 in the first game and then defeated the host team, McNeese State, 8-1 in the second game.
OU improved its season record to 6-0 and was led by strong performances in the pitching circle. The staff, held their two opponents to a combined one run on just five hits and one walk while striking out 17 batters. Kelly Maxwell improved to 3-0 on the season with an eight-strikeout performance vs. McNeese. In Oklahoma’s opener, Nicole May recorded her 50th victory as an Oklahoma pitcher. In the 9-0 win over Central Arkansas she recorded six strikeouts over 4.0 scoreless innings. She closed out her performance by retiring each of the final nine batters she faced.
OU’s lineup produced seven multi-hit performances between the two games including a three-hit effort from Alyssa Brito against McNeese State.
The Sooners exploded for nine runs against Central Arkansas in the the bottom of the fourth inning. They turned a scoreless game into a 9-0 rout by having each of the first twelve batters reach base. Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings, Ella Parker and Alynah Torres (2-for-3, R, RBI) each went 2-for-3 at the plate. They also each scored once.
In the second game, McNeese put the Sooners in a deficit for the first time this season. The Cowgirls scored with a solo home run in the first inning, the lone blemish on Maxwell’s line for the night, but OU quickly responded. The Sooners put runners on second and third with two outs for Rylie Boone a half-inning later in the top of the second, setting the stage for her to drive a go-ahead two-run single into left field. There was no looking back from there for Oklahoma as they moved on to an 8-1 victory.
Alyssa Brito capped off the night’s scoring by blasting a two-run home run out to left-center. She extended her season-opening hitting streak to five games with a 3-for-4 evening while Kinzie Hansen (2-for-2) and Boone (2-for-3) added multi-hit efforts.
Tiare Jennings scored her second run of the day in the top of the third when Kinzie Hansen flied out to center field. Those two runs put her even with Grace Lyons for 7th all-time at Oklahoma with 227 career runs scored.
Up Next
The Sooners are back at it on Saturday for another doubleheader. They’re slated for a 1 p.m. CT start against Lamar followed by a 6:30 p.m. CT first pitch in a rematch with McNeese. The first game is available via a webcam on SoonerSports.com/watch and 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2 while the finale will be broadcast on ESPN+ and 107.7 FM The Franchise and 1560AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2.
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