Oklahoma has won all four games they’ve played at the Cowgirl Challenge and they’ve only been scored on once. Two of their three shutout victories came on Saturday as the Sooners blasted Lamar 8-0 before downing McNeese State 3-0 in the second half of the doubleheader. The record-breaking winning streak has now been extended to 61 games, and the Sooners have an opportunity to extend it to 62 tomorrow with tomorrow’s finale.
The Sooners have now recorded five shutouts through their first eight games of 2024, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 59-7 while posting a 0.55 team ERA.
Kierston Deal struck out a career-high 10 batters in her first collegiate shutout in Saturday’s opener against Lamar. She threw 5.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball while walking a pair of runners. Oklahoma offense started out hot as Kinzie Hansen blasted a solo home run off the scoreboard beyond the left field wall in the first inning. Tiare Jennings launched a solo homer of her own to lead off the second, then OU filled the bases for Alyssa Brito. The Sooner third baseman promptly drew a free pass to push the lead to 3-0.
Kasidi Pickering went 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored while Jayda Coleman also enjoyed a 2-for-3 afternoon.
Saturday brought about the second game against McNeese State in as many days. It was a much lower scoring affair than what we witnessed on Friday evening, but the result was the same with the Sooners walking off the field victorious. Oklahoma’s 3-0 win over the Cowgirls was powered by by strong performances from the pitching circle.
Karlie Keeney scattered three hits and a walk across 3.0 shutout innings in her first OU start, receiving a no-decision. Redshirt freshman left-hander SJ Geurin made her collegiate debut in the fourth and retired both batters she was asked to face with a strikeout and a lineout. Nicole May took over with two away in the fourth and retired six consecutive Cowgirls with five going down on strikes. She worked her way out of a two-on, two-out jam in the sixth by inducing a pop-up in foul territory to end the frame. It was the third win of the season for May and the 51st of her career.
Kelly Maxwell pitched the seventh, recording her first save of the season. Jayda Coleman was 2-for-3 from the plate again in this game, and Cydney Sanders launched a rocket that left the park over the left-center field wall in the sixth inning.
Sunday’s Finale
OU closes its appearance in Lake Charles on Sunday with an 11 a.m. CT start against Central Arkansas. The game will be available for streaming via a webcam on SoonerSports.com/watch and broadcast on 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2.
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