Oklahoma was on both ends of the spectrum on Friday when it opened up it’s new stadium in front of a record-setting crowd of nearly 4,500 people. The Sooners won the first ever game played at Love’s field in dramatic fashion with Kinzie Hansen hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to escape Miami (OH). Then in the second half of the doubleheader OU run-ruled Liberty by a final score of 8-0, completing the sweep in two very different ways.
Back-to-Back home runs from Jayda Coleman and Kasidi Pickering helped turn a 3-3 contest into a 7-3 Sooner lead in the bottom of the sixth inning in first game of the day for Oklahoma. However, Miami used three consecutive home runs in the top of the seventh to knot it back up a 7-7. That’s when Kinzie Hansen stepped to the plate and further solidified her legacy as one of the best clutch hitters in program history. After Riley Booner led off the bottom half of the inning with a single, Hansen delivered a bomb, on a 2-2 pitch, to left-center field to walk off a win for the Sooners in their first game at the new stadium.
Kelly Maxwell was the star of the nightcap. Backed by Oklahoma’s offense, she tossed a complete game shutout against Liberty. Allowing just two hits on the day, Maxwell struck out seven batters to pick up her fifth win of the season. She threw 45 of her 64 pitches for strikes (70.3%) and induced 13 swinging strikes.
Kasidi Pickering’s second home run of the day put OU on the board in the second inning. The Sooners added five runs on three hits, two walks, two stolen bases, a pair of wild pitches and a Liberty error in a crazy fourth inning. Riley Ludlam, Cydney Sanders and Jayda Coleman each drove in a run during the frame while Riley Boone stole home on a failed squeeze play.
The Sooners earned the “walk-off” run-rule win in the bottom of the fifth on an Alynah Torres two-run double blasted into the left-center gap.
Notes
- Oklahoma’s lineup produced 17 runs on 19 hits, 10 walks, nine extra-base hits and five home runs between the two games.
- The Sooners extended their NCAA-record winning streak to 69 games with the two victories.
- The attendance of 4,500 set a new program record.
- Alyssa Brito (3-for-4, R, HR, RBI), Jayda Coleman (2-for-3, BB, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Riley Boone (2-for-4, 2 R) and Kinzie Hansen (2-for-3, BB, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) each provided multi-hit games in the opener.
- Cydney Sanders recorded her 100th collegiate RBI in the second game.
- OU earned its 10th shutout through its first 16 games of 2024 with the 8-0 victory over Liberty.
Firsts At Love’s Field
First OU hit: Jayda Coleman, 2B, 1st inn. vs. Miami (OH)
First OU home run: Alyssa Brito, 5th inn. vs. Miami (OH)
First OU run scored: Jayda Coleman, 1st inn. vs. Miami (OH)
First OU RBI: Ella Parker, 1st inn. vs. Miami (OH)
First multi-hit game: Alyssa Brito vs. Miami (OH)
First three-hit game: Alyssa Brito vs. Miami (OH)
First OU stolen base: Rylie Boone and Cydney Sanders, home and 2B, 4th inn. vs. Liberty
First strikeout: Nicole May against Jenna Golebiewski, 1st inn. vs. Miami (OH)
First complete game: Kelly Maxwell vs. Liberty
First shutout: Kelly Maxwell vs. Liberty
Up Next
OU is back at Love’s Field on Saturday, March 2, with an 11 a.m. CT start against Louisiana followed by a 1:45 p.m. CT first pitch in a rematch with Liberty. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+,107.7 FM The Franchise and 1560AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2.
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