The No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners wasted no time flexing their offensive muscle, dismantling the UCF Knights 10-2 in the opening game of their critical Big 12 conference series. Their dominant performance over UCF puts Oklahoma another step closer to securing a Big 12 regular-season championship.
Early Offense Sets the Tone
The Sooners got off to a scorching start, plating five runs in the very first inning. The top of the order came alive, with each of the first eight batters reaching base. Jayda Coleman sparked the rally with an infield single, followed by an error and a walk to load the bases. Kinzie Hansen then delivered a clutch single to score Coleman, and Kasidi Pickering followed suit with a base hit that plated two more runs. Alyssa Brito capped off the impressive inning with a two-run homer to left-center field.
Maxwell Delivers on the Mound
Left-hander Kelly Maxwell was a force to be reckoned with in the circle. She pitched another gem, allowing only one earned run over 6.1 innings. Maxwell scattered seven hits and struck out five batters, effectively shutting down the UCF offense. Her impressive outing improves her record to a stellar 15-1 for the season.
More Runs Later Seal the Deal
While Coleman added another run in the third with a solo homer, UCF managed to cut the lead to five runs in the fifth inning with an RBI double. However, the Sooners weren’t done yet. They tacked on four more insurance runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by bases-loaded walks drawn by Coleman and Avery Hodge, followed by an RBI single from Rylie Boone.
UCF added a solo homerun after Maxwell’s exit, but it was too little, too late. The Sooners cruised to a convincing victory, extending their winning streak to an impressive 10 games in series openers this season.
Key Takeaways:
- Offensive Explosion: The Sooners’ potent offense erupted early, putting the game out of reach in the first two innings. This sets a positive tone for the rest of the series.
- Maxwell’s Dominance: Kelly Maxwell’s strong pitching performance was a key factor in the win. Her ability to control the UCF offense throughout the game was crucial.
- Title Within Reach: With this victory, Oklahoma’s “magic number” for clinching the outright Big 12 regular-season championship shrinks to five.
OU and UCF play game two of the weekend series on Saturday, April 27 with a 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT) start. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with radio coverage on 1560 AM/103.3 FM The Franchise 2 and 107.7 FM The Franchise.
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