For six innings, the Alabama Crimson Tide looked poised to do something no team had done to Oklahoma softball in nearly six years: shut them out. But when the pressure mounted and the game reached its defining moments, the Sooners delivered—again.
Fueled by a pinch-hit home run from sophomore Maya Bland and a five-run eruption in the top of the seventh, No. 2/2 Oklahoma (36-3, 10-3 SEC) stormed back to defeat No. 22/23 Alabama (28-16, 5-8 SEC), 5–1, in Saturday’s series opener at Rhoads Stadium. Sam Landry was steady from start to finish in the circle, tossing her ninth complete game of the season to notch her 13th win.
The victory was Oklahoma’s 13th come-from-behind win of the year and its fourth straight overall. But for most of the afternoon, it looked like Alabama might finally get the better of the reigning national champions.
Silent Bats, Loud Finish
OU’s offense, among the most dangerous in the country, was held scoreless through the first six innings by Alabama’s Jocelyn Briski and Catelyn Riley. The Sooners managed just four baserunners in that span and saw their best opportunity—runners on second and third with one out in the fifth—snuffed out with back-to-back groundouts.
Trailing 1–0 entering the final inning, Oklahoma’s rally began with a subtle spark. Gabbie Garcia laid down a bunt in front of the plate and beat the throw to first for a leadoff single. Alabama challenged the play, claiming Garcia ran outside the baseline, but the call stood. After Cydney Sanders struck out, head coach Patty Gasso called on Maya Bland to pinch hit for Sydney Barker.
Down in the count 1–2, Bland worked a mistake pitch over the plate and crushed it over the right-field wall for a two-run home run, flipping the game on its head.
“I was just trying to put the ball in play and move the runner,” Bland said postgame. “I got a pitch I could handle and just trusted my swing.”
It marked the second straight game Bland had delivered a go-ahead homer, following her three-run shot in the Bedlam win over Oklahoma State earlier in the week.
Once the floodgates opened, Oklahoma didn’t stop. Abigale Dayton followed with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Kadey Lee McKay, who reached base moments later on a slow roller for her first career hit. Ailana Agbayani roped a double to the wall in right-center to bring Dayton home, making it 3–1. Kasidi Pickering continued her red-hot stretch with an RBI single to left, and freshman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas laid down a textbook squeeze bunt to score Agbayani and extend the lead to 5–1.
What had once been a potential shutout loss turned into a dominant finish.
Landry Locks It Down
On a day when the offense took time to find its rhythm, Landry’s poise in the circle kept Oklahoma within striking distance.
The junior right-hander allowed just three hits, walked one, and struck out six in a complete-game performance. Her lone blemish came in the bottom of the third, when Alabama’s Audrey Vandagriff doubled and scored on a sac fly from Brooke Ellestad.
Landry, however, avoided further damage—particularly in the opening inning, when she stranded the bases loaded with a strikeout of Kenleigh Cahalan. From there, she settled into a groove, recording key outs in pressure moments and retiring the final six batters she faced.
“She’s been the definition of steady for us,” Gasso said. “Sam gave us a chance to win, and when our bats finally woke up, she made sure it stuck.”
With her ninth complete game, Landry continues to emerge as one of Oklahoma’s most reliable arms in a rotation still finding its post-Jordy Bahl identity.
Pickering Stays Hot, Bland’s Star Grows
Pickering’s two-hit day extended her hitting streak to 15 games, a stretch in which she’s raised her average and solidified herself as one of the Sooners’ most consistent producers in the middle of the order. Her RBI single in the seventh marked her 35th run batted in of the season.
Meanwhile, Bland’s rise as a clutch bat off the bench gives Oklahoma yet another weapon in an already-deep lineup. With two pinch-hit home runs this week alone, she’s proving herself capable of changing games in limited opportunities.
“She’s earned the right to be in those moments,” Gasso said. “She doesn’t get cheated at the plate.”
Alabama Falters Late
For six innings, Alabama played perhaps its cleanest game of the season. Riley delivered four strong innings to start, allowing just two hits, and the Tide’s defense made several key plays to keep OU off the scoreboard.
But the seventh inning got away from them in a hurry. Briski, who had just struck out Sanders, left a pitch over the plate to Bland, and the Sooners pounced. In total, Oklahoma sent nine batters to the plate in the frame, collecting five runs on five hits, a walk, and a sacrifice.
“We played great softball for six innings,” Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. “But you can’t beat Oklahoma with three hits. We had a chance to do something special, and we let it slip.”
What’s Next
The series continues Sunday at 5 p.m. CT with Game 2 airing on SEC Network. Game 3 is set for Monday evening at 6 p.m. Oklahoma will look to secure its fourth straight SEC series win, while Alabama will attempt to even the series and snap a four-game skid.
Follow us on X: @SportsHeartland