With the stakes high and the rivalry even higher, No. 4/3 Oklahoma delivered another powerful statement on Saturday night, defeating No. 3/2 Texas 7-2 at Love’s Field to secure the series victory. Behind a complete-game gem from Kierston Deal and a relentless offensive attack, the Sooners (41-5, 15-5 SEC) locked up the series win over the Longhorns (42-8, 13-7 SEC), leaving only one question ahead of Sunday’s finale: Will it be a sweep?
Oklahoma took the opener on Friday night with a thrilling 7-6 victory powered by Ailana Agbayani’s grand slam and clutch hitting late. Saturday, it was Deal’s night to shine. The left-hander was sharp and in control from the first pitch, scattering four hits across seven innings while striking out three. It marked her second complete game against a top-10 opponent this season and her second in SEC play. With Deal setting the tone, the Sooners’ offense went to work.
Both pitchers traded zeroes through the early frames, but the deadlock broke in the bottom of the third. Ella Parker, one of Oklahoma’s most dangerous bats, turned on a high delivery from Texas starter Citlaly Gutierrez and launched it deep into the right field bleachers for a solo home run. The blast ignited the Love’s Field crowd and gave the Sooners a 1-0 lead they would not relinquish.
Deal returned to the circle and fired another scoreless inning, and Oklahoma’s offense wasted no time adding insurance. In the bottom of the fourth, Agbayani, Friday’s hero, singled to start the frame. Two batters later, Abigale Dayton ripped a double into the right-center gap, scoring Agbayani all the way from first. Kasidi Pickering followed with a sacrifice fly, pushing Dayton home to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Sooners continued to apply pressure in the fifth. Parker lined a sharp single to center, McEnroe-Marinas was hit by a pitch, and Agbayani worked a walk to load the bases with one out. After two quick outs, Dayton came through once again, lacing a two-RBI single up the middle to push the lead to 5-0.
Dayton, who finished the night 2-for-3 with a season-high three RBIs, provided the spark Oklahoma needed against a formidable Texas pitching staff.
In the bottom of the sixth, Nelly McEnroe-Marinas put the exclamation point on the evening. With two outs and Parker aboard, McEnroe-Marinas crushed a two-run homer to left field, her 14th of the season and 11th in conference play, making it a commanding 7-0 Sooner advantage.
Texas showed some life in the seventh, finally getting to Deal after she retired the first two batters of the inning. Katie Stewart doubled to left-center, and Victoria Hunter followed with a two-run homer to left, her first since early February. Vanessa Quiroga then added a double to briefly keep hope alive, but a flyout to Pickering in right field sealed Oklahoma’s 7-2 victory.
Deal, now 9-1 on the season, kept Texas’ powerful offense in check all night, using a combination of pinpoint control and offspeed deception that kept the Longhorns guessing. After allowing a soft bloop single in the second inning, Deal retired 14 of the next 16 batters she faced.
Saturday’s win secured not only the series victory but also Oklahoma’s 16th win over a ranked opponent this season and their sixth against a top-10 foe. The Sooners have now racked up double-digit hits in back-to-back games against Texas and improved to a staggering 34-0 this season when scoring at least six runs.
Statistical Standouts:
- Kierston Deal: CG, 4H, 2ER, 2BB, 3Ks
- Abigale Dayton: 2-for-3, 3 RBIs, 2B
- Nelly McEnroe-Marinas: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 R
For Texas, Gutierrez (9-1) suffered her first loss of the season, struggling to navigate Oklahoma’s persistent lineup. Head coach Mike White acknowledged as much after the game, crediting Deal’s performance and Oklahoma’s all-around dominance.
“Obviously, we were beaten pretty soundly tonight by a good team that fed on themselves and did a good job,” White said. “They had good pitching, good defense, and overall, outhit us throughout the game. We left things a little too late.”
The Longhorns have now homered in five consecutive games against Oklahoma in Norman dating back to 2021, but it wasn’t nearly enough to overcome Deal’s stellar outing or the Sooners’ offensive depth.
Beyond the game itself, Saturday night also carried a moment of individual recognition. Prior to first pitch, Sam Landry was honored with an Athletes Unlimited Softball League Golden Ticket, securing her a spot to compete at the next level following her standout collegiate career.
Meanwhile, Pickering continued her scorching form at the plate, having now hit safely in 21 of Oklahoma’s last 22 games. Parker’s third-inning blast not only shifted momentum but also pushed her career RBI total to 99, another testament to the wealth of talent head coach Patty Gasso has at her disposal.
Up Next:
The Sooners and Longhorns will square off one final time on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT, with Oklahoma aiming to complete the sweep in front of another packed Love’s Field crowd. The finale will be televised nationally on ESPN2, with radio coverage available on The Franchise 2 (1560 AM and 103.3 FM). Live stats will be provided via statbroadcast.com.
Sunday’s game will also serve as Senior Day for Oklahoma, with Cydney Sanders, Isabella Smith, and Sam Landry set to be honored postgame for their contributions to the program.
Having already clinched the series, Oklahoma has once again demonstrated why they remain a powerhouse in the SEC and national softball landscape. Whether it ends in a sweep or not, the message is clear: the Sooners are heating up at just the right time.
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