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The Oklahoma Sooners had a challenge on their hands with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, a squad that beat Oklahoma State earlier in the year and then played the Cowgirls to a one-run loss.
Coming off of seven game stretch where the Sooners went 4-3, Oklahoma had a fantastic showing in their 8-0 run-rule win over Tulsa.
Kierston Deal was lights out from the jump. She retired the first 11 batters she faced and only allowed just two baserunners on the evening en route to tossing a no-hitter. Both baserunners came in the fourth inning with two outs. Deal hit Tulsa centerfielder Haley Morgan and Claira Skaggs reached on a catcher’s interference on a 0-2 count. Deal ended the threat with a strikeout and Tulsa didn’t record another baserunner the rest of the game.
Oklahoma got the leadoff hitter on base in both the first and second innings after Jayda Coleman reached on an error to lead off the game, and Kinzie Hansen led off the second with a walk. But they weren’t able to do anything with the leadoff baserunners, and Tulsa held them scoreless until the Sooners broke through in the third inning.
With one out in the inning, Alyssa Brito tripled, and Tiare Jennings walked. Ella Parker drove in Brito for the first run of the game. With two outs and two on, Alynah Torres doubled to the gap in left-center field to score Jennings and Parker to put the Sooners up 3-0.
The Sooners put the leadoff hitter aboard in the fourth and fifth innings, but double plays ended the threats. But the Sooners kept the pressure on throughout.
In the sixth inning, they cashed in big again. Riley Ludlam walked, and Torres reached on a fielder’s choice throwing error. Avery Hodge singled to load the bases for Cydney Sanders, who proceeded to crush her 13th home run of the season.
Cyd Sanders crushes her 13th homer of the year in 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 fashion
7-0 #Sooners in the sixth!#ChampionshipMindset | @SandersCydney pic.twitter.com/PL0xn0fRDV
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 17, 2024
Rylie Boone walked and Brito was hit by a pitch to move Boone to second for Tiare Jennings. Jennings singled to end the game in walk-off fashion.
The win pushes Oklahoma to 38-4 on the season. They’ve won four of their last five games over the last week after their series loss to Texas.
The no-hitter for Deal moved her to 9-1 on the season and lowered her ERA to 1.16. She recorded four strikeouts and threw 45 of her 70 pitches for strikes.
The Sooners now prepare to host the Houston Cougars for a three-game series in Norman. Houston is 22-20 on the season and 3-15 in Big 12 play. They’re just 2-15 since opening the conference schedule with a win over Texas.
In Big 12 play, the Houston pitching staff has an ERA of 8.68 and a team batting average of .234.
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By: John Williams
Title: Kierston Deal throws no hitter in Sooners run-rule win over Tulsa
Sourced From: soonerswire.usatoday.com/2024/04/16/oklahoma-sooners-softball-kierston-deal-tulsa-golden-hurricane-tiare-jennings-cydney-sanders/
Published Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 01:50:10 +0000
