No. 2 Sooners advance to Regional final with 11-2 win against Cal

NORMAN —  Oklahoma’s home run leaders took center stage as the No. 2 Sooners (47-7) advanced to the Norman Regional final with an 11-2, five-inning triumph over California (36-20) Saturday, May 17, at Love’s Field.

Kasidi Pickering hit two home runs, including a grand slam that sealed the deal, in Oklahoma’s 11-2 win Saturday over California in regional play at Love’s Field. OU ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS

Sophomore outfielder Kasidi Pickering belted two homers, including a grand slam, and freshman shortstop Gabbie Garcia added a two-run homer to help OU advance to its 15th straight Regional final.

Sam Landry went four innings to earn her 21st win of the season, fanning four while stranding seven Cal runners.

Pickering went 3-for-3 with six RBIs and three runs while boosting her batting average to a team-high .414. Garcia went 1-for-2 while driving three.

The Sooners will face the winner of Saturday’s late game in the regional final set for 1 p.m. Sunday, May 18. OU is one victory away from hosting a Super Regional at Love’s Field starting next Friday.

It took just three pitches for Pickering to give the Sooners the lead as she lined a 77 mph home run to left field. Cal tied the game in the bottom half of the inning after Kaylee Pond hit a solo homer off the right field foul pole.

OU put up crooked numbers, scoring four in the bottom of the second inning on a series of walks and singles.

Pickering made it 2-1 with a bases-loaded single to right. Designated player Ella Parker promptly made it 3-1, also with a bases-loaded single to right. Sydney Barker followed and made it 4-1 with a single to left. With the bases still loaded, Garcia was hit by a pitch to make it 5-1.

The Bears narrowed their deficit to 5-2 in the top of the third after leading off with three straight hits. The OU defense eventually got out of a bases-loaded jam by turning an impressive 5-4-3 double play off a soft ground ball that third baseman Nicole McEnroe-Marinas fielded and fired to Ailana Agbayani for the turn.

“As much as we enjoy watching hits being strung together, to me there’s no more like an explanation point than a double play that ends an inning,” Sooners coach Patty Gasso said. “They’re a tough team. They swing it well. They have a lot of pitching options and they’re very athletic.”

Garcia gave OU a 7-2 lead with a two-run shot to right center, her 17th of the season.

Later that same inning, Pickering pushed the score to 11-2 with a grand slam to left-center, her second home run of the game.

“Pickering was just in a zone,” Gasso said. “You could just feel that and see that. Gabbie’s home run helped give us momentum. Everybody loves home runs, but I love when everybody strings together (quality at-bats).”

As is her way, Pickering’s two home runs came on seemingly effortless swings. In response to her home run swings, “Go to the weight room, eat a lot,” drawing laughter from the room “(OU hitting coach Gasso) J.T. tells us how to use every part of our body to hit.”

Landry (21-4) is 2-0 at the Norman Regional, tallying seven innings of work in her two outings.

Freshman lefthander Audrey Lowry relieved Landry in the top of the fifth against Cal and ended the game by retiring all three batters she faced.

“I loved Audrey’s finish,” Gasso said. “I think that was important for her.”

The Sooners will meet Cal in a rematch at 1 p.m. Sunday in the Regional final.