Sooners make 9th straight WCWS, sweep ’Bama in Super Regionals
NORMAN — The second-ranked Oklahoma Sooners softball team has reached the Women’s College World Series for the ninth straight season, thanks to sweeping the 15th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in last weekend’s Super Regional at Love’s Field.
The Sooners blanked No. 15 Alabama 3-0 on Friday, then run-ruled the Crimson Tide 13-2 in five innings Saturday.
The Sooners (50-7), with the ninth straight season with at least 50 victories, will face Southeastern Conference rival Tennessee at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Devon Field at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series.
In the opener, senior right-hander Sam Landry (23-4) scattered four hits and struck out five in a complete-game shutout.
After OU junior center fielder Abigale Dayton opened the bottom of the third inning with a walk, sophomore left fielder Kasidi Pickering promptly deposited Alabama right-hander Jocelyn Briski’s next pitch high over the center-field wall for a 2-0 lead.
Dayton opened the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to left-center. Two outs later, freshman right fielder Sydney Barker singled to right-center to score Dayton and make the score 3-0.
In Saturday’s game, OU junior left hander Kierston Deal (10-2) dropped a 6-1 decision at Alabama on April 13 and capitalized on her chance at redemption Saturday at home, allowing three hits over four innings, with two walks and four strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Sooners hitters amassed 14 hits, six for extra bases, and added five walks.
OU scored eight runs in the third inning and added four more in the fifth.
Sophomore designated player Ella Parker went 3 for 4 with a home run, two doubles and three runs batted in. Freshman shortstop Gabbie Garcia went 2 for 4 with two homers and four RBIs. Abigale Dayton continued her hot hitting super regional and went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Freshman third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas homered for the 15th time with a shot into the loge boxes in center field.
