OU Softball tops Tulsa in home opener, 8-0

Kierston Deal spun 4.0 scoreless innings and Kasidi Pickering clubbed her third three-run home run of the season as No. 2 Oklahoma Softball (11-0) defeated Tulsa (5-6), 8-0, in five innings in front of 4,261 at Love's Field Saturday, Feb. 22.

OU has won five straight games in run-rule fashion, while earning its 30th straight win in home openers.

Oklahoma clawed away in the second inning, pushing across three two-out runs to take a 3-0 advantage. Isabela Emerling walked, Gabbie Garcia singled up the middle on an eight-pitch at-bat and Abigale Dayton walked on five pitches. After getting down 1-2, Ella Parker rolled a grounder over the first base bag that went by Tulsa's Paige Knight, scoring three.

OU added one more in the third. Pickering one-hopped the wall with a double and Ailana Agbayani scored her with a nice piece of hitting, roping an RBI single through the left side. 

The Sooners got to eight in the fourth, starting with a Garcia double, who scored after a groundout and wild pitch. Parker started the rally again, finding space in left field for a double before Cydney Sanders walked. Pickering hit a three-run home run to dead center to make it 8-0.

Isabella Smith spun a scoreless fifth to continue her scoreless inning streak to 16.2 innings.

OU 8, Tulsa 0 (5 inn.)

Pitchers of Record

Win: Kierston Deal (2-0)

Loss: Maura Moore (4-3)

Statistical Snapshot

1. The official attendance was 4,261, good for a program record for attendance in home games in February
2. OU has won five-straight games via run-rule
3. The Sooners picked up their 25th win at Love's Field
4. The last time OU won by five consecutive run rules was in March of 2022
5. OU is 49-10 against Tulsa
6. Parker is on an 11-game hitting streak this season and a 15-game hitting streak dating back to June of last season
7. OU has won 30 consecutive home openers
8. OU has won via run rule in two of the last four home openers

Up Next

No. 2 Oklahoma continues its home-opening tournament tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. against Wichita State.