Clutch defense and explosive bats send Sooners to Regional Final

Make it two straight run-rule wins for the OU Softball team to open NCAA postseason play.

The 8-0 win over Boston University Friday left Head Coach Patty Gasso unsatisfied with the way her team started. The girls corrected that in Saturday’s Regional semifinal matchup with California. Star Sophomore Kasidi Pickering hit a lead-off homerun on Oklahoma’s first swing of the game to get the Crimson Crowd at Love's Field on its feet early.

Pickering would add another bomb in the sixth... this one, a Grand Slam. Gabbie Garcia hit a solo shot earlier in the inning, but it was the Sooner defense that led the way in today’s 11-2 run-rule win. 

With a runner on third - and itching to come home - in the first inning, OU Ace pitcher Sam Landry struck out back-to-back batters to escape the inning unharmed. 

Trailing 5-1 in the third, Cal added a run and loaded the bases, but the defense was too much again- executing a big time, inning-ending double play to keep the score 5-2. OU got out of a bases-loaded jam with no runs surrendered in the fourth as well. 

Landry ended the day with 4 strikeouts while giving up 7 hits and 2 runs in four innings of work. 

Pickering led the offense with 6 RBI, while Garcia had 3, and Sydney Barker and Ella Parker had one RBI a piece. 

The win is OU’s 15th straight in Regional play. The Sooners will play in the Regional Championship Sunday. If they win they advance to the Superregional. If they lose, they will play the same opponent in a winner-take-all finale later in the day. 

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