3 takeaways from OU softball's walk-off win over Texas

No. 1 Oklahoma (32-1, 5-0 Big 12) defeated No. 9 Texas (30-7-1, 3-2) 4-3 on Saturday in Norman.

Senior Alex Storako started for the Sooners and pitched six innings, striking out six and conceded five hits. Storako allowed three runs, only one of which was earned. Sophomore Jordy Bahl pitched a perfect inning of relief in the seventh. 

After trailing the majority of the contest, senior catcher Kinzie Hansen delivered a walk off base hit in the seventh.

Here are three takeaways from the Sooners’ win:

Sooners rally late

After a sluggish start, OU’s offense got rolling in the seventh. 

Boone began the rally with a base hit, setting the table for junior center fielder Jayda Coleman. Coleman blasted a home run over the left field fence to tie the game.

.@OU_Softball down 2 in the 7th, then Jayda Coleman goes yard and ties it up 😱 pic.twitter.com/BLbYIwjn6M

— ESPN (@espn) April 1, 2023

OU continued its rally, eventually loading the bases with one out for senior catcher Kinzie Hansen. Hansen delivered the walk off with a base hit into center field to complete OU’s comeback efforts.

Sooners’ offense starts slow

OU’s typically dominant offense was sluggish throughout Saturday’s affair.

The Sooners posed a threat in the first inning with two runners reaching from walks and eventually advancing to scoring position with two outs. UT starter Mac Morgan then struck out junior third baseman Alyssa Brito and proceeded to retire eight of the next nine OU batters. 

OU collected two hits through the first four innings, with its first hit not coming until the third.

UT plates controversial second run

Softball is known to be a game of inches, which was proven by UT’s second run.

The Longhorns began the inning with a bunt teetering on the third base line before Brito picked it up just within fair territory. Two batters later, UT laid down another bunt. Storako cleanly fielded it but made an errant throw, which ended up in right field, allowing UT to have runners at the corner with one out.

The Sooners thought they escaped the jam when UT center fielder Mia Scott hit into an apparent inning-ending double play. However, replay review determined Scott was safe at first by a matter of milliseconds.

"This is outstanding base running and that's the reason she's safe." https://t.co/BvUCEYNuOF pic.twitter.com/OuMVdmD7Ez

— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) April 1, 2023

OU will look to sweep UT at 11 a.m. Sunday in Norman.

Correction: This story was changed on April 3 to reflect Jayda Coleman's home run tied the game and didn't give OU a lead. 

This story was edited by Austin Curtright.