No. 4 OU (26-2, 1-0 SEC) defeated Auburn (19-8, 2-2 SEC) 13-5 Friday to start Southeastern Conference play.
After trailing 3-0 early, the Sooners clawed their way back to earn the victory, using the long ball and situational hitting to their advantage.
Here are three takeaways:
Freshman Kai Minor spark plug for Sooners
Freshman outfielder Kai Minor has been elite both at the plate and on the bases to start the season.
The first-year Sooner has hit .534 over 26 appearances, good for No. 10 in the NCAA. Minor has also displayed a quickness few other players have, with eight stolen bases and a constant threat to extend a single into a double.
Against Auburn, Minor went two for three with a double and a triple, displaying her blazing speed on a second-inning triple that kept the Sooners’ rally going.
.@KaiMoney2025 2nd inning:• 3B• 2B9-3 Sooners! pic.twitter.com/EDx31ACEwE
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) March 14, 2026
After the game, head coach Patty Gasso said that although Minor’s impact is felt by the team, her presence goes under the radar nationally.
“She quietly does it,” Gasso said. “She really has a short, sharp swing, and it creates havoc. If she gets the ball through a gap, it’s an easy triple for her.”
Minor will look to keep being the spark the Sooners want in the lineup as SEC play continues.
Second-inning home run barrage lifts Sooners
OU hit three home runs in the bottom of the second inning as part of a nine-run frame, as the Sooners’ power surge helped break the game open early.
Sophomore shortstop Gabbie Garcia got the party started on offense with a solo homer, good for her 13th of the year. Garcia wasn’t finished, either, as she later launched a three-run shot in the fourth inning to bring her total to 14 on the season.
After a string of Sooner hits kept the second inning alive, junior outfielder Kasidi Pickering sent a two-run shot into the bleachers. Moments later, junior utility player Ella Parker followed with a blast into right field, giving OU back-to-back home runs and adding to the mounting offensive pressure. For Pickering, it marked her 11th home run of the season, while Parker’s shot was her 14th of the year.
fireworks for your timeline 🎆@PickeringKasidi | @ellaparkerrr_ pic.twitter.com/dkIKSaVD8j
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) March 14, 2026
OU’s offense continued to apply pressure throughout the inning by consistently working deep counts and forcing Auburn’s pitching staff to labor through extended at-bats. The Sooners’ disciplined approach at the plate drove up pitch counts early, putting Auburn pitchers in difficult situations and preventing them from settling into a rhythm as the inning continued to spiral.
Sooner pitching locks down after bumpy start
Senior pitcher Audrey Lowry started the game in the circle, where she had some early troubles courtesy of a three-run homer by Auburn freshman third baseman Haven Roebuck.
After the initial damage, Lowry settled down a bit but still fell victim of two more solo home runs. She finished her day allowing five runs on four hits while striking out two.
After Lowry, freshman utility Allyssa Parker came in relief after starting her day at first base. Parker finished the game for the Sooners, allowing no runs over two innings, tallying one strikeout.
Gasso was pleased with Parker’s performance, who shut down the game for the Sooners.
“I really loved what Allyssa Parker did, coming in and closing it down for us,” Gasso said.
Although Lowry surrendered a pair of long balls, OU’s pitching staff has remained steady in recent weeks with three shutouts in its last five. The Sooners will aim to carry that reliability forward as conference competition intensifies.
Next, OU will continue its three-game set against Auburn at 2 p.m. Saturday at Love’s Field on SECN+.
This story was edited by Joshua McDaniel.
