No. 2 Oklahoma (36-4) fell 2-1 to No. 22 Alabama (30-16) in its second SEC series loss in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
The last time Oklahoma and Alabama faced off was in the 2019 Women’s College World Series, where Oklahoma won 7-3. The Sooners hoped for a similar performance in the two programs’ first SEC series but came up short.
Senior right-handed pitcher Sam Landry drew her 15th start of the season in game one of the series. Landry, the Sooners’ ace, came into the game with 103 recorded strikeouts on the season, allowing 27 runs through 14 games.
Landry’s pitching was in form in game one, allowing only three hits and one run that came in the bottom of the third. Landry, backed by a strong Oklahoma defense, kept the Alabama hitters in check, recording four hitless innings in game one.
The Sooners offense struggled throughout the game, as Oklahoma only managed three hits through six scoreless innings, leaving three runners on base.
Facing a 0-1 deficit heading into the top of the seventh, the Sooners needed a spark on offense to avoid dropping game one of the series, which has only happened one time this season against Tennessee. Sophomore outfielder Maya Bland then provided the much-needed boost with a one-out, two-run pinch-hit homer over the right-field wall, giving Oklahoma a 2-1 lead, its first of the day.
oh me oh @maya__bland strikes in the 7th! pic.twitter.com/D8V7EpzpZU
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 12, 2025
Bland’s third home run of the season opened the floodgates for the Sooners offense, as Oklahoma went on to score three more runs, finishing with five hits and five runs in the seventh.
Landry finished the game fielding a grounder for the first out and struck out the final two batters, totaling six strikeouts on the day. In her ninth complete game and 13th win of the season, Landry and the Sooners fought back to take game one 5-1.
Following a clutch comeback win in game one, game two would be all Alabama. After a scoreless first inning, the Alabama bats got hot in the second, scoring two runs off three hits, and they didn’t stop there.
The Crimson Tide went on to score four more runs through the next three innings, while holding the Sooners to only one hit and no runs. Oklahoma’s offense couldn’t seem to find an answer for Alabama sophomore Jocelyn Briski’s pitching and a strong defensive performance behind her.
However, the Sooners managed to score off a solo home run from freshman Sydney Barker in the seventh, avoiding a shutout, which has not happened since the 2019 season. Oklahoma couldn’t capitalize on the momentum like it did in game one, costing the Sooners a 6-1 loss in game two.
The series, sitting at 1-1, came down to Monday night’s rubber game, the third of the season for Oklahoma.
The Sooners looked to bounce back after a tough loss in game two. Alabama’s pitching held Oklahoma in check for the majority of the series, as the Sooners had 12 scoreless innings through the first two games.The Oklahoma offense would need to strike early and often to get out of Tuscaloosa with a fourth SEC series win.
Both Oklahoma and Alabama went back to their starting pitchers from game one, Landry and senior Catelyn Riley. Both pitchers had strong outings in the first game, setting up for another competitive pitcher’s duel.
Strong pitching and defensive play led to two scoreless innings to start until Alabama struck first in the third. The Crimson Tide scored first in all three games of the series, leaving the Sooners in position to provide a response.
That response would come in the very next inning, with a monster solo shot over the scoreboard from redshirt freshman third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas. McEnroe-Marina's homer is her 10th of the season and eighth in SEC play, tying the game at 1-1 through four innings.
wait, wait, wait BANG 💥 📺 → https://t.co/Th2U6csZ7g pic.twitter.com/PEYOTlIcc4
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 14, 2025
After giving up one run a piece, Landry and Riley got back to work on the mound, leading to two more scoreless innings for both teams in the fifth and sixth.
Heading to the seventh, the Oklahoma bats came alive with a pair of hits from junior second baseman Ailana Agbayani and redshirt junior catcher Isabela Emerling. Bland would reach first after being hit by a pitch, loading the bases with one out. Despite the loaded bases, the Sooners couldn’t capitalize and left three runners stranded on base, totaling seven on the day and 13 in the series.
In the bottom of the seventh, a one-two-three inning from Landry and the Sooners defense sent the game into extra innings. It was the fourth-extra inning game of the season for Oklahoma and Alabama’s first.
A single from sophomore utility player Ella Parker, who finished 2-4, started the eighth inning with a runner on base for the Sooners before a hit from Agbayani set Oklahoma up to take the lead with a runner in scoring position. But once again, the Sooners couldn’t capitalize, as Oklahoma ended the inning abandoning two more runners.
The offensive woes continued to hurt Oklahoma, leading to a first-pitch walk-off home run from Alabama’s freshman Audrey Vandagriff in the bottom of the eighth and the Crimson Tide taking the series with a 2-1 win in game three.
The Sooners struggled to build off of any type of momentum throughout the series, scoring in only three innings over three games. The game marked the second series loss of conference play, and Oklahoma’s fourth loss of the season.
The Sooners will look to fix their offensive struggles against No. 15 Mississippi State in a home series, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Game one will be played at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, with the last two games played at Love’s Field.
This story was edited by Josh McDaniel.
