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OU softball rebounds from 'flat' win over Illinois-Chicago with run-rule victory against No. 16 Kentucky

Jayda Coleman

Junior outfielder Jayda Coleman during the game against Kentucky on Mar. 3

 Reghan Kyle/OU Daily

No. 1 Oklahoma (15-1) defeated Illinois-Chicago (0-14) 5-0 and No. 16 Kentucky (10-4-1) via run-rule 18-0 in the first two games of the OU Tournament in Norman on Friday.

The Sooners’ win over the Wildcats was their 10th run-rule win of the season.

In OU’s first game against the Flames, junior right-handed pitcher Nicole May earned her fourth win in the circle. She struck out 11 batters in seven innings, the third time she’s recorded double-digit strikeouts and the most strikeouts from an OU pitcher in a game this season.

The Sooners hit three home runs to score all five of their runs. In the 1st inning, junior centerfielder Jayda Coleman hit a solo home run, followed by two-run home runs from redshirt senior utility Haley Lee and senior left fielder Rylie Boone in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.

Coleman was OU’s best hitter against the Flames, going 3-for-4 at the plate. Boone was the other Sooner to earn multiple hits, going 2-for-3.

While satisfied with the win, OU coach Patty Gasso wasn’t pleased and challenged her team to be better against the Wildcats in the locker room.

“We were just flat. We were soft,” Gasso said. “We didn't come out by the way we needed to. It was slow. It was just not what I was anticipating or expecting from this team. I was a little down on this team when we came into the locker room and just kind of talked about the importance of having to make a drastic change in order to have success… and they answered the call.”

Coleman believed OU just needed to “reset” before its next game.

“I knew it was gonna turn right from the locker room,” Coleman said. “We weren't doing what you're supposed to do, and I think we just kind of need a reset. Sometimes. it's really hard mid-game to just flip it, but I knew… that we just needed a second to reset.”

The Sooners came out firing against UK, scoring seven runs in the first two innings. In the fourth inning, OU sent 14 batters to the plate, scoring 11 runs with four home runs, including three straight from sophomore utility Sophia Nugent, sophomore infielder Cydney Sanders and redshirt freshman utility Quincee Lilio, the latter recording her first career home run.

Junior catcher Kinzie Hansen continued her hot start to the season, hitting two home runs. Her first was a grand slam in the second inning followed by a three-run shot in the fourth inning. Since returning from an appendectomy on Feb. 24, Hansen has a .368 batting average with 16 RBIs and four home runs.

Three other Sooners earned multiple hits, including Coleman, freshman first baseman Jocelyn Erickson and junior second baseman Tiare Jennings. Erickson went 2-for-2 and now has a hit in 11 of her 14 games, leading OU with a .600 batting average.

In the circle, Alex Storako pitched her second career no-hitter, allowing just one baserunner. She pitched all five innings, striking out five batters to improve her record to 5-0.

Alex Storako

Redshirt senior pitcher Alex Storako during the game against Kentucky on Mar. 3

After recording their biggest win of the season so far, Gasso praised the Sooners’ performance.

“They came out bigger and badder than I ever thought,” Gasso said. “A team that knows how to respond like that on a dime is something that you can win with. This team showed it beyond any measure that I thought. That's the exciting part is we learned a lesson real quick.”

Postgame, Storako credited her no-hitter to her teammates.

“When you're able to trust your defense like that… it's really fun to be in the circle,” Storako said. “I can get pumped up in the circle and provide that energy that can sometimes be missing. I'm all for that. I love a good pump-up. Having that kind of support… when you're on the field, it's really easy to play like that.”

OU returns to action with a rematch against Kentucky at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

This story was edited by Austin Curtright.

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