Oklahoma (50-6, 22-5 Big 12) defeated Cleveland State (22-25, 15-10 Horizon) 9-0 in six innings in the NCAA Norman Regional at Love’s Field in Norman on Friday night.
Freshman Kasidi Pickering went 3 for 3, recorded two home runs, a single and two RBIs.
Here are the three takeaways from the Sooners’ win:
May finds her groove on the mound
Senior pitcher Nicole May appeared in her first start since May 4 against Oklahoma State. Against the Cowgirls she struggled and gave up three runs and eight hits in the Sooners’ loss.
Last week against Texas in the Big 12 tournament championship game, the right-hander came in relief for graduate transfer Kelly Maxwell, where she delivered one of her best performances of the season.
May pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowed zero runs and hits and recorded three strikeouts against the Longhorns. Her performance in the Big 12 championship seems to have provided new energy for the senior pitcher.
On Friday night against Cleveland State, the right-hander was dominant all night and stayed consistent throughout the game.
The major factor in May’s appearance was her ability to limit the big inning. She was able to keep the pressure off of the Oklahoma offense by not allowing a run.
May was replaced by graduate transfer Karlie Keeney in the sixth.
Despite allowing three hits, May recorded nine strikeouts, walked zero batters and pitched for five innings. It was an efficient outing for the senior who has faced criticism this season for her inconsistencies.
Sooners’ offense faces struggles, bounces back in the fourth
Unlike Oklahoma’s last four games against Oklahoma State, Kansas, BYU and Texas, where their offense was batting efficiently and was able to put up multiple runs early in each appearance, it was the opposite in the Sooners’ outing against Cleveland State.
OU had only recorded two hits up until the fourth.
Despite the late start, senior outfielder Rylie Boone injected energy into the Sooners offense when she hit an RBI single, bringing home sophomore infielder Avery Hodge in the fourth. Boone’s run-scoring single led the way for more runs within the same inning.
Senior outfielder Jayda Coleman hit an RBI triple, her first of the season and added to the Sooners’ lead. Coleman’s triple was followed by an RBI single by freshman Ella Parker, giving the Sooners a 4-0 lead in the fourth.
FIRE US UP J COLE@jaydac00 triples home @rylieboonee and it's a three-run game!#ChampionshipMindset | @ESPNU pic.twitter.com/4cOVXu8bZv
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) May 18, 2024
Parker hit a two-run double in the sixth, which led to senior shortstop Tiare Jennings hitting a two-run homer to end the game and give the Sooners the win.
Jennings is now tied for fifth with Sierra Romero In NCAA’s all-time RBI list.
Overall, OU batted 11 for 25, earned four walks, and only struck out three times.
Pickering’s solid performance provided comfort for the Sooners
Freshman utility Kasidi Pickering increased the chances of the Sooners not trailing on Friday night when she hit her eighth home run of the year in the second, giving Oklahoma a 1-0 lead.
The left-handed hitter led off for the Sooners in the inning and followed up the solo homer with a single to the right side of the field.
Pickering recorded another solo homer in the fifth. The home run gave Oklahoma a 5-0 lead.
The @PickeringKasidi Game ™️#ChampionshipMindset | @ESPNU https://t.co/5a3oOksp6i pic.twitter.com/JAyQaQ7TEb
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) May 18, 2024
Next, the Sooners will play Oregon (29-19, 13-10 Pac 12) at 2 p.m. on Saturday May 18 at Love’s Field in Norman on ESPN+.
