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OU ties NCAA win streak record with 9-2 victory over Clemson in Norman Super Regional: Highlights, reactions, details

Jordy Bahl

Sophomore pitcher Jordy Bahl during Game 2 of the Norman Regional on May 20.

 Reghan Kyle/OU Daily

Oklahoma (55-1) topped Clemson (49-11) 9-2 in Game 1 of the Norman Super Regional on Friday. The win ties the NCAA record of 47 consecutive wins, set by Arizona from 1996-97.

Game two is at noon on Saturday on ESPN. The Sooners will be the designated away team. 

Here are the highlights, reactions and details from OU's win:

Fast Facts

  • OU plated two runs in the first two innings with a sacrifice fly from senior designated player Haley Lee in the first inning and a passed ball in the second inning. The Sooners came to bat in six innings, scoring in four of them.

  • Sophomore pitcher Jordy Bahl struck out six batters and gave up one earned run in 5.1 innings pitched. She was relieved by senior Alex Storako in the sixth inning, who pitched the final 1.2 innings to seal the win. 

  • Lee hit OU’s first grand slam since Alyssa Brito’s against Tulsa on May 2. It was her 14th home run of the season.

  • Sophomore infielder Cydney Sanders has three home runs in the last three games after hitting a two-run shot against the Tigers. She now has eight home runs this season. 

  • The Sooners had multiple errors in a game for just the fourth time this season, and for the first time since April 30 against Kansas. Both came in the fifth inning on an errant throw into the infield from junior outfielder Rylie Boone and a fielding error from Brito.

Quotes

OU coach Patty Gasso on OU’s 47-game winning streak: “They don't care about streaks. They don't care about those things. They’re meant to be broken, then they just fade away. They want to be standing at the end of the season saying ‘We're the best team in the country.’ They know how to do it in a way that nobody else does. They don't leave the field devastated after anything. They understand that this is a game. It’s supposed to be fun. It's important that this team looks out for each other and remembers what our purpose is and what our goal is. (The winning streak) kind of popped up. I didn't even know it was a thing until I started hearing people talk about it. Would it be an honor? Yes, because it's Arizona, and what Arizona did back in the day was phenomenal … but we're gonna stay focused on what’s ahead.”

Bahl on OU’s fifth-inning rally: “I just think it’s really fun when we come together as a team and are like, ‘Alright, let's rally.’ It's almost like there's a switch flipped and it just happens that fast. You can feel like something's gonna happen. It’s just super cool to know that these hitters have my back and they can do it anytime.”

Lee on her grand slam: “You're thinking to just do something to help runners advance. I looked at third base and just told myself ‘Slow it down and find your pitch.’ Just finding your pitch and slowing the game down for myself was the process. You can feel it. Everybody's excited. We had three base hits. Many things happened in that (fifth) inning and it was quick. You can feel it speed up. We just locked onto one pitch.”

Highlights

Junior outfielder Jayda Coleman made a leaping catch in the first inning to retire Clemson's McKenzie Clark. She went 2-3 at the plate with a double.

Junior catcher Kinzie Hansen made a sliding catch behind the plate to end the top of the first inning. 

Sanders belted a deep two-run home run in the fourth inning to double OU's lead to 4-0. 

After Clemson scored twice in the fifth, Lee shot a grand slam to center field to double OU's lead once more to 8-2. She ended the game with five RBIs.

Then, junior infielder Brito hit a solo home run to extend the Sooners' lead to 9-2. She now leads OU with 16 home runs this season.

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