NORMAN, Okla. – Following a scoreless first inning, four-time defending national champion Oklahoma pulled away to defeat the Boston University softball team, 8-0, in the Norman Regional opener Friday evening at Love's Field.
With the five-inning run-rule decision, the No. 2 national seed Sooners improve to 46-7 and will next face California at 2 p.m. ET. The Patriot League champion Terriers (39-18) will next face Summit League champion Omaha at 4:30 p.m. ET after the Golden Bears edged the Mavericks, 1-0, in the first game Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Terriers had two on to start via freshman Camryn Lyons' one-out hit-by-pitch and junior Megan Coyle's two-out walk, but the Sooners ended the threat with an infield pop up.
- In the bottom half, two-time PL Pitcher of the Year Kasey Ricard (26-11) quickly retired the side with a pair of strikeouts.
- In the second, BU again had two on base, this time with one out following a infield singles by senior Tyesha Williams and sophomore Livia Christopher.
- OU ended the threat with a ground out and fly out to grab momentum heading into the bottom half.
- The Sooners loaded the bases with three straight one-out singles and followed with an RBI hit-by-pitch and two-RBI single against Ricard.
- OU loaded the bases again on a walk from freshman Danika Nell and added a two-RBI single to center for the 5-0 advantage.
- Following a quick 1-2-3 in the top of the third, OU earned a combined two runs off one hit, two errors and three walks against Nell, freshman Ava Johnson and junior Haley Ganino to extend the lead to 7-0.
- After Ganino retired the side in the bottom of the fourth, junior Brooke Deppiesse drove a 2-1 pitch to left center with one out in the fifth.
- The Sooners though earned a strikeout alongisde an infield pop up to keep the shutout alive, as Corri Hicks started off with a walk-off homer against Ganino.
UP NEXT
- BU and Omaha will face off for the second time ever after BU won the first meeting in 2019 during a multi-team event hosted by Arkansas.
- The two programs are scheduled to face off at 4:30 p.m. ET.
- The winner of the game will advance to the second elimination contest against the loser of the OU-Cal matchup that starts off the competition at 2:00 p.m. ET.