Tag: Courtyard Marriott Tournament

Oklahoma softball drops to No. 6 in USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Oklahoma softball dropped one spot to No. 6 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll after losing their fourth game of the year over the weekend. 

Oklahoma softball dropped one spot to No. 6 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll after losing their fourth game of the year over the weekend. 

The Sooners won the Courtyard Marriott Tournament over the weekend, finishing 4-1 with wins over Northwestern, Abilene Christian and North Texas. 

Oklahoma (15-4) is continuing to persevere through youth and injury, but lost Saturday’s early matchup against North Texas 4-3. The loss allowed Arizona (17-3) , who was previously No. 7, to vault over the Sooners to No. 4. Fifth-ranked LSU dropped one spot. Defending champions UCLA hold the top spot, followed by Washington, who beat Oklahoma 12-2 in late February.

Head coach Patty Gasso will be the first to tell you the Sooners aren’t playing their best ball, but there are positives, starting with the fact Oklahoma has already bested the team that jumped them: Arizona. 

When asked when her team should be hitting their stride, Patty Gasso said it would take some time. “I think normally by the time we start Big 12 play.. Sometimes we’re not even ready by then. But as long we get there I’m okay.” she said.

In mid-February, Oklahoma sealed a 6-4 come-from-behind win over the Wildcats by scoring two runs in the top of the 10th inning. The Sooners’ rotation of Macy McAdoo, Olivia Rains and Shannon Saile combined for only three strikeouts.

Oklahoma isn’t where they want to be, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. 

The Sooners’ next matchup is Wednesday, March 4 against Wichita State at 6 p.m. in Norman.

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No. 5 Oklahoma wins Courtyard Marriott Tournament

The Sooners exploded for five runs in the fifth inning to top Northwestern 5-1 and claim the Courtyard Marriott Tournament. 

For the first time since the 2019 World Series, Nicole Mendes stepped up to the plate with a chance to give Oklahoma the lead on Sunday.

The senior’s brace was the only indicator of a torn ACL last fall, as her swing was smooth early in her at bat.

On the fifth, she connected hard enough to ricochet the ball off the Northwestern first baseman’s glove. Mendes reach first safely, and freshman Kinzie Hansen streaked home to put the Sooners ahead 2-1.

Mendes was among the four Sooners with an RBI in the fifth inning Sunday, as they exploded for five runs in the inning to top Northwestern 5-1 and claim the Courtyard Marriott Tournament.

“I’m not gonna lie, it’s been a really hard process,” Mendes said after Sunday’s game. “I’ve had to learn a lot. Make a lot of adjustments and grow up as a person and as a player. But to be able to watch this team, as young as we are and as depleted as we are, watch us grow and work together… It’s been really fun to watch.”

Oklahoma’s weekend began with an 8-3 win over the very same team, as Lynnsie Elam finished 2-for-3 with 3 RBI’s.

In their second game Friday, Elam, Eliyah Flores and Raylee Pogue all hit solo home runs in the third inning to push the Sooners past Abilene Christian 4-2.

The Sooners split Saturday’s games with North Texas, dropping the first game in a tight contest 4-3. The Mean Green out-hit the Sooners 9-8.

After suffering their fifth loss of the year, the Sooners turned around and smacked 17 hits in their second game against UNT. Eight different players finished with home runs in the contest.

On Sunday, Shannon Saile put together the Sooners most consistent pitching performance of the weekend, going all seven innings and striking out 10 different batters.

“Today was her best day, no doubt.” head coach Patty Gasso said after Saile’s performance Sunday. “Just really calm, very much in control. Much better job being ahead of hitters. We’ve got a lot of work to do and this team is ready to do it.”

Oklahoma now looks to a five-game home-stand that begins this Wednesday. The Sooners slate starts with Wichita State at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, and Mercer and Utah at 2:30 and 5 p.m. on Friday, respectively. They’ll finish their week with Murray State at 2:30 p.m. and Missouri State at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

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