Tag: Haley Lee

Social media reacts to Sooners 9-2 record-tying win over Clemson

The Oklahoma Sooners erupted for five runs in the fifth with a grand slam from Haley Lee and a home run from Alyssa Brito and social media was loving it.

Through the first three innings, Clemson starter and USA Softball National Player of the Year Finalist [autotag]Valerie Cagle[/autotag] held the Oklahoma Sooners to one hit.

Oklahoma manufactured a couple of runs, but nothing was coming easy at the plate. Then Cydney Sanders launched a two-run home run to give Oklahoma breathing room as Clemson threatened in each of the Tigers’ at-bats.

With the 4-0 lead after four, Clemson responded with a pair of runs, taking advantage of a throwing error and using some timely hitting to make it 4-2. That’s when the Sooners bats woke up.

[autotag]Rylie Boone[/autotag] reached first on a beautiful bunt single followed by base hits from [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag]. Then [autotag]Haley Lee[/autotag] came to the plate and mashed a grand slam for her 13th home run of the season. And if that wasn’t enough, Alyssa Brito followed Lee with a solo shot of her own for home run No. 15 of the season to make it 9-2.

And in a few swings of the bat, the Sooners went from a team that was facing a serious challenge to cruising to victory.

With the win, the Sooners have tied the all-time record with their 47th consecutive win.

Oklahoma Sooners advance to super regionals with 16-3 win over Cal

The Oklahoma Sooners advance to the super regional round of the NCAA tournament after a 16-3 win over California.

Oklahoma’s offense got going right out of the gate and didn’t look back as they dominated the California Golden Bears 16-3 in five innings. The Sooners hit six home runs in the game, extending their winning streak to 46 games.

[autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] got the scoring going in the first inning when she launched a homer to make it 1-0. [autotag]Haley Lee[/autotag] doubled, and [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] hit a home run to put Oklahoma up 3-0. [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag] singled, and [autotag]Cydney Sanders[/autotag] smashed a home run to extend the lead to 5-0. Jocelyn Erickson went back-to-back with Sanders with a solo shot to put the Sooners up 6-0 in the top of the first.

Jennings hit her second home run of the day in the top of the second to give the Sooners a 7-0 lead.

They kept the scoring going in the third inning. Rylie Boone brought in Hansen on an RBI single to make it 8-0 and put Oklahoma in run-rule territory. Coleman doubled to score Grace Lyons on an RBI, which made it 9-0. Jennings drove a double of her own to score Boone and Coleman and put the Sooners well out in front 11-0. Not to be outdone by Tiare Jennings, Alyssa Brito hammered her second home run of the day, a three-run shot to give Oklahoma a 14-0 lead after three.

Cal scored three runs on three hits in the third after loading the bases. Alex Storako wasn’t her sharp self, and Nicole May came in to limit the damage.

In the fourth inning, Grace Lyons hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Alynah Torres to make the score 15-3. Quincee Lilio then singled to right center and to score Jocelyn Erickson to extend the lead 16-3.

May was able to get the shutdown inning in the fourth inning before giving way to Kierston Deal who pitched a scoreless fifth.

Storako allowed five hits and three runs in 2.2 innings pitched. May and Deal combined to throw three innings of perfect ball, keeping the Golden Bears off the base paths once May entered the game.

Tiare Jennings went 4-for-4 with two home runs, four RBIs, and three runs scored. Brito was 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs and five RBIs. Haley Lee, Kinzie Hansen, and Jocelyn Erickson each had multi-hit games for the Sooners.

Oklahoma will now welcome Clemson for their three-game series in the super regional after the Tigers beat Auburn in a winner-take-all game Sunday afternoon. The Sooners’ 13 straight super regional appearances is the longest own the longest streak in the nation

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Jordy Bahl preys on the Tigers; Oklahoma beats Missouri 11-0

Jordy Bahl preys on the Missouri Tigers, allowing one hit and recording seven strikeouts in five innings of Oklahoma’s 11-0 win.

Oklahoma beat Missouri 11-0 to stay unbeaten in the Norman Regional. Oklahoma dominated the Tigers from start to finish thanks to a healthy combination of its offense and a strong performance from Jordy Bahl.

The Sooners got the scoring started as Jayda Coleman and Haley Lee reached base to put immediate pressure on the Tigers. After a double-steal, Cydney Sanders then singled, bringing in both baserunners to give Oklahoma a 2-0 lead.

The top of the order struck again in the top of the third. Coleman led off with a walk, and Lee drove her in with a double. Kinzie Hansen stepped up to the plate and launched a two-run home run to make it 5-0 after three.

The only thing notable in the fourth inning was Missouri’s lone hit of the game. Jordy Bahl, who was cruising, worked around the two-on, one-out situation with a fielder’s choice and a strikeout to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Sooners got extended their lead thanks to the base running of Haley Lee. Lee advanced to second on Kinzie Hansen’s fielder’s choice and then took third and home on a pair of wild pitches from  Missouri pitcher Megan Shumacher. Cydney Sanders then hit her sixth home run of the season to make it 7-0.

In the sixth inning, Tiare Jennings put the Sooners in run-rule territory with an sacrifice fly, but the Sooners went hunting for more. Quincee Lilio walked with the bases loaded and two outs to make it 9-0. Super senior Grace Green did what she does best, coming through in a pinch-hit situation with a pair of RBIs for an 11-0 lead.

Jordy Bahl got the start for the Sooners and was nothing short of dominant. She retired Missouri’s first nine batters. Bahl recorded seven strikeouts and allowed one hit in five innings pitched. The Big 12 first-team selection allowed just two base runners on the afternoon to improve to 16-1 on the season and lower her ERA to 1.10.

Kierston Deal relieved Bahl in the sixth and struck out two before a popup ended the game.

Jayda Coleman walked three times and scored each time she reached base. Haley Lee was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Cydney Sanders had a 2-for-3 day and Kinzie Hansen now has six RBIs in the NCAA tournament.

The Sooners have now outscored their Norman Regional opponents 22-0 and the pitching staff has allowed just two hits.

Now Oklahoma gets to breathe a bit as they wait to see who emerges from the loser’s bracket. Missouri will take on the winner of California vs. Hofstra Saturday night to see who gets to play the Sooners. The Sooners can wrap up the Norman Regional starting at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday.

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Oklahoma Sooners take home 7 NFCA All-Region honors

As Oklahoma prepares for the Norman Regional, seven Sooners were selected to the NFCA All-Region first and second team.

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set to defend their back-to-back national championships, seven players were named to the NFCA All-Region first and second teams.

That’s a hefty number and one that’s tied for the most in the nation with LSU and Oklahoma State. The Sooners and Tigers led the way with five first-team selections while the Cowgirls had four.

The Sooners could have had a couple more players make the Central All-Region team. Nicole May and Alex Storako would have been worthy considerations as well. They’ve had fantastic seasons. May is second in the nation in ERA and Storako is fourth. Though neither player has thrown more than 100 innings at this point, they’ve been instrumental in the Sooners’ 43-game winning streak.

Here’s a look at the seven players who were named to the NFCA Central All-Region team.

Sooners depth shines in 6-1 win over the Texas Longhorns

The Oklahoma Sooners depth stepped up when the top of the order was held in check by the Texas Longhorns, and that was the difference in their Big 12 title win over the Texas Longhorns.

Some days, the opposition just gets the better of your best players. That’s sort of what happened on Saturday in Oklahoma City when the Oklahoma Sooners took on the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 title game.

Texas held [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag], [autotag]Cydney Sanders[/autotag], and [autotag]Grace Lyons[/autotag] to an 0-12 day combined. The difference in the 6-1 win was the play of Haley Lee, Kinzie Hansen, Rylie Boone, Nicole May, and Jordy Bahl.

So when I say “sort of,” what I mean is the Sooners have a lot of “best players.”

Their lineup is littered with some of the best players in the country. Players that would be the best player on 99% of teams in the country. And Oklahoma needed them to come through.

Haley Lee got the scoring going with a home run and scored a few innings later. Hansen, Boone, and Brito had RBIs as well. Bahl showed off her skills in the circle, at the plate, and on the base paths helping keep the Texas bats at bay and scoring a pair of runs with elite baserunning.

We know of Bahl’s pitching ability, but because she’s an exceptional athlete, she impacts the game in every facet.

And that’s why Oklahoma is so difficult to beat. Texas held Coleman and Jennings to zero hits. They are two of the best players in the nation and National Player of the Year Finalists. And it didn’t matter because Patty Gasso has assembled a roster that can beat you up and down the order.

Hansen’s been one of the best players on the roster this year. Her ability at the plate has given Oklahoma another hitter that can change a game with one swing of the bat. Her work behind the player has been instrumental in helping the Sooners nation-best team ERA.

Rylie Boone could be the leadoff hitter for 99% of teams across the country, and she helps set the table for Coleman and Jennings at the back of the order. Her hitting ability and speed threaten teams every time she comes to the plate.

And then there’s Alyssa Brito, a Big 12 all-conference team snub. She’s continued to be a big-time player for the Sooners and came through in a big moment with her RBI double.

Haley Lee hadn’t had a multi-hit game since April 8 and with her two-hit performance against Texas, she’s now had a pair of hits in back-to-back games for the first time since March 10.

The Oklahoma Sooners are an incredibly difficult team to beat because they have a dangerous lineup 1-9, and their bench can come through in a pinch as well. It matters that they have some of the best players in the game, but it also matters that this team has the best depth in the game.

And it’s that depth that’s going to help them in their pursuit of a third-straight national title.

Social media reacts to Oklahoma Sooners 6-1 win over Texas to secure Big 12 tournament title

Best social media reacts to the Oklahoma Sooners 6-1 win over the Texas Longhorns to secure the Big 12 tournament title.

In their 6-1 win, the Oklahoma Sooners battled against two really good pitchers in Citlally Gutierrez and Estelle Czech to secure their fifth Big 12 tournament title in the last six seasons in their 6-1 win.

The top four hitters in Oklahoma’s lineup didn’t fair well, going 0-12, but it didn’t matter because the back end of the order showed off the Sooners’ depth. Haley Lee, Alyssa Brito, Kinzie Hansen, and Rylie Boone had RBIs, and Jordy Bahl scored a pair of runs to help the Sooners pick up the Big 12 championship sweep after their regular season title win.

It was a fantastic performance from Nicole May and Jordy Bahl, who allowed just one run on five hits and three walks on the day. Oklahoma showed off their hitting, pitching, and defensive prowess all weekend long and why they’re the favorite to win the national title again.

Now, the Sooners wait to hear who will join them in Norman for the regional round of the NCAA Tournament.

It was a beautiful day for softball in Norman and the crowds turned out like they do for the growing sport of collegiate softball.

With another trophy for the trophy case secured, here’s how social media reacted to the Oklahoma Sooners win over the Texas Longhorns.

Oklahoma Sooners win Big 12 championship with 6-1 win over Texas Longhorns

The Oklahoma Sooners captured the Big 12 tournament title with a 6-1 win over the Texas Longhorns.

The Oklahoma Sooners completed the Big 12 sweep with their championship game win over the Texas Longhorns 6-1.

Both sides of the Red River championship showdown had their shot in the first couple of innings, but starters [autotag]Nicole May[/autotag] and [autotag]Citally Gutierrez[/autotag] kept each side off the scoreboard. [autotag]Haley Lee[/autotag] ended the scoreless duel by blasting a solo home run to lead off the third inning.

Texas responded with a solo shot of its own off the bat of [autotag]Viviana Martinez[/autotag] in the top of the fourth to make it a 1-1 game.

The Sooners wasted little time responding to the Longhorns’ salvo in the bottom of the fourth. With one out in the inning, [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] hit a double and advanced to third on an errant throw. Brito scored on a wild pitch to give the Sooners the lead.

[autotag]Alynah Torres[/autotag] drew a walk and [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] was inserted to pinch run and stole second base. With two outs in the inning, [autotag]Rylie Boone[/autotag] drove a ball up the middle to bring [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] in from second to make it 4-1 Oklahoma.

In the sixth inning, Lee walked. With [autotag]Avery Hodge[/autotag] running for Lee and one out in the inning, [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] drove a ball to right center. Hodge scored on a throwing error, which also allowed Bahl to advance to third on the play. With [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag] at the plate, Bahl showed fantastic base running skills again, waiting out the throw from third basemen Mia Scott to dart for home, where she slid in to make the game 6-1.

After pinch running in the fourth, Bahl came into relieve [autotag]Nicole May[/autotag]. Bahl proceeded to throw three shutout innings with two hits and a walk, striking out three Longhorns to get the save. May improved to 16-0 on the season, allowing one run on three hits and a walk, with three strikeouts.

Lee led the way for the Sooners, going 2-for-2 with the home run, RBI and a walk.

The Oklahoma Sooners (51-1) and are on an incredible 43-game winning streak. The No. 1 team in the nation awaits the announcement on selection Sunday of who will join them for the Norman regional.

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Oklahoma Sooners off to roaring postseason start with 9-0 win over Iowa State

Oklahoma’s offense erupted for nine runs in the first three innings and Alex Storako, Kierston Deal, and Jordy Bahl combined to allow 1 hit in the Sooners 9-0 win over Iowa State.

It didn’t take long for the Oklahoma Sooners to announce their presence in the Big 12 championships with a 9-0 run-rule win over the Iowa State Cyclones.

[autotag]Alex Storako[/autotag] made quick work of the Cyclones in the top of the first with a 1-2-3 inning, forcing a trio of groundouts to retire the side.

Then the Sooners’ bats opened strongly with a leadoff double from [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag], who advanced to third on a wild pitch. [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] walked and stole second, and [autotag]Cydney Sanders[/autotag] walked to load the bases.

[autotag]Grace Lyons[/autotag]’ RBI single made it 1-0. [autotag]Haley Lee[/autotag] grounded into a fielder’s choice forcing Jennings out at home. Then [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] came through with a two-run double to make it 3-0. Lee attempted to score from first and was initially ruled safe at the plate, but replay review overturned the call.

Storako avoided trouble in the second when she issued back-to-back walks to open the frame by retiring the next three batters, including a pair of strikeouts to keep the Cyclones off the scoreboard.

In the bottom of the second, [autotag]Rylie Boone[/autotag] walked with one out. After a Coleman fly out to left, Boone advanced to second on a passed ball. Jennings drove Boone in to make it 4-0, and Sanders drew her second walk of the day. That’s when the captain put the game out of reach.

With two on and two out, Grace Lyons took the first pitch from Ellie Spelhaug to deep right center for a three-run home run to make the score 7-0.

Oklahoma kept the scoring going in the bottom of the third to put the game in run-rule territory when Jayda Coleman launched her team-leading 14th home run of the season to make it 9-0.

Coleman ended the day 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Lyons was 2-for-2 with four RBIs and a pair of runs scored.

Storako threw three innings, allowing no hits and two walks. She recorded three strikeouts before giving way to [autotag]Kierston Deal[/autotag]. Deal, a true freshman, threw 1.1 innings, allowing one hit, before Jordy Bahl closed out the win with a pair of strikeouts in 0.2 innings.

The Oklahoma Sooners (50-1) have won 42 in a row. Oklahoma awaits the winner of the Texas Longhorns and Kansas Jayhawks in the other semifinal game. The Sooners swept both opponents in Big 12 play.

Texas reached the semifinal overcoming a four-run deficit against Texas Tech and the Jayhawks beat the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in a game that required two days to play due to inclement weather.

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Jordy Bahl battles, Cydney Sanders erases early deficit in Sooners 8-3 win over Oklahoma State

Jordy Bahl locked in after allowing a first inning home run, and Cydney Sanders continued her hot run going 3-for-5 with a three-run home run, in Oklahoma’s 8-3 win over Oklahoma State.

The Oklahoma Sooners took advantage of a tight strike zone against Oklahoma State Cowgirls ace [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] to get on the board in the top of the first.

[autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] walked, and [autotag]Cydney Sanders[/autotag] moved her to second with a single. With two outs in the inning, [autotag]Alyssa Brito[/autotag] and [autotag]Haley Lee[/autotag] earned back-to-back walks to bring Jennings in to take a 1-0 lead.

However, that 1-0 lead was shortlived as the Cowgirls put pressure on Jordy Bahl in the bottom half of the inning. Oklahoma State’s [autotag]Rachel Becker[/autotag] led off with a walk, and [autotag]Kiley Naomi[/autotag] earned a one-out walk to put two on for outfielder Cheyenne Factor. Factor took the first pitch she saw from Jordy Bahl and launched it to left center to give the Cowgirls a 3-1 lead.

[autotag]Katelynn Carwile[/autotag] earned a two-out walk, a third of the inning for Bahl, and [autotag]Morgyn Wynne[/autotag] followed that with a double to put runners on second and third. Bahl locked in and struck out Taylor Tuck on three pitches to end the threat.

The Sooners came out strong in the top of the first in an effort to reassert their first inning lead. Rylie Boone led off with a walk, and [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] was hit by a pitch following Sophia Nugent’s strikeout. After a fielder’s choice by Tiare Jennings moved Boone to third, Coleman was put out at second, leaving runners on first and third with two outs.

Continuing to trend in a positive direction for the Sooners, sophomore Cydney Sanders took a 2-0 offering to right center field to give the Sooners a 4-3 lead and they wouldn’t look back.

Bahl responded from her difficult first inning to shut the door with the help of some excellent defense from the Sooners. The sophomore pitcher allowed just four base runners the rest of the way.

 

Alynah Torres provided an insurance run in the fifth inning and Oklahoma added a run in the sixth on Alyssa Brito’s team-tying 13th home run of the season. But Oklahoma wasn’t done there, putting a pair of runs across the plate in the seventh to put the game out of reach for the Cowgirls with the way Bahl was pitching.

Jordy Bahl struck out eight in the complete game effort, scattering five hits, four walks, and a hit by pitch across her seven innings of work. The first inning home run was the first run allowed for the USA Softball National Player of the Year finalist since March 31 vs. Texas. Bahl improved to 15-1 on the season and her ERA is sitting at 1.19.

Cydney Sanders continued her hot stretch of the season, posting a 3-for-5 effort with the three-run home run and a run score. Back on April 1 against Texas, Sanders’ batting average dropped to .214 on the season. She’s raised it to .294 over the last five weeks, batting .400 with four home runs, 12 RBIs, and 11 runs scored.

In addition to the offensive outburst from Sanders and Brito, the two combined for an incredible defensive effort in the bottom of the fourth.

The Oklahoma Sooners extended their winning streak to 39 games and are now 16-0 in Big 12 play and 47-1 on the season. Game two of the series can be seen on ESPN on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT.

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No. 1 Oklahoma Softball at No. 7/6 Oklahoma State: How to watch, weekend preview, key players

The Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowgirls get set for a top 10 Bedlam matchup.

For the final week of the regular season, all eyes turn to Stillwater, Oklahoma for 2023’s edition of Bedlam Softball.

The Oklahoma Sooners come in 46-1 and 15-0 in Big 12 play, riding a nation’s best 38-game winning streak. Oklahoma State is 45-10 and 10-5 in conference play. They’ve lost seven of their last nine games, including upset losses to Texas Tech, Iowa State, Wichita State, UNT, and were swept by the Texas Longhorns in Austin.

Though the Cowgirls are reeling a bit, they’re a force on the diamond and have gone 19-3 at home this season.

As the Sooners and Cowgirls get set for Bedlam Softball in Stillwater, here’s a look at how you can tune in, players to watch, a series outlook, and our prediction.