3 Stars from Oklahoma’s 5-0 weekend in the Cowgirl Challenge
The Oklahoma Sooners just completed a 5-0 weekend in Lake Charles, La. at the Cowgirl Challenge hosted by McNeese State.
Though the schedule may not have been as daunting as the week before, McNeese State and Central Arkansas were NCAA tournament teams in 2023 that represented themselves well in the regional. McNeese State nearly pulled off the upset to advance to the Super Regionals.
Against a couple of rising programs, the Sooners outscored the opposition 36-1 in the five games, earning a trio of run rules.
The pitching staff threw four shutouts as Patty Gasso and Jennifer Rocha went deep into their arsenal, utilizing six different pitchers during the weekend.
After another tremendous weekend in which the Sooners extended their winning streak to 62 games, and haven’t lost now in more than a year, here are the three stars and a few honorable mentions from the weekend.
No. 3 Star: Rylie Boone, OF
After her RBI single beat Washington in Mexico, Rylie Boone had another strong weekend in Lake Charles. Boone collected six RBIs on Friday and Saturday alone. In Oklahoma’s first three games of the weekend, Boone went 4-for-7 with a triple, a walk, and her six RBIs.
No. 2 Star: Nicole May, P
Nicole May had another strong weekend for the Oklahoma Sooners, throwing 6.1 innings pitched, allowing zero runs, and just three base runners (a hit and two walks) on the weekend. May recorded 11 strikeouts between her two outings.
She’s off to a tremendous start to the 2023 season.
No. 1 Star: Tiare Jennings , 2B
Honorable Mention: Kelly Maxwell, P
Kelly Maxwell allowed a first inning home run in her start vs. McNeese State. She then proceeded to record eight strikeouts and throw four scoreless innings afterward. She then threw 1.1 innings of scoreless relief over the rest of the weekend and has been everything OU could have imagined after transferring from Oklahoma State.
Honorable Mention: Ella Parker
Ella Parker has made an impact early in her Sooners career. And over the weekend, hit her first career home run. It was a shot to dead centerfield. She’s displayed power and speed when she’s gotten opportunities.
Parker was 4-for-10 with the home run, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
Honorable Mention: Second-Year Pitchers
After a sluggish start in Puerto Vallarta, Kierston Deal came back with a vengeance in her start against Lamar, throwing five innings of one-hit ball and recording 10 strikeouts.
S.J. Guerin earned her first opportunity to take the circle for the Sooners in the Cowgirl Challenge. And she proceeded to strikeout the first batter she faced. Across 3.1 innings over the weekend, she allowed no hits, no walks, and struck out three.
