OU softball completes Bedlam sweep at Oklahoma State, extends win streak to 41 games
STILLWATER — The OU softball team saved the least dramatic game for last.
The top-ranked Sooners finished off the Bedlam sweep of No. 7 Oklahoma State with a ho-hum 5-1 win before 1,565 fans on Sunday at Cowgirl Stadium.
After a Friday opener with its share of wackiness and the Sooners’ thrilling seventh-inning rally on Saturday, the finale lacked such intrigue, though the win had some program significance for OU.
The win was its 41st in a row, tying the program record for longest win streak (set in 2019), and six away from matching the NCAA record of 47 in a row set by Arizona in 1996-97.
“A lot of work, a lot of trust, staying healthy, doing the right thing,” said OU coach Patty Gasso, whose team concluded the regular season with a 48-1 overall record and 18-0 in Big 12 play. “It’s incredibly hard to go through the Big 12 undefeated. It’s their goal, but they don’t talk about it a lot. They just know what it takes day-to-day to grind, having to be really clutch. There’s a lot that goes with it.
“It’s a big milestone for them. To be in the record books, that means a lot for them. And it’s the momentum to push us into postseason.”
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The Sooners will be the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament, set to open Thursday at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City — though the Sooners earn the first-round bye and won’t play until 1 p.m. Friday.
OSU, on the other hand, will be the No. 3 seed and open against Kansas at 6 p.m. Thursday.
With the sweep by OU, the Cowgirls have lost 10 of their last 12 games, so the Big 12 Tournament provides an opportunity for a momentum boost as well as more positive impact on their case to maintain a top-eight seed in the NCAA bracket. OSU was the No. 4 team in NCAA softball RPI rankings entering the weekend.
“I don’t think these are gonna hurt us bad enough when you’re playing the No. 1,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said of the OU losses. “RPI is hard to figure at times, so we’ll see. Obviously, when they look at your last 10, it’s not very good. But hopefully we’ve done enough throughout the whole year that we’ve got that.”
OU senior shortstop Grace Lyons went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in to lead the way Sunday. She doubled in the third inning to score two, then OU added two more in the fifth after an OSU error gave the Sooners an extra out. Alynah Torres’ two-out double plated a pair.
OU extended its lead to 5-0 in the top of the sixth on Lyons’ sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Jayda Coleman from third base.
“Grace was wonderful,” Gasso said. “Just did whatever she had to do to help the team. Really loved her intent today and her leadership.”
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OU pitcher Alex Storako was sharp all day, with the Cowgirls finally breaking through for a run in the bottom of the sixth. Chyenne Factor singled and scored on a double down the right field line by Micaela Wark.
Storako closed the door from there, allowing a run on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
OSU starter Lexi Kilfoyl gave up five runs on seven hits in six innings with four walks and five strikeouts.
Though his team had suffered some ugly losses in the past two weeks, Gajewski saw positives from his squad, even if it didn’t produce victories in Bedlam.
“Credit to OU, they’re tough, and you have to be physically, mentally and emotionally tough, and we kind of ran out of a little bit of steam here at the end,” he said. “I’m proud of our kids. The product of doing things right over and over again, that will pay off. We had a little lull where I feel like we’re back on track here as a team. Unfortunately it doesn’t guarantee you success, especially against a team like them.
“We’ve got work to do. I have no worries that we won’t get that work done. We have a lot we can draw from in this, but I’m not much for moral wins. So we gotta buckle down.”
Big 12 softball tournament
At USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium
Thursday’s games
Game 1: No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 5 Iowa State, Noon (ESPN+)
Game 2: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 7 Texas Tech, 3 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 3: No. 3 Oklahoma St. vs. No. 6 Kansas, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Friday’s games
Game 4: Oklahoma vs. Game 1 winner, 1 p.m. (ESPNU)
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday’s game
Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball sweeps Bedlam at OSU, extends win streak to 41 games
