OU softball rediscovers groove in run-rule win vs BYU as Kierston Deal, Ella Parker shine
Good things keep happening for OU softball with Kierston Deal starting in the circle.
Deal continued her dominance in starts this season, narrowly missing a no-hitter as OU beat BYU 13-2 in five innings at Devon Park to advance to the Big 12 Tournament championship game.
The Sooners (48-6) will take on the winner of Friday’s late game between Texas and Baylor at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
In her last 13 starts, Deal is 12-0 with a 0.56 ERA, 61 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 62 innings.
“She really looked confident,” Sooners coach Patty Gasso said of Deal. “She did a good job of getting ahead and keeping them off balance. That’s a very good hitting team. We all have seen that. So for KD to keep them off balance and jeep the ball in the park — and I know in the (fifth), it’s a little bit different. I’m not makin g an excuse for her because she’s very upset over that. But she threw a great game.”
Deal took the no-hitter into the fifth and quickly retired the first two hitters.
But Macy Simmons dropped one into right, just out of reach of the dive of Quincee Lilio. Hailey Morrow followed with a two-run home run to center before Deal retired Maddie Bejarano to end the game.
“Just staying in the, ‘OK that just happened, next-pitch’ mentality has kind of helped me grow and helped me to bounce back faster,” Deal said of her evolution this season.
Here are three more takeaways from the win:
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Ella Parker continues to roll
Freshman Ella Parker continues to rake at the Big 12 Tournament.
Parker started the scoring Friday with a solo homer to right in the first inning and added two RBI hits in OU’s eight-run fourth.
Parker finished 3 for 4 with two runs and three RBIs in the game.
In the Sooners’ two tournament wins, Parker is 5 for 6 with four runs and five RBIs.
“I’m just free,” Parker said. “Playing with an empty mind, not letting any situation get the best of me. My breathing has been really helping me. Just keeping myself locked in.”
OU’s other freshman regular in the lineup, Kasidi Pickering, was 2 for 2 with three RBIs Friday.
“They just can’t be stopped,” Gasso said of Parker and Pickering. “They are really smart hitters and they are very poised hitters. They don’t get too excited. You can see them kind of, between pitches, kind of talk and say something out loud to themselves, and then they stop back in and they reset.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen freshmen be so poised and confident and strong.”
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Sooners hitting keeps coming up clutch
In back-to-back losses to Oklahoma State last week, the Sooners put plenty of runners on base, but were just 3 of 17 (.176) with runners in scoring position.
That trend has reversed in the Big 12 Tournament.
The Sooners went 8 of 14 with runners in scoring position in Friday’s win after going 5 of 11 in Thursday’s 10-1 win over Kansas.
The difference was never more evident than in the fourth inning Friday, where OU scored eight.
Ella Parker, Alyssa Brito, Kinzie Hansen and Hannah Coor had back-to-back-to-back RBI hits with runners in scoring position.
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Sooners pitching in good shape for final
With Kelly Maxwell throwing just three innings in the opener (51 pitches) and Nicole May and Karlie Keeney yet to appear in the tournament, the Sooners’ are in excellent position pitching-wise heading into the championship game.
“I feel really good,” Gasso said. “I think all hands are on deck. We were kind of hoping for this opportunity, one to face Texas and two to get better from it.”
Gasso stopped herself, noting that the championship matchup wasn’t yet set.
“IF they win,” Gasso said.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball rolls past BYU as Ella Parker continues strong Big 12 run
