No. 7/8 Softball drops series finale at No. 1 Oklahoma, 9-0 (5 inn.)

Sunday, April 18

Norman, Okla.

4 p.m. CT

University of Texas

31-6, 0

#1 Oklahoma

33-0, 0

Texas

Oklahoma

No. 7/8 Softball drops series finale at No. 1 Oklahoma, 9-0 (5 inn.)

04.18.2021 | Softball

Box Score

The Longhorns left the bases loaded twice and six total runners stranded during the loss to the Sooners

NORMAN, Okla. – On Sunday afternoon at Marita Hynes Field, No. 7/8 Texas Softball (31-6, 6-3 Big 12 Conference) loaded the bases during the second and third innings, but couldn't locate the big hit needed for a breakthrough as No. 1 Oklahoma (33-0, 9-0 Big 12 Conference) completed a league series sweep, 9-0 (5 inn.)

Important Notes

Junior catcher Mary Iakopo went 3-for-5 during the series to lift her career batting average against the Sooners to a remarkable .667 (12-for-18) over seven career games.
Junior second baseman Janae Jefferson went 3-for-7 in the series and has hit .484 (15-for-31) over 10 career match-ups versus the Sooners.
The Longhorns left six runners stranded on Sunday and 13 total during the three-game series.

Major Players

Junior catcher Mary Iakopo (2-for-2); junior second baseman Janae Jefferson (1-for-3); junior left fielder Lauren Burke (1-for-3); freshman designated player Courtney Day (1-for-2); sophomore pinch hitter McKenzie Parker (1-for-2)

In the Circle

Sophomore Shea O'Leary (9-2) suffered the loss in the circle after allowing four earned runs on five hits with one walk over 2.2 innings of work.

The Details

After a quiet first inning, the Longhorns got a major threat going against Oklahoma starter Nicole May in the second. Iakopo christened the frame with a single, sophomore first baseman Colleen Sullivan followed with a walk and Day chopped a base knock through the left side to load the bases with no outs. Unfortunately for Texas, a pop-out to short and consecutive strikeouts left the bags packed as UT missed a huge early scoring opportunity.

Two crucial Texas fielding errors opened the door for the Sooners to plate three unearned runs in the bottom of the second. A miscue on a Grace Lyons chopper to open the frame and a low throw to first on a potential double play cost the Longhorns two outs. Third baseman Jana Johns made the Burnt Orange & White pay with two down by driving a three-run HR to center for a 3-0 lead.

The Longhorns threatened again in the top of the third by loading the bases with one down on consecutive singles from Jefferson, Burke and Iakopo. Once again, May escaped a big jam by registering a strikeout before inducing an inning-ending fly out to left center.

Oklahoma wasted no time adding to its advantage with two down in the bottom of the third. Center fielder Jayda Coleman hit a three-run shot to left, while designated player Lynnsie Elam followed immediately with a solo shot to left to make it 7-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, OU second baseman Tiare Jennings drove a two-run shot to left to boost the advantage to 9-0.

With one final chance to avoid the run-rule, the Longhorns went down in order on a fly out and consecutive groundouts.