May 27, 2023 Issue, Page 25 of 32

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May 27, 2023 The Elk City News -3 Sports Sooners tie NCAA tourney record for home runs, advance to Super Regionals Tarik Masri, The Norman By the end of the first in- Regionals for the 13th season When the Sooners went ‘The Sooners tied the NCAA bottom of the third, they Transcript ning, Oklahoma had a 6-0 ina row. The Sooners will host back to the plate in the top tournament record for home trailed 14-0. lead with four of its six hits Clemson at home in a three- of the third, it was small ball runs in a single game. The Oklahoma starting pitcher What is left to say toa team resulting in a home run. game series this weekend. that kept the offense rolling. mark has been set six times, Alex Storako allowed two hits that’s hitting the ball so well As the Sooners laid the Tiare Jennings, who start- ‘The Sooners got their first with half of those coming heading into the inning be- that they seemingly can do no groundwork for a 16-3 run- ed the Sooners’ home run run of the inning when Grace from the Sooners (most re- fore giving up a double and wrong? rule win over the Bears, Gasso party in the first inning, went Lyons stole second and the cently in the Women’s Col- a walk to set up an RBI-sin- That’s the position Okla- said she just wanted to make back to the plate in the sec- Bears’ catcher sailed the lege World Series final against gle from Kacey Zobac. Sona homa head coach Patty Gasso sure her team continued to ond and hit another over the throw into the outfield, allow- Texas last season). found herself in the top of the stay ready for their next op- right field wall to extend the ing Kinzie Hansen to score. “We knew that this is a day Halajian also drove in a run on a single and the Sooners first inning of Sunday's NCAA portunity. lead to 7-0. Rylie Boone executed a that a lot of teams’ seasons brought in Nicole May to re- Norman Regional final. Cali- “[ think I just try to remind Alyssa Brito, Cydney Sand- perfectly place bunt to move itendwouldn't today and we just decided place Storako. be ours today,” fornia’s starting pitcher got a them to not get complacent,” ers and Jocelyn Erickson each Lyons up to third, and Cole- Gasso said. “So May retired the next four they came out batters and Kierston Deal put rare strikeout on Jayda Cole- she said. “You could just get also went yard in the opening man and Jennings brought and punched really quickly man to lead off the game. bored and kind of sit on a inning. in two more runs with a pair and just kind of kept it going down the last three Bears in After that, the Sooners score. To make every oppor- “Tt felt like a party, hon- of doubles. Brito closed out a throughout the entire game, order to secure the win. went home run, double, home tunity you can to help make estly,” Brito said about the seven-run third inning on a all parts of the game were came up and hit the ball run, single, home run, home you better.” first inning explosion. “It was rocket to centerfield that gave working well for us.” hard. So it was a great start. run before picking up their With the win, Oklahoma super fun, And everyone had the Sooners’ their sixth home By the time the Bears got It kind of started the momen- second out. advances to the NCAA Super really great energy.” run of the game. their offense rolling in the tum for the rest of the game.” ‘That was just insane’: Becker, Edwards lead late rally to send OSU to Super Regionals Jon Walker, Stillwater shape here.” A pair of teammates ran run on three hits to show for season at-bat. She, similar to moments, I wanted to step in NewsPress. Becker took the first pitch over and hoisted her onto the first six innings. Edwards, pulled through with and be in those moments.” of the at-bat and rocketed it their shoulders and into the The same was true for the asingle. Becker, Edwards and OSU Rachel Becker woke up back up the middle, plating air. That's when the thou- Huskers, whose only runs of “This freshman class is fear- will host Oregon for a best-of- Sunday morning longing for two as part of OSU's four-run sand-plus in attendance, on the contest came in the bot- less,” Gajewski said. “It’s re- three Super Regional starting the type of opportunity that seventh, a rally that propelled their feet from what had just tom of the fifth inning via ally cool to see.” 8 p.m. Thursday in Stillwater. presented itself that after- the Cowgirls to an eventual occurred in the moments be- two wild pitches from Cow- Edwards was never sup- The Ducks run-ruled No. 11 noon. 5-2 win over the Huskers and fore then, started to chant girls senior Lexi Kilfoyl, who posed to be in this position. Arkansas in the Fayetteville Oklahoma State softball into a fourth consecutive Su- her name over and over. had entered in relief of ace She shouldn't have ever been Regional to advance. trailed Nebraska by a single per Regional. “It was awesome,” Becker Kelly Maxwell (4.1 IP, 2 ER, 7 at the plate to spark a game- The Cowgirls making it out run in the top of the seventh. “That's just somethingI feel said. “Like, that was just in- H, 7K on 74 pitches). winning rally for one of the of this weekend would send The Cowgirls were down to like I’ve been waiting for my sane.” “['ve never seen that in top teams in the country. them to the Women’s College their final two outs with the whole career,” Becker said. The Cowgirls (44-14) my time,” Gajewski said. “So, Last summer, she had a World Series for the fourth bases loaded, and Becker — “Stepping up to the plate, my wouldn’t have been sent that's a first — back-to-back choice to make. time in as many seasons. But their star second baseman heart was beating a little bit. home if Becker hadn’t come — but it is what it She wanted to finish her for the time being, OSU will playing in her first postsea- I was feeling it, but I knew if through in the clutch. A Ne- ‘Then, with one out in the playing career at Southmoore take being one of 16 teams son after a storied four years I saw my pitch, I was gonna braska (36-22) win would’ve top of the seventh, OSU left High School this past fall. still standing after winning a at Purdue — had yet to record swing hard at it” forced a second, winner-take- fielder Tallen Edwards got ‘The plan, she thought, would fourth-straight Regional. “It's awesome. I mean, four a hit through three prior trips Once Cowgirls shortstop the wheels turning on the be to join the Cowgirls dur- all game right after. But after in a row. It’s pretty cool,” Ga- to the dish. Kiley Naomi reeled in a shal- ravaging through the first rally that helped the Cowgirls ing winter break and go from jewski said. “When I took this Still, Kenny Gajewski’s low pop-up and fired to first two days of the Stillwater Re- reach the finish line. there. But that isn’t the way job, I never thought, ‘Well, confidence hadn't wavered. for a game-ending double gional, it never seemed likely Edwards was already re- it works, and Gajewski had to OK, we're gonna go to four And it wasn’t going to change play, and following a celebra- that OSU would be on the sponsible for the Pokes’ only let her know that. in a row. I didn’t think about then. tion-filled flock in the middle ropes. run up to that point with If she hadn't made her way any of that stuff.” “{ just remember I walked of the diamond, Becker made Runs didn’t come as eas- to Stillwater, she’d be gradu- an RBI double in the fourth. And now? over to one of our coaches, her way over toward OSU's ily as they did in a 9-0 win ‘This time was bigger, though. ating from Southmoore on “T have one of the best jobs and I said, ‘I don’t think I dugout and threw on a head- over UMBC on Friday and a And she delivered, ripping a Monday evening. in the country, hands down,” could've drawn this thing up set. 6-0 triumph against Wichita ground ball down the third- “This is what I left high he added. “I have a lot of any better than this,” Gajew- There, she talked with ES- State on Saturday. The Cow- base line. school for,” Edwards said. “I friends who are jealous of this ski said. “I just kind of looked PN’s broadcast crew about girls barreled a ton of pitches, Catcher Taylor Tuck, a Still- knew what I was stepping job” at (Becker), gave her a little her and her teammates’ late- getting ahold and sending water native, was due up di- into. That’s the main reason I Follow News Press sports encouragement, and she just game heroics. And it was them to the outfield. rectly after. Instead, Gajewski made this decision. I watched reporter on Twitter @ByJon- looked like the Rachel that I there that Becker was en- But they all found the glove turned to Katie Lott, another a lot of Oklahoma State's Walker for updates on Okla- always see every day. grained into the history of of one of Nebraska's outfield- freshman who was set to games last year, and being homa State athletics and “I was like, ‘We're in good Cowgirl Stadium. ers, and OSU had only one pinch hit for her first post- able to see the girls in those more. 620 Highway 66, Canute, OK 73626 | 833.782.6500 | banksovereign EQUAL HOUSING Member FDIC LENDER