Corri Hicks walks it off as OU softball freshmen pave way to run-rule regional victory

OU head coach Patty Gasso took a poll postgame. Even though it has been dissected like crazy about how young this OU team is, sometimes it takes things to make it really hit home.

Gasso asked her team who has actually played in a softball regional? Seven hands went up – that’s it.

So maybe early nerves or jitters were there, but it didn’t take long for the Sooners to be who they are. Fittingly enough, it was also a freshman who sent everybody home early for the No. 2 overall seed.

Corri Hicks crushed a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth to punctuate an 8-0 run-rule (five innings) victory against Boston University on Friday evening at Love’s Field in the Norman Regional.

“The celebration was different,” Gasso said. “It was louder. They were probably hitting her harder than she should’ve been pushed around. She’s been waiting. She’s got a body that is big and strong and it’s just the inexperience. Just to give her that opportunity was huge for all of us, and her confidence especially.

“She did a good job behind the plate today too. I was watching. She’s been working really hard to learn a few things and she’s taken it on and you could see it show up in the game today as well. I was really pleased with that.”

The win sets up a showdown vs. second-seeded Cal 1 p.m. Saturday in a winner’s bracket contest.

The goal Friday, though? Give players a chance. Someone who has earned shot after shot is freshman Sydney Barker. It took Barker getting the initial base hit for the team to find their footing.

OU’s top four hitters were retired before Barker had a one-out single in the bottom of the second. Everybody breathed and went back to work after that.

Barker finished the day with two hits and scored twice.

“Super happy for her,” outfielder Hannah Coor said. “She’s also extremely smart. High-level IQ at softball. She’s definitely somebody I can talk about hitting with and she just understands and wants to learn more. Super cool to see her be super successful.”

Coor, one of those seven who have actually seen postseason play, did her part. She had a two-run single in a five-run second inning. Captain Nelly McEnroe-Marinas also pitched in with a two-run single in that frame.

“Pretty good all-around game for us,” Gasso said. “Tried to give a lot of opportunities for some athletes that have been waiting their turn. Real cool to see how Corri just lit that ball up really well, walked it off for us. But giving opportunities to those guys who work really hard in practice and want them to feel what it feels like on the field. It’s different.”

It was a combination of Sam Landry and Kierston Deal in the circle. Landry had two runners on base in each of the first two innings but worked out of it. She struck out four in three innings.

Deal pitched the final two frames, striking out three.

“Sam, I don’t know if she might have felt a little nerves, but she is not somebody that walks batters or hits batters very often,” Gasso said. “I was really probably more in tune with KD, because she’s really important to this program and to this pitching staff. And she had that look on her face of boss and calm and confident, and that was huge for us.”

Up next

No. 2 overall seed OU (46-7) takes on Cal at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Bears earned a 1-0 victory against Omaha to begin the Norman Regional. Saturday’s winner will be in the driver’s seat for the regional championship Sunday (1 p.m.)

“They’re seasoned. They’re tough, they play,” said Gasso about Cal. “Play a hard style of softball for sure. Pitching duel today, which is something we expected. Both teams had very good pitchers, so I didn’t expect high-scoring game, but they’re fearless and their coach — I’ve known Chelsea for a while. She’s just that baller type, was that way in college. She was one of the best shortstops out there, and just hardnosed and her players are just like that. They play fearless.”