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Oklahoma

Ella Parker with the walk-off bomb for OU softball to open the WCWS

Bob Przybyloby:Bob Przybylo•05/29/25•

BPrzybylo

Syndication: The Oklahoman
OU freshman Ella Parker. (Bryan Terry - The Oklahoman/USA TODAY Network).

OKLAHOMA CITY – OU softball just kept making Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens work. Wasn’t always effective, but she had to make another pitch.

The final pitch, No. 129? Ella Parker said it was time. The Sooners sophomore star with an improbable three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to give OU a 4-3 victory against the Vols in the first round of the Women’s College World Series on Thursday afternoon at Devon Park.

OU trailed 3-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. A leadoff walk to Ailana Agbayani got things going, and Kasidi Pickering kept the game alive with a two-out single.

Then it was Parker. She came through in the first inning with a solo shot. This one? Another no-doubter to send the OU-heavy crowd into a frenzy.

It was an afternoon of some uncharacteristic mistakes by OU, maybe showing the nerves.

OU allowed a run in the first inning via passed ball by catcher Isabela Emerling. Then former Sooner, Sophia Nugent, brought in the second run on a sacrifice fly.

Then for the Vols’ third run, it was a fielding error by Kasidi Pickering, who dropped a fly ball that would have been the final out in the third inning.

The type of mistakes you just normally do not see from Patty Gasso’s club.

It was a gritty effort from OU ace Sam Landry, not necessarily a great one. The Vols worked the count numerous times. But after solid contact early, Landry did settle down.

She allowed eight hits in seven innings with one earned run, four walks and two strikeouts. Landry is now 24-4 this season and threw 139 pitches vs. the Vols.

Landry kept them in it until Parker could take them home.

Up next

OU gets the day off. And maybe the fans need it after a game like that. The Sooners (51-7) will take on No. 6 Texas in a winner’s bracket matchup 2 p.m. Saturday on ABC. OU swept the Longhorns in Norman earlier this season. And, of course, beat Texas in the championship series in 2024.

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