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Isabela Emerling, Sam Landry power OU softball to victory

Bob Przybyloby:Bob Przybylo•about 10 hours•

BPrzybylo

Isabela Emerling2
OU catcher Isabela Emerling. (Bryan Terry - Imagn Images

Maybe getting to Love’s Field is exactly what OU softball catcher Isabela Emerling needed. A big-time transfer addition for the Sooners, but definitely off to a rough start.

Those numbers went up in a huge way with her performance Sunday. Emerling at the plate and Sam Landry in the circle, and that’s another victory for the Sooners.

OU moved to 12-0 with an 8-1 win Sunday afternoon against visiting Wichita State. Head coach Patty Gasso continues to like the ever-improving mentality of the team.

“I really loved what Sam did today, the changeup and equalized things, moved the ball well, Gasso said. “That’s a good hitting team. Wichita is a good hitting team, always struggle with them. Was really happy with this connection here (Emerling, Landry). Really happy for this one (Emerling), been taking some big swings, some good hard-hitting connections today. It’s good to see her smile and understanding what a good hitter she is. Throughout the lineup, we had some solid at bats. Our defense was good.

“We’re still missing a piece that we’re going to find. We’re a good team and playing well. But there is something that we’re missing, and that’s that savvy, bow up kind of mentality. It’s something I’ve been used to the last four years. I’ve never had to talk about it or teach it. But this is new to this team. Something we’re going to try to work on.”

Emerling entered the game hitting a mere .120 and was in the middle of an 0-for-14 slump at the plate. All that changed with a solo home run in the bottom of the second. Emerling crushed it to the deepest part of the park.

She was this close to her second home run in the bottom of the fourth. Instead, she had an RBI double off the top of the wall to bring in Nelly McEnroe-Marinas.

Emerling has five hits this season, but three of them are roundtrippers.

“Yeah, I’m just thinking hit the ball hard in the middle. My teammates have had my back these last couple of weekends, so it’s just nice feeling good up there, swinging the bat hard and making contact.”

Then it was just watching and letting Landry work. Her ninth strikeout of the afternoon gave her 500 in her career, including her time at Louisiana.

She was dominant in earning her third victory of the season. Landry made one mistake in allowing a solo home run in the fifth. She only gave up three hits during her appearance. Landry finished with 10 strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Landry now has 40 strikeouts this season in 26 innings pitched.

Freshman Audrey Lowry recorded the final four outs in her first appearance in Norman.

OU pushed the advantage with a two-run bottom of the fifth. Ailana Agbayani with a single, Tia Milloy with an RBI double.

Up next

Let’s close out the first of three weekends at Love’s. The Sooners will play a doubleheader Monday. It begins against Bowling Green at 11 a.m. Then it will conclude 2 p.m. against Abilene Christian. OU will start another home weekend Friday afternoon.

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