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OU softball battles for a pair of season-opening victories

Bob Przybyloby:Bob Przybylo•about 9 hours•

BPrzybylo

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

The initial four innings of the OU softball season let everybody know it’s a little bit different. And the last three of the initial game reminded people who the Sooners are.

You’re going to see some battles. But for day one? Head coach Patty Gasso and crew were up to the challenge when it mattered most.

OU opened the season Thursday evening with a 7-2 win against CSUN and a 11-6 (9 innings) victory against San Diego State.

Welcome to the 2025 season. Buckle up, could be bumpy, could be fun.

The final blow was delivered by Isabela Emerling. OU had been patient at the plate all night, but Emerling, the transfer catcher, didn’t wait.

The first pitch with the bases loaded, gone. Grand slam in the top of the ninth to finally bring about the necessary separation in this one.

OU scored on a squeeze bunt by Hannah Coor in the top of the eighth, using the international tiebreaker rule. But SDSU scored one of its own, using two outs to get the runner from second to third and to home.

SDSU gave as good as it got all evening, leading 3-1 after the second inning. OU sophomore Kasidi Pickering came up huge with a three-run homer in the top of the fifth. A four-run frame that gave OU a 5-3 lead.

Sam Landry allowed five earned runs and threw more than 100 pitches in her outing as a Sooner. She also struck out 11.

Ella Parker also drove in two runs.

In relief, Gasso went to freshman Audrey Lowry. She delivered. In 3.1 innings pitched, zero earned runs allowed and struck out five.

OU 7, CSUN 2

OU trailed 2-1 after the fourth inning. Let the meltdowns commence. But when you have Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering, you can breathe a bit. OU scored six in the next two frames.

The sophomores combined for four hits and five RBIs (three for Parker, two for Pickering).

A day of newcomers and freshmen was spurred by some transfers. It was Abby Dayton at the plate and Isabella Smith in the circle.

Dayton hit a home run on her very first plate appearance as a Sooner and had three runs scored.

Kierston Deal got the start to begin things, but it was Smith who steadied everything. Seven batters faced, five strikeouts and zero hits allowed. And her first victory at OU.

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