Tennessee’s Sophia Nugent comes through in extras, OU softball downed at Love's

That’s what you might expect from OU and Tennessee softball, and that’s what the two teams delivered Friday night.

There won’t be much separation between the two teams. Big hit here, catch there or maybe an important review. It’s going to be that type of weekend.

That hit? Came from a former Sooner. Tennessee catcher Sophia Nugent hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth that proved to be the difference in a 5-2 win (8 innings) against the host Sooners at Love’s Field.

Nugent spent her first two seasons at OU. It wasn’t a bitter breakup by any means, and Nugent has absolutely found a home with the Vols.

The Vols added one more in the eighth on a wild pitch. Karlyn Pickens did the rest.

“I thought it was a good game,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “It was really exciting and we played hard, both teams played hard. And that’s what’s fun about, I mean it was a fun game. It was fun to watch, fans were engaged, they were tremendous. Fun to see Abby (Dayton) have some success, (Kasidi) Pickering, we just needed a few more in the lineup to step forward.

“But this is a good challenge for us, we have not lost our first game in a series yet. And I’m anxious, I told them I can’t wait to see what you look like tomorrow. Because that’s the fighter mentality, it has to come out. But I was really proud of how they kept fighting and scoring and answering and so forth.”

OU almost had the walk-off shot in the bottom of the seventh. Hannah Coor began with a bloop infield single. Following a strikeout, it was a single by Nelly McEnroe-Marinas. Then Kasidi Pickering hit a single to right field, but Coor was thrown out at the plate in attempting to score the walk-off run. Gabbie Garcia grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.

OU trailed 2-0 in the top of the second after a towering two-run home run. It felt like it was going to be a short night for starting pitcher Sam Landry. She needed 50 pitches to get through the initial two innings.

Landry settled down and did it in a hurry. She needed just a mere 61 pitches in the next five frames and kept the Sooners in position to be in position.

Landry threw a career-high 141 pitches on the night, after throwing 70 on Wednesday.

“I think I’m not saying something Sam wouldn’t say, she’s been better and she would tell you that,” Gasso said. “We can’t live on her shoulders. We just can’t. We’ve gotta find ways to win for her, because she’s finding ways to win for us. So I’m not concerned at all. I know her. I know her, know all of them.”

Head coach Patty Gasso earned two challenge victories for the Sooners. The big one came in the top of the seventh, reversing a call and getting the nod for a runner leaving early. Instead of a runner on second base and one out, it was two outs and nobody on.

It was that type of game, incredible atmosphere, elite plays being made all over.

The Sooners got on the board with a sacrifice fly from freshman Gabbie Garcia in the bottom of the third. And you want an unlikely power source? Abby Dayton hit just her second home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth.

Gasso riding with Parker

It was a rough night for Ella Parker. OU’s star sophomore was 0-for-4 and continues to battle with a lower body injury.

But if you think Gasso is about to sit Parker down for a day or two, that was an adamant no.

“No, I will not. I will not take her out of this lineup because she is one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen. Maybe you’re not seeing it the way you want to see it or I’m not seeing it the way I want to see it right now but it doesn’t change my belief in who she is and what she can do with one swing,” Gasso said. “I have no problem with what’s she doing right. She’s going to get there. You have to give them a chance to figure out how to deal with some of the pain that is going on right now. I believe in her. I’m not going to make that change.”

Up next

Let’s go to the big stage. No. 2 OU (30-2, 8-2 SEC) and Tennessee will lock up again. We’re going 1 p.m. Saturday on ESPN. OU will be coming off its initial home loss of the season.