Kelly Maxwell, Tiare Jennings put OU softball in driver’s seat, one win away from Super Regional

OU softball was rolling with Kelly Maxwell in the circle. But eventually, a big hit was going to be had by either OU or Oregon.

It happened in the bottom of the fifth, and it happened for the Sooners. Co-captain Tiare Jennings hit one of the longest home runs in Love’s Field history, a two-run shot. That gave some separation, and Maxwell did the rest in a 6-3 victory against Oregon on Saturday in the Norman Regional.

The win puts OU in the driver’s seat to earning a berth into the Super Regional. OU will have two chances to win one game Sunday.

The Sooners haven’t needed any extra help through the first two days with the way the pitching has been. Nicole May was solid Friday, and Maxwell had it locked down Saturday.

After allowing a one-out solo home run in the top of the first, Maxwell was in domination mode. She retired the last 16 batters she faced, including striking out the side in the top of the fifth.

The win puts Maxwell at 19-2 this season. She didn’t allow another hit but did hit a batter. Maxwell finished with eight strikeouts.

Karlie Keeney had a rough top of the seventh, allowing three hits and two runs without recording an out. Gasso went back to Maxwell to close out the seventh. And she delivered again, with a strikeout and beginning a 1-6-3 double play to seal the deal.

OU scored two runs in the first, thanks to RBIs from Kasidi Pickering and Alyssa Brito. It remained that 2-1 difference until Jennings helped the OU faithful breathe a bit.

Freshman Ella Parker gave the added insurance, crushing a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth.

It was a strange feeling for OU head coach Patty Gasso, coaching against Melyssa Lombardi. But it’s one Gasso can check off and just get back to work. Lombardi played for Gasso at OU and coached at OU under Gasso for numerous years.

Up next

Long night of OU waiting. The Sooners (51-6) will play the other team left, after it’s all decided between Cleveland State, Oregon and Boston University. CSU and BU play in an elimination game Saturday afternoon. Then the winner comes right back to play Oregon in the evening. That winner will then play OU 2 p.m. Sunday. The Sooners can close out the regional with a win Sunday, or the if game would come 30 minutes after the conclusion of Sunday’s first game in a winner-take-all contest.

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