OU softball battles back, emphatically takes Bedlam on record-setting night

OKLAHOMA CITY – Take the worst-case scenario for OU softball, and that’s exactly how the game began.

It’s everything head coach Patty Gasso talked about in the preview to Bedlam. Simply put, it’s a different stage. Soak it in, sure, but adjust and figure it out.

It took OU a little while, but once it did? The Sooners started to roll. OU overcame an early deficit to emphatically take down Oklahoma State 11-3 in a five-inning run-rule on Wednesday night at Devon Park.

A record crowd of 9,259 to set the NCAA single-game record, breaking the mark from OU-Texas from two years ago.

And who turned it all around? How about Maya Bland as your unlikely hero. Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, it was Bland who turned the game around with one swing.

A three-run bomb that was crushed to left-center off OSU star pitcher Ruby Meylan. Bland was making just her sixth start of the season.

She has always been known for her blazing speed. But whenever Gasso would talk about Bland, Gasso would mention Bland has some pop.

Bland hasn’t had many chances to show it, entering with just 29 at bats. And the home run serves as just the second of the season and her career.

Could not have come at a better time, obviously.

There were nerves, for sure, to begin. It’s what Gasso wanted her players to feel. A lot of new faces that haven’t played at Devon Park in this type of atmosphere.

OU committed two errors in the top of the first to give OSU its first two runs. A Rosie Davis solo shot in the third made it 3-0 before the Sooners got going.

Kasidi Pickering continued her incredible run, blasting a two-run home run in the bottom of the third. And after OU pitcher Sam Landry got out of a bases loaded, zero out jam in the top of the fourth, the Sooners took care of business in the bottom.

OU put up a five-spot, driving Meylan out of the game. From there? The Sooners were looking for the run-rule.

OU plated four in the fifth and that was that. Freshman Gabbie Garcia sending everybody home with an RBI single.

Pickering and Bland each drove in three runs, while Ella Parker and Garcia both had two RBIs.

Landry settled down. She threw all five innings, giving up five hits with two walks and four strikeouts to move to 12-2.

Up next

No. 2 OU (35-3, 9-3 SEC) takes to the road and begins a three-game set at Alabama from Saturday-Monday.

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