Ella Parker grand slam a welcome sight for OU softball, Sooners blank Knights

OU softball head coach Patty Gasso was not going to change anything. She didn’t care what the numbers said about star sophomore Ella Parker.

Gasso wasn’t going to sit Parker out in a game that mattered. Not sure if one hit will be the turning point, but it was one heck of a hit.

Parker crushed an opposite field grand slam to pace OU to a 6-0 victory against visiting Central Florida on Friday night at Love’s Field in the Okana Invitational.

Parker came up with OU leading 2-0 in the bottom of the third with the bases loaded and zero outs. She was hitless in her previous 11 plate appearances, including her initial one Friday.

She’s only hitting 2-for-30 (.067 average) overall in SEC play as she has been battling through some sort of lower body/leg injury. Gasso stressed Parker has to learn to play through it. Eventually, it’s going to get better, but it takes time.

Not sure who was happier about the hit, Parker or her teammates. She was absolutely mobbed by her fellow Sooners, eager to celebrate a big moment for Parker. It is her sixth home run of the year and just her second since Feb. 28.

That was more than enough for OU ace Sam Landry. She earned her 11th win this season. After allowing two hits in the first inning, Landry was dominant.

She threw 4.2 innings, allowing three hits with zero walks and four strikeouts. It paved the way for the return of Audrey Lowry. The freshman saw her first action since March 12. Lowry struck out the first batter on her way to a scoreless outing, retiring all seven she faced.

Sophomore Kasidi Pickering extended her hitting streak to 13 games. She had two hits and added yet another walk to her season’s total.

Up next

Can we get it in? No. 3 OU (34-3, 9-3 SEC) is scheduled to take on UCF one more time at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. So far, the Sooners have been able to get the two games in without any rain delays. But it sure looks dicey for Saturday.

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