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.
