Oklahoma
OU Softball: Oklahoma Wastes Late Chances, Falls to Alabama in Extra Innings
Oklahoma squandered a pair of chances late in Tuscaloosa.
The Sooners loaded the bases with the game tied in the seventh, but neither Kasidi Pickering nor Gabbie Garcia could deliver a decisive hack at the plate.
Singles by Ella Parker and Ailana Agbayani didn’t amount to anything in the eighth, either.
The Crimson Tide didn’t allow OU a third bite at the apple.
Freshman Audrey Vandagriff hit a solo shot to end the game on the first pitch in the bottom of the eighth.
No. 23 Alabama won the game 2-1 at Rhoads Stadium and took the series, which handed OU back-to-back series defeats in conference play for the first time since 2004.
Patty Gasso’s offense struggled all weekend, and Monday was no different.
OU went 2-for-15 at the plate with runners on and 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position as the No. 2-ranked Sooners couldn’t figure out Crimson Tide right-hander Catelyn Riley.
She threw a career-high 136 pitches, allowing just six hits, including a towering fourth inning home run by Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, while striking out five Sooners and allowing just two walks and hitting one batter.
Sam Landry battled admirably in the circle, too, fanning five and allowing seven hits in a full night’s work, but the offense did nothing to reward her for the strong outing.
Oklahoma will return home to regroup and take on No. 16 Mississippi State next weekend.
As they’ve done all series, the Crimson Tide struck first.
Vandagriff singled off Landry in her second at-bat of the night, then Kali Heivilin continued her excellent weekend with a one-out double into the alley in left-center to put the hosts up 1-0.
Vandagriff — the younger sister of former OU quarterback commit Brock Vandagriff, who decommitted after Caleb Williams pledged to Lincoln Riley’s in 2020 Sooners and went to Georgia before finishing his career at Kentucky — finished 3-for-4 at the plate.
McEnroe-Marinas, the OU captain, led by example in the fourth.
The redshirt freshman third baseman launched a moonshot over the scoreboard to knot the game up with two outs.
Landry then got out of the fourth after allowing a runner to reach second via a single and wild pitch with no outs, giving the offense a chance to steal momentum.
Corri Hicks’ one-out walk couldn’t get the Sooners going, but OU’s defense showed out in the bottom of the fifth.
Kristen White led things off with a bouncing infield single, but Gasso brought Isabela Emerling in defensively behind the plate and the veteran catcher helped throw White out on the basepaths.
Then Landry coolly fielded Vandagriff’s hit back up the middle for the second out and McEnroe-Marinas’ throw across the diamond ended the fifth and momentarily quieted the crowd at Rhoads Stadium.
Ailana Agbayani led the seventh off with a single, and Emerling’s hit put runners on the corners with one out.
Pinch hitter Maya Bland then wore a pitch, but neither Pickering nor Garcia could hit the ball out of the infield and the Sooners stranded three.
Landry was there for her offense, however, as she sat the side down in order to send the game to extra innings.
Parker reached with a leadoff single and Agbayani extended the threat with a two-out single, but Abigale Dayton grounded out to bring Alabama’s offense to the plate.
Vandagriff ended the series in the eighth, however, to drop OU to 36-5 overall and 10-5 in SEC contests while Alabama improved to 30-16 on the year and 7-8 in league play.
NORMAN — Cord Rager’s return comes at a pivotal time for Skip Johnson’s Oklahoma Sooners. Not only do they get their day three starter back in time for big road matchups against Auburn and Arkansas on the horizon, but the Sooners pitching strength, their rotational depth, is primed and ready for the test.
The freshman lefty finished with eight strikeouts and only gave up one hit in only 65 pitches before his day ended in the sixth.
No. 14 Oklahoma earn its first conference sweep of the season, defeating Missouri 8-4. It was OU’s fourth conference series win.
Oklahoma (27-12, 10-8) put their best foot forward as they turn the page to the meat of their schedule where they will do battle against No. 13, No. 20 and No. 16 over the next three weeks — two of those series’ on the road.
Four runs in five hits in the second got things rolling for the Sooners.
Camden Johnson continued his brilliant play of late with a triple in the second. This came after a Brenden Brock solo home run to put OU up 1-0. Deiten LaChance grounded out to short but scored Johnson. Dasan Harris and and Nolan Stevens each found home before the inning ended.
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OU found fortune from the plate again in the fourth. Four runs off of four hits highlighted by a three-run home run by Johnson put Oklahoma up 8-0. It was Johnson’s seventh home run of the season, second on the team behind Brock’s nine.
Trent Collier got the nod in the sixth to relieve Rager.
In the seventh, Missouri finally got on the board for the first time since the ninth inning of Friday night’s Sooner victory. Cam Durnin hit a solo shot — his fourht of the season — to make the score 8-1 in favor of the home team.
The Tigers got their third hit of the game shortly after. From there, Collier’s short day was done. Gavyn Jones came on to relieve
LaChance missed a home run by inches when Tiger center fielder Kaden Peer made a leaping catch, jumping into the fence.
In the eighth, the Tigers continued to chip away. With bases loaded, Blaze Ward hit a basehit to score two Missouri base runners. OU led 8-3 heading into the final inning.
Harris led the Sooners with three hits. His day was accented by an RBI, stolen base and a run.
Oklahoma will travel to Auburn to take on the No. 13 Tigers for a three game series starting on Friday. Before that, they will host Oral Roberts for a midweek game at Kimrey Family Stadium in Norman. The Sooners won 4-0 against ORU earlier this season.
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New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
Iowa State wrestling’s first commitment of the Brent Metcalf era will be a transfer portal addition.
The Cyclones added Oklahoma State transfer Brayden Thompson, who announced his commitment on April 18 via Instagram. Thompson is a one-time NCAA qualifier at the 2024 NCAA Championships, doing so as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2024-25, but competed in open tournaments at 184 pounds and was 9-0. He did not wrestle a match in 2025-26 and will have at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Out of high school, Thompson was ranked the No. 3 pound-for-pound wrestler and No. 1 at 182 pounds in the 2023 recruiting class by Flowrestling. He also won Powerade and Ironman titles, two of the more prestigious high school tournaments in the nation. Assuming Thompson returns to 184 pounds where he last wrestled, he should fill in nicely as a potential replacement for Isaac Dean after his graduation.
Thompson is Iowa State’s first transfer portal addition after several departures, including Anthony Echemendia and Christian Castillo, who also entered the portal.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners liked their wide receiver room a year ago. They want 2026 to be even better.
Isaiah Sategna’s return helps that desire. Earning experienced pass catchers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone via the transfer portal gives you added play makers. But after the Sooners Spring Game on Saturday, an unlikely hero emerged.
When Jahsiear Rogers flipped from Penn State to Oklahoma last December, he drew the usual excitement that comes with a new commitment. But few expected him to climb the depth chart this quickly, even with the injuries that hit Emmett Jones’ room.
Rogers did just that and more on Saturday. He led all pass catchers with five receptions for 70 yards in Oklahoma’s annual Red/White game.
“I knew it was time to showcase,” Rogers said after the game. “It was amazing to see the fans and get used to the OU way. I’m a playmaker. They really want to put the ball in playmakers hands. I pretty much knew I had to lead the white team.”
Rogers got the ball rolling early. On the second offensive play for the white team, backup quarterback Whitt Newbauer rolled to his right wide, then stopped and looked towards the middle of the field where he saw Rogers running open. Newbauer connected with Rogers for a 39-yard gain.
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With Rogers on the white team, he is running against (most of) Oklahoma’s starting defense. As fate would have it, on that 39-yard reception, Rogers beat his favorite teammate to compete against — Reggie Powers.
“He is just a leader, good guy,” Rogers said of Powers. “Me and him go after it every day in practice. Reggie is strong. When I come at him, I have to really come at him.”
Rogers’ big play over Powers was the second-longest catch of the spring game — Sategna’s 50-yard reception that appeared to be a touchdown before coaches pulled it back to set up a red-zone rep. The other four catches weren’t flashy, but they were important in their own way, and Rogers looked like he belonged on the field.
“I love it. As long as I can get the ball, I can be me. I love it,” Rogers said. “When I am on the field, I am ready to go. I am ready to be a playmaker.”
The season is still months away, and Rogers hasn’t earned a spot high on the depth chart yet. A strong spring and an encouraging Red/White Game can only lead to early playing time if he carries that momentum into summer and fall camp.
More experienced players will return from injury and receivers who’ve been in the program for a few years will have an extra leg-up.
But Rogers is taking everything in stride and leaving no stone unturned in his development.
“Just learning from the older guys,” Rogers said. “Manny Choice, Isaiah Sategna, Trell Harris, Mackenzie Alleyne. Really all of them. We lean on each other, learn from each other. That is kind of how our room is.”
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