Oklahoma

OU Softball: Oklahoma Rides Fast Start to Open Series With Win Over UCF

Published

8 months ago

April 26, 2024

OU Softball: Oklahoma Rides Fast Start to Open Series With Win Over UCF

Oklahoma began its final Big 12 road trip with a bang.

Patty Gasso’s team plated five runs in the first inning, complete with a two-RBI single from Kasidi Pickering and a two-run bomb from Alyssa Brito to set the tone for a steady win in the series opener.

The No. 2-ranked Sooners went on to beat UCF 10-2 at the UCF Softball Complex on Friday.

OU (43-4. 19-3 Big 12) maintained its lead atop the conference with the win over the Knights (28-19, 10-12).

Final Box Score

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UCF helped the Sooners out immediately.

Jayda Coleman beat out a throw for an infield single and Ella Parker reached on an error, putting immediate pressure on Kaitlyn Felton.

The Knights’ starting pitcher didn’t help herself out, as she walked Tiare Jennings to load the bases with no outs.

Kinzie Hansen broke the deadlock with an RBI-single, but Ella Parker was thrown out at home to make the first out of the game.

Had Gasso kept Parker on third, she would have likely come home anyways.

Pickering singled through the left side and Brito hammered a full-count delivery to left field, putting OU up 5-0 and ending Felton’s first stint of the evening after just six batters.

Alynah Torres and Cydney Sanders both walked with one out, but OU was able to further the damage after Rylie Boone struck out and Coleman bounced out to second base.

After building the lead, Oklahoma stayed aggressive and attacked pitches early in at-bats, which produced mixed results in the second inning.

OU was able to load the bases with one out, but couldn’t bring any runs across.

Coleman added to the lead in the third, however.

The senior centerfielder stepped in and belted her 11th home run of the season, an opposite field bomb with two outs that put the Sooners up 6-0.

Kelly Maxwell finally had to work around traffic on the basepaths in the bottom of the third inning.

With Stormy Kotzelnick already on first, UCF third baseman Sierra Humphreys dropped a single into shallow-left field, but Boone was unable to corral the ball off the bounce, allowing the runners to move up to second and third.

Only working with one out, Maxwell then made a nice play herself.

Jada Cody slapped the ball back up the middle, which Maxwell gloved and shuttled over to first for the second out of the inning, then Maxwell trusted her defense and induced a ground ball from Chloe Evans to get out of the inning.

UCF went back to Felton in the circle to start the fourth inning, which was the Knights’ fifth pitching change of the game.

Both Felton and reliever Sona Halajian re-entered the game as UCF coach Cindy Ball-Malone never let OU’s offense get all the way through the lineup with the same pitcher.

Felton frustrated Oklahoma upon her return, holding the Sooners off the board as the Knights tried to get into the game.

A snafu in the field gave UCF a change to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth.

Cody singled to center with two outs, but instead of simply getting the ball back into the infield, Coleman fired down to first base.

Parker, who had been inserted into the defensive lineup at first in favor of the always steady Sanders, wasn’t ready for Coleman’s throw. The ball rolled into foul territory and allowed Cody to take second base on the throwing error.

Maxwell looked unbothered, firing two straight strikes to Evans, but the UCF right fielder battled admirably.

She didn’t allow Maxwell to coax her into a bad swing, and after taking three balls and fouling off three pitches, Evans doubled into the corner in right field to cut OU’s lead to 6-1.

Maxwell then issued a four-pitch walk, but struck out Shannon Doherty to end the inning.

Oklahoma dialed back in on Felton in the seventh.

It took just five total pitches for OU to load the bases. Hansen, Pickering and Brito all smoked singles through gaps and into the outfield.

The situation prompted another pitching change, as this time UCF called upon its fourth pitcher of the night in Ava Justman, ending Felton’s Friday.

Avery Hodge was undeterred by the change, as she drew a walk to extend the lead back out to six runs.

Boone poked her first hit of the day through the right side, narrowly missing Hodge, to put the Sooners up 8-1, and Coleman’s second walk of the day added to the advantage again.

Oklahoma’s last run of the inning scored when Parker hit into a fielder’s choice, capping off the four-run frame.

Up 10-1, Gasso left Maxwell in to record the first out of the seventh before turning to Karlie Keeney.

Maxwell allowed eight hits and two walks, but struck out five and crucially limited the Knights to the lone run in 6 1/3 innings.

Keeney swiftly notched the second out of the seventh, but she left her 1-2 delivery hanging and Evans pounced, clobbering a solo home run. UCF drew another walk off Keeney before she closed out the win.

The Sooners have a chance to notch the series victory on Saturday at 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners add SEC wideout via transfer portal

Published

6 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma Sooners add SEC wideout via transfer portal

The Oklahoma Sooners are continuing to rebuild their wide receiver room through the transfer portal. After the 2024 season saw the top five wideouts miss all or the vast majority of the season due to injuries, and three of those five players decided not to come back, Brent Venables and his coaching staff have been hard at work building back the wide receiver depth chart in stronger, healthier fashion.

Oklahoma has now added former Arkansas Razorbacks wideout Isaiah Sategna in the transfer portal, marking the third WR that will be transferring to Norman.

Javonnie Gibson (Arkansas Pine-Bluff) and Keontez Lewis (Southern Illinois) will have some work to do when it comes to playing in the SEC, but Sategna will be right at home in college football’s toughest conference. That trio will join returners Deion Burks and Jayden Gibson to try and help the wide receiver room rebound.

Sategna is a smaller receiver at 5’11 and 185 pounds, but he managed to haul in 37 receptions for 491 yards this season. He also had a punt return touchdown for the Hogs.

There’s still plenty of work to be done when it comes to remaking OU’s wide receiver depth chart, but three additions in a few days is a good start.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.

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Oklahoma

Why Doesn’t Oklahoma Have An OTA-Run Train System

Published

14 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

Why Doesn’t Oklahoma Have An OTA-Run Train System

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has been in operation for 77 years with the goal of creating and maintaining Oklahoma’s turnpike systems.

Executive Director Joe Echelle spoke with News On 6 about various topics surrounding the OTA including why it hasn’t invested in a high-speed rail system despite having the authority to do so.

Has the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) considered implementing train systems or parking garages?

According to Joe Echelle, Executive Director of the OTA, there are provisions in state statute that allow for the potential development of parking garages or train systems under the agency’s purview. However, these concepts have not materialized due to their immense costs and logistical challenges.

What are the challenges of building a train system between Oklahoma City and Tulsa?

Echelle explained that constructing a high-speed rail system between the two cities would cost billions of dollars. Beyond the upfront expense, the operational logistics make it difficult to justify such a project.

“In order to affect the number of vehicles that travel the Turner Turnpike, which is north of 40,000 vehicles on a weekday, you’d need to get thousands of people on a train. That’s just not feasible,” said Echelle.

Factors like frequency, ridership demand, and infrastructure costs all contribute to the challenge.

Could other forms of transportation, like buses, be more feasible?

Echelle believes there is potential for alternative solutions, such as an express bus service connecting Oklahoma City and Tulsa. He pointed to the success of the OSU bus system, which transports students between campuses in Stillwater, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City.

“As we get the Turner Turnpike widened, I think it’s a real possibility to get an express bus service. But first, we need to address congestion by separating truck traffic from commuter lanes,” Echelle said.

To be clear, OTA wouldn’t have any role in creating or maintaining a bus service, but Echelle believes the expanded turnpike would be able to facilitate one.

Why is expanding the Turner Turnpike prioritized over alternative transportation?

Echelle said the Turner Turnpike currently handles traffic effectively, but ongoing efforts to expand it to six lanes aim to improve flow and address future congestion. Echelle emphasized that widening the turnpike will allow truck traffic to remain in the outer lanes, giving commuters smoother travel options in the inner lanes.

Could parking garages still be part of OTA’s future?

While state law includes provisions for parking infrastructure, the focus for the OTA remains on improving roadways and exploring more viable transportation alternatives.

What is OTA’s overall vision for transportation in Oklahoma?

Echelle stated that a well-rounded transportation network, which includes trains, buses, and rapid transit, is essential for the state’s growing metropolitan areas. However, practical solutions like express bus services are more likely in the near term, especially as the Turner Turnpike widening progresses.

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Oklahoma

Report Card: Oklahoma moves to 11-0 with an 87-86 win over Michigan

Published

22 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

Report Card: Oklahoma moves to 11-0 with an 87-86 win over Michigan

The No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners are now 11-0 after a wild 87-86 win over No. 24 Michigan, erasing an 11-point second-half deficit. Freshman Jeremiah Fears was the star down the stretch, finishing with 30 points, including a game-winning four-point play in the final seconds, to push OU to victory.

Fears wasn’t alone. Duke Miles contributed 17 points, with three big three-pointers, including a clutch shot during a 9-0 run that gave the Sooners their first lead of the second half. Jalon Moore also had 16 points before fouling out late.

The two seven-footers for Michigan — Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf — were a tough matchup for OU, as they are for most teams. Goldin dropped 26 points, while Wolf added 15. Both grabbed 10 rebounds for double-doubles.

Tre Donaldson (14 points) and Roddy Gayle (15 points) also had solid performances for Michigan. But in the end, it was Fears’ late heroics that sealed it for the Sooners. Now, let’s dive into the Report Card from Oklahoma’s ranked win:

MVP: Jeremiah Fears

It was a slower first half for Fears, but he continued to get to the line, drawing fouls at a high rate and racking up points from the free throw line. In the second half, though, he broke loose, scoring 20 of his career-high 30 points, including the game-winning four-point play.

In 34 minutes of action, Fears also recorded five turnovers and four assists. He shot 8-12 from the field, 3-4 from behind the arc, and 11-13 from the free throw line—making his 30-point performance even more impressive.

Oklahoma needed big-time shot-making from their guards if they were going to pull this one out, and Fears delivered, showcasing why he’s likely a future NBA lottery pick.

Fears has proven to be the biggest difference-maker in Porter Moser’s tenure at Oklahoma. The Sooners simply haven’t had a player who can do what he does. He showed the clutch gene that could make a huge impact as OU heads into SEC play.

Starting Five: A-minus

Fears was phenomenal, but Miles’ impressive play down the stretch cannot be overlooked. Oklahoma starts three guards, and we’ve seen each of them have their nights scoring-wise. The recipe for success, though, is having two of those guards clicking at once, and tonight, Fears and Miles delivered.

Miles totaled 17 points — 15 of which came in the second half — on 5-11 shooting from the field, 3-6 from behind the arc, and a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line. He hit several clutch shots, including one three-pointer that gave Oklahoma their first lead of the night.

Moore also contributed, adding 16 points on 4-12 shooting from the field and 3-5 from deep, despite being in foul trouble for much of the night. He ultimately fouled out late in the second half.

Sam Godwin chipped in with 6 points and 7 rebounds on 3-6 shooting, while Kobe Elvis added 5 points on 2-7 shooting, including 1-4 from behind the arc. With Fears going for 30, Miles putting up 17, and Moore adding 16, the starters had a strong night overall.

Bench: B-plus

Glenn Taylor stepped up in a big way for Oklahoma. Playing 29 minutes — second most on the team — Taylor totaled 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. He shot 3-5 from the field and 2-4 from behind the arc.

Taylor was a key defensive presence throughout the entire game, but he also contributed offensively, particularly in the first half. He scored 8 first-half points and hit two timely three-pointers. His all-around play, making several small but important contributions, helped Oklahoma secure the win.

In other bench news: Luke Northweather scored 2 points on 1-2 shooting in 14 minutes, while Brycen Goodine added 2 points on 1-2 shooting in 11 minutes. Dayton Forsythe had a solid 5-minute stint, and Mohamed Wague played just two minutes.

Rebounding: B

It’s important to note that Michigan’s two seven-footers posed a tough matchup for Oklahoma, and heading into the game, it was expected that the Wolverines would win the rebounding battle. They did, 37-32, but the Sooners kept it close, losing the battle by just five. Given the size disparity, losing by just five on the boards is a solid effort for OU.

Three-Point Shooting: A-plus

The Sooners were red-hot from beyond the arc, shooting 6-12 (50%) in the second half and finishing 12-25 (48%) for the game.

This sharp shooting played a huge role in their comeback win. With Michigan building an 11-point lead with just over eight minutes remaining, OU knew they needed to keep knocking down shots from deep—and they did just that. Miles, Fears, and Moore each hit three three-pointers, while Taylor contributed with two of his own.

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