Oklahoma Sooners outlast Florida Gators 6-5 in extra innings
The Oklahoma Sooners and the Florida Gators battled in game one of their three-game series in a nine-inning affair. The Sooners came away with the 6-5 win and moved one win away from clinching the SEC title.
The Sooners got the scoring going with two outs in the second when Abigale Dayton doubled to deep right-center field to score Ailana Agbayani. In the third, Kasidi Pickering homered to left field to put Oklahoma up 2-0.
Getting the start, Sam Landry was tested by a game Gators lineup and a tight strike zone. She walked four over the first two innings, but found enough pitches to get out of some significant jams early in the game. That is until the Gators responded to Pickering’s home run with a three-run inning.
After striking out Kendra Falby to open the inning, Landry hit Taylor Shumaker, who proceeded to steal second. Korbe Otis singled to move Shumaker to third. Former Sooner Jocelyn Erickson reached on a fielder’s choice, but after an error by Sydney Barker at first base, allowed Shumaker to score. Raegan Walsh singled to drive in Otis to tie the game, and Kenleigh Calahan singled to drive in Erickson to give the Gators a one-run lead after three.
The Sooners were kept off the board over the next two innings, and Landry retired the Gators in order fourth and fifth innings.
In the sixth, Ella Parker tied the game with a home run. With one out, the Sooners loaded the bases on a hit by pitch and a pair of walks, and Tia Milloy came through with a pinch-hit RBI single to put the Sooners up 4-3. Hannah Coor followed that up with an RBI single of her own to make it 5-3 Sooners.
But in the bottom of the sixth, the Gators responded once again to tie the game at five on Mia Williams’ two-run home run. Landry allowed a one-out single after the home run but responded to get the final two outs of the frame.
The Sooners had an opportunity in the top of the seventh to take the lead with runners on first and second and one out. But Gators pitcher Ava Brown induced fly balls from Cydney Sanders and Gabbie Garcia to end the threat.
Shumaker got to Landry once again, earning a lead-off single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Landry induced a ground ball for the second out and after issuing an intentional walk to Walsh, got Calahan to ground out to first base to end the inning.
