Oklahoma Sooners Softball: Sooners Win Game 1 of Super Regional at Auburn

The Oklahoma Sooners defeated the Auburn Tigers by a score of 4-0 behind a fantastic pitching performance by Paige Parker. The win gave OU a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series in Super Regional play.

The OU pitcher was in a battle with Auburn pitcher Makayla Martin through the first five innings of the game. Parker repeatedly got herself out of jams with strikeouts to keep the game scoreless, and the Oklahoma bats finally came through for her by getting Martin in the top of the 6th.

Nicole Pendley got the scoring going with ground-rule double to bring Sydney Romero home from 2nd, and Fale Aviu scored on Macey Hatfield’s infield single one at-bat later. With runners on second and third in the top of the 7th, Nicole Mendes scored from third off a Shay Knighten single when Auburn was unable to make a play at the plate. Oklahoma then made it 4-0 when Romero singled to right to bring Knighten home.

Paige Parker ended the game with 14 strikeouts, just one off of her career high set against Kansas earlier in the season. Her strikeout total was also a record for Super Regional play.

Oklahoma will face Auburn again at noon on Saturday, and a win will bring Oklahoma back to the Women’s College World Series for the 11th time in school history. Saturday’s game can be viewed on ESPN, and the same will apply to Sunday’s if-necessary game.