OU Softball: Sooners Take 5-2 Win Over Baylor

No. 5/5 Oklahoma jumped out quickly and evened up its three-game series with No. 17/14 Baylor after a 5-2 win Friday night at Marita Hynes Field.

With the win, the Sooners (37-6, 10-1 Big 12) pushed their lead in the Big 12 standings back to 2.5 games over the Lady Bears (31-10, 6-2 Big 12).

After being shut out for just the second time all season Thursday night, the Sooners made sure not to suffer the same fate Friday thanks to a three-run first inning.

With one out, senior Shelby Pendley was hit by a pitch. Freshman Paige Parker singled to center field before a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with two out. Junior Kady Self was then hit on the left leg to fill the bases. That brought senior Georgia Casey to the plate, and she cleared the bases with a three-run double to right center.

Casey finished the game 2-2 with three runs batted in and a walk. Since going 0-3 in her return from a thumb injury on April 3, Casey is batting .391 (9-23) with three runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI.

Oklahoma added to its lead in the second.

Freshman Lea Wodach hit a one-out single to left field, and two batters later came home when Pendley unleashed a towering two-run homer to right field. It was her 82nd career home run and her 63rd as a Sooner, and it gave OU a 5-0 lead.

The two-run shot was Pendley's 22nd of the season, matching a personal career high she set in 2013. The 22 homers are tied for the third most in a season at OU and tied for the fourth most in a season in Big 12 history.

Pendley was 1-2 in the game with two runs scored and two driven in.

Baylor had its first good scoring chance in the fourth inning.

Ari Hawkins collected the Lady Bears' second hit of the game with a one-out bunt single before Shelby Friudenberg doubled to left field, putting two into scoring position. Parker would keep Baylor off the board though as she struck out Sarah Smith looking on just three pitches and then got Linsey Hays to pop up to third base.

The Lady Bears were able to break through in the sixth when Friudenberg hit a two-run homer to the bleachers in left-center, but it was too little, too late against Parker.

Parker gave up four runs on six hits in 5.0 innings Thursday night, but was much better in a second go-around against Baylor. As she improved to 19-4, the Independence, Mo., native struck out eight and walked one while giving up two runs on eight hits.

She struck out three of the first five she faced to set the tone from the start and needed only 88 pitches to throw her 15th complete game of the season.

The two teams will settle the series Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for noon, and the game will air on Fox Sports Network.