Oklahoma Softball Suffers 1st Loss Of Season, Falls To Baylor 4-3

No. 1 Oklahoma suffered its first loss of the 2023 season at the hands of Baylor on Sunday afternoon in a 4-3 decision in Waco.

The Sooners battled back from a 4-1 deficit to cut the lead to one in the sixth inning, putting the tying run on third base with two outs, but couldn't manufacture any more runs in the final two innings to drop just the program's eighth loss in the past three years (123-8 in that span).

"What just happened is extremely valuable," said Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso. "What's valuable is the response, the rebound and the extra work that is going to be put in to make us better. Our offense was confused with things and we definitely have to find a way to handle pitchers that mix pitches better."

Oklahoma (8-1) struck first in the top of the second courtesy of a Baylor (7-1) error on a ball junior Jayda Coleman ripped to the shortstop, allowing senior Alynah Torres to race home after she tripled.

Baylor plated all four of its runs in the third inning beginning with an RBI single by Amber Toven. A batter later, BU sophomore Shaylon Govan hit a three-run home run down the left field line to bring the score to 4-1 Bears after three. It was just the second home run sophomore pitcher Jordy Bahl has surrendered this season and the sixth of her career.

Bahl quickly settled in and retired the next eight Baylor batters into the sixth inning.

In the top of the sixth, Oklahoma put together a two-run rally beginning with a Torres walk and Rylie Boone single down the left line. Coleman came through with an RBI double to score pinch runner Avery Hodge from second before junior Tiare Jennings plated Boone on an RBI groundout. A groundout ended OU's threat of tying the game and Baylor relief pitcher Aliyah Binford put the Sooners down in order in the seventh to give Baylor its first win over the Sooners since 2017.

Baylor starting pitcher Dariana Orme (W, 3-1) pitched four innings and allowed just one run on six hits to the potent Oklahoma offense, striking out a pair and walking two. Binford earned the save in three innings of relief, allowing two runs on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Bahl took just the second loss of her career (25-2), going the distance and allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Jennings (2-for-4) and Boone (2-for-3) paced OU at the plate.

The Sooners finished the Getterman Classic 3-1 with wins over Longwood (10-0 [5 inn.]), Stephen F. Austin (22-0 [5]) and Army (9-0 [5]).

Oklahoma turns its attention to the annual Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic next weekend, Feb. 24-26, in Cathedral City, Calif., where it faces Cal State-Fullerton, Texas A&M, Utah, Loyola Marymount and No. 2 UCLA. The tournament can be seen on FloSoftball ($) and heard via 107.7 The Franchise in Oklahoma and nationwide on the TuneIn app.