No. 1 Oklahoma Softball posts shutout wins against Kansas and Marshall

No. 1 Oklahoma Softball (18-0) tallied eight home runs, played errorless defense in the field and registered 10 innings of shutout ball in the circle as the Sooners defeated Kansas (9-7) and Marshall (6-10) Saturday, March 1.

The Sooners downed Kansas, 8-0, and Marshall, 11-0, both in five innings. The Sooners have won via run-rule 10 times this year.

Kasidi Pickering homered three times, bringing her season total to seven. Gabbie Garcia hit two out of the park, notching her first home runs at Love's Field. Cydney Sanders, Nelly McEnroe-Marinas and Maya Bland all added one apiece. 

The OU lefties were rolling in the circle. Audrey Lowry earned the win with a five-inning shutout in game one, while Kierston Deal went four for the victory in game two. Paytn Monticelli closed things out with a scoreless fifth against Marshall. 

Oklahoma is hitting .375 with 11 home runs and 26 RBIs as a team this weekend. The Sooners are fielding a perfect 1.000 and the pitching staff has combined for a 0.44 ERA across 16 innings.

GAME 1 | OU 8, Kansas 0 (5 innings)

OU set the tone, scoring four runs on five hits in the first. Abigale Dayton singled, stole second and scored when Sanders lifted a towering two-run home run to left. Pickering followed, homering to left center on a 2-1 delivery. McEnroe-Marinas started some small ball offense, singling to left. Ailana Agbayani poked a soft single to third before Kansas third baseman September Fianagan threw wildly to first, scoring McEnroe-Marinas. 

Lowry used only eight pitches in a scoreless second and worked around two hits in the third. Pickering added one more with her second opposite field home run of the day, this one a 272-foot shot in the bottom of the third. 

For the second consecutive inning the Sooners' leadoff batter homered, with Garcia lining a 3-1 pitch to dead center for a home run to make it 6-0. The final two runs came across an inning later after Pickering walked and McEnroe-Marinas homered to left field. 

GAME 2 | OU 11, Marshall 0 (5 innings)

Oklahoma put up crooked numbers in three innings, including a six-run third, cruising past Marshall. The Sooners had six hits and worked 10 free passes, setting a season high for walks. 

Pickering's scorching hot bat showed up in the bottom of the first as she homered in Dayton and Sanders after they walked earlier in the frame. 

Deal danced around two hits in the second and Garcia homered in two more in the bottom half, roping another to center after Isabela Emerling walked a batter earlier. 

Oklahoma batted around in a massive third inning, plating six on three hits and five walks. OU scored on a passed ball, Agbayani double, Bland two-run home run, Parker double and a Sydney Barker sac fly. The Sooners produced three pinch-hit RBI in the frame, while pinch runners Chaney Helton and Zache both scored. 

Monticelli retired the Thundering Herd in the fifth to seal the win.