🥎 Kansas Falls to No. 1 Oklahoma in Second Game of Series Saturday

NORMAN, Okla. – No. 1 Oklahoma outscored Kansas 14-0 in five innings, including eight runs scored in the first, as the Jayhawks fell to 22-23 (4-10 Big 12) in Norman, Oklahoma on Saturday.

No. 1 ranked Sooners improve to 44-1 (14-0 Big 12) this season. Oklahoma’s Nicole May and Kiertson Deal tossed a combined no-hitter over five innings. May improved to 14-0 on the season.

Freshman right hander Lizzy Ludwig got her third start of the season in the circle. Ludwig entered this game with the fourth best ERA in the Big 12 (1.53). She allowed eight runs, seven hits and one walk and fell to 3-7 on the season.

The Sooners got out of the gate hot, scoring eight runs in the first frame. OU opened the bottom of the first with three-straight singles. After forcing a flyout to freshman left fielder Presley Limbaugh, KU gave up two more singles. Kansas was able to get the second out of the inning thanks to another flyout to Limbaugh. 

After their sixth single of the inning, OU put another run across after an error by the KU defense. A walk and a three-run home run gave Oklahoma the 8-0 lead. Sophomore right hander Katie Brooks came in for relief and forced a groundout to senior Shortstop Haleigh Harper for the third out of the inning.

In the second inning, Brooks was able to get three outs with just seven pitches, forcing the only scoreless inning for OU. Brooks finished her outing allowing three runs, three hits and one walk in 2.1 innings.

Oklahoma added three more runs in the bottom of the third. The first at-bat of the frame grounded out to freshman second baseman Hailey Cripe. The Sooners hit two doubles and a home run, increasing their lead to 11-0.

Junior right hander Addison Purvis stepped into the circle to start the fourth inning.  After hitting a batter and giving up a single, OU hit a three-run home run to increase their lead to 14-0. 

PITCHERS OF RECORD

Win: Nicole May (14-0)
Final line: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO
Loss: Lizzy Ludwig (3-7)
Final line: 0.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

UP NEXT

Kansas concludes its series against No. 1 Oklahoma tomorrow, April 30, at 1 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the game via Big 12 Now on ESPN+ or follow along the official Kansas Softball Twitter account for live updates throughout the game.