No. 4 Oklahoma routs BYU in Large 12 semifinal, sending Cougars dwelling to await postseason destiny

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — After Thursday’s upset win over Oklahoma State, the BYU softball workforce ran right into a buzzsaw Friday afternoon in a Large 12 semifinal.

And it began earlier than the primary pitch in opposition to three-time defending nationwide champion Oklahoma.

Previous to the sport’s begin, BYU star shortstop Ailana Agbayani was dominated out with an damage she suffered Thursday after working right into a rolled up tarp in left subject within the quarterfinals. That left the 5-foot-4 beginning shortstop with a team-high .424 batting common unavailable.

It did not get any higher in opposition to the Sooners.

Alyssa Brito went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI and three runs scored, and freshman Ella Parker went 3-for-4 with a house run, a double and three RBI as No. 4 Oklahoma routed the Cougars 13-2 in 5 innings at Devon Park.

Kierston Deal (12-1) spun a no-hitter by way of 4 innings for the Sooners, hanging out 4 with two walks within the two-hit, complete-game effort.

Hailey Morrow ripped a two-out, two-run dwelling run by way of the center of the park for BYU (31-22).

The Sooners (48-6) struck early and by no means regarded again, scoring three runs within the backside of the primary inning that included Parker’s solo shot over the right-field fence to take a 3-0 lead.

That led to a double pitching change within the backside of the third, which began with freshman lefty Gianna Mares earlier than the Cougars went to fellow frosh Kate Dahle and senior lefty Chloe Temples.

However the hits saved coming, together with back-to-back RBI singles by Kinzie Hansen and Kasidi Pickering to push Oklahoma’s result in 5-0.

Parker’s RBI single by way of the appropriate aspect added one other run within the backside of the fourth, Brito added her 53rd and 54th RBIs of the season, and the Sooners scratched throughout eight within the backside of the fourth to stretch their benefit to 13-0.

Deal did the remaining, permitting simply two hits to Oklahoma’s 13 hits in run assist to advance to Saturday’s Large 12 championship in opposition to the winner of Texas and Baylor.

The Cougars will head dwelling to be taught its postseason destiny Sunday night time. The Cougars’ 31 wins are good for the No. 48 RPI within the nation, together with three wins over top-10 opponents — probably the most in a single season in BYU softball historical past after taking a recreation apiece off three-game units with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State within the common season.

However BYU was simply 11-16 in Large 12 play, the results of enjoying in one of many more durable school softball nations within the nation with two All-Large 12 alternatives in Agbayani and senior Huntyr Ava.