Parker fans 14 in Sooners’ Game 1 win
AUBURN, ALA. — Paige Parker baffled Auburn for the entirety of two games in last year’s Women’s College World Series championship series. She won both games to give the Sooners their second national title in four years.
In Game 1 of the highly anticipated rematch of that series, Parker was even better. The Auburn offense mounted several threats on a hot Friday afternoon at Jane B. Moore Field, but Parker never cracked.
The Oklahoma ace fired a complete-game shutout, silencing the rowdy contingent of 2,477 orange-and-blue-clad fans and leading the Sooners to a 4-0 win in the Super Regional opener.
“They had threatened us more than a few times, and her timely strikeouts or pop-ups or whatever it was — this a focused competitor right here,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said. “A lot of pitchers would shy away from these settings. She thrives in these settings. It was fun to see her really perform.”
The Tigers put runners on base numerous times against the defending national champions, but Parker escaped each jam without harm.
The junior left-hander allowed two of her four hits in the second inning, and Auburn mixed in a walk to load the bases with two outs. Parker recorded one of her 14 strikeouts, one shy of a career-high, to sit down Auburn pinch-hitter Jenna Abbott and wiggle out of the jam.
Kasey Cooper and Alyssa Rivera ripped extra-base hits to place themselves in scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, but their teammates that followed failed to make contact against Parker.
“It’s just going out and just being gritty and just doing whatever you can to not let them score,” Parker said.
Parker received all the run support she needed in the sixth inning on backto-back, two-strike hits.
Nicole Pendley laced a ground-rule double to left field to drive in the Sooners’ first run. Macey Hatfield followed with an infield single to the shortstop that chased home another.
OU enjoyed production from the top of its batting order to the bottom throughout the afternoon. Eight of nine starters recorded at least one hit, and four different Sooners drove in the four runs.
“That’s one thing that I’m most pleased about,” Gasso said. “When I look at the box, you can see everybody contributing some way or the other.”
Oklahoma added two insurance runs in the seventh, but Parker didn’t need them.
After inducing a fly out to open the seventh inning, Parker struck out consecutive Tigers, a fitting end to a dominant outing that brings the Sooners within one win of the 11th trip to Oklahoma City in program history.
“I’m really proud of Paige Parker,” Gasso said. “I think this is one of the best games she’s thrown all season. She thrives in these settings.”