The big weekend for the OU softball team nearly went as planned.
Love’s Field, the Sooners’ brand-new home stadium, was unveiled and hosted the OU Tournament. They defeated Miami (Ohio) 9–7 to start the tournament, then on Friday they defeated Liberty 8–0 (in five innings).
After that, on Saturday, OU defeated Liberty 15-3 in five innings and defeated Louisiana 8-0 in five. However, it lost to Louisiana 7–5 in eight innings on Sunday.
It also marked the end of OU’s record-setting 71-game winning streak in NCAA softball history. The Sooners (18-1) had not dropped a game since their February 19, 2023, 4–3 loss to Baylor.
The top five OU players from the OU Tournament are as follows:
Top five players from the OU Tournament in softball
5. Fielder Tiare Jennings
Even though Jennings made her first error of the year in Sunday’s loss to Louisiana, she had a strong run of plays.
In five games, the senior hit 7 for 15, scoring one run and collecting five RBIs. Jennings also scored two runs on a home run during OU’s Saturday win over Liberty.
4. Infielder Cydney Sanders
Cydney Sanders had a great weekend at the plate in the little time she got to play.
The junior hit 4-for-8, scoring two runs and hauling in six RBIs. Sanders even hit two solo home runs on Saturday against Louisiana and another on Sunday against Liberty.
3. Fielder Jayda Coleman
Jada Coleman played a key role in OU’s narrow win over Miami (Ohio) on Friday.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the senior recorded two RBIs, two runs, and a home run. Coleman went 6-for-11 with five RBIs and five runs scored by the end of the weekend.
2. Alyssa Brito, Utility
Alyssa Brito has adapted well to Love’s Field.
The senior stuffed the record books with 8 hits for 16 at bats, 5 RBIs, 6 RBIs, and 2 home runs. Brito hit a solo home run against Miami (Ohio) on Friday and drove in two runs against Liberty on Saturday.
1. Kinzie Hansen, Catcher
Kinzie Hansen was the hero of Osaka University’s debut on Friday at Love’s Field.
The graduate catcher hits a walk-off, two-run home run, giving OU a 9-7 victory over Miami (Ohio). Hansen finished the weekend 7-for-14 with five RBIs, six RBIs, and two home runs.