June 10, 2023 Issue, Page 7 of 8

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Sports June 10, 2023 ‘The Elk City News - 7 Corn Florida State focused on staying aggressive Bible against Sooners’ vaunted defense Academy Tarik Masri, The Norman Wednesday at 7 p.m, head 5-1 win over Tennessee to but even when a ball is put in nings each drove in runs Transcript coach Loni Alameda plans to advance to the WCWS Final. play the Sooners have talent- to take the lead back in the do just that. Devyn Flaherty has stolen ed athletes at positions across fifth inning and Jordy Bahl OKLAHOMA CITY — The Seminoles enter the 31 bases this season, which the field. They don’t have a allowed just one hit over the 2023 ‘Through eight games of NCAA three-game series ranked ranks 22nd in the country single player on their roster final three innings. Tournament play, and 49 in- ninth in the country in stolen and has only been caught with more than three errors Still, OU head coach Patty nings of softball, not a single bases with 133. twice. on the year. Gasso doesn’t expect to see team has tried to steal a base “We've got to do what we “Tt’s one thing to tip your “One thing about this sea- Graduate too many similarities be- on No. 1-seed Oklahoma. hat to what they have, it’s an- son that I've really noticed is tween the WCWS Final and a do,” Alameda said. “We like to It's not hard to see why. run the bases, and we need to other to really get after what how much joy we have as a one-off game played in mid- ‘The Sooners’ defense fights get on the bases, and we want we do,” Alameda said. “And I team,” Third baseman Alyssa March. relentlessly for every out and to push some situations. So if think that’s what we're going Brito said. “ ... this is honestly “Am I surprised that we’re turns highlight-reel plays into we can push the defense, that to be about.” the most fun I've ever had.” both here? No,” Gasso said. more momentum for their can put us in a really good For the Sooners, every- The last time the two “(Florida State is) very simi- high-powered offense. situation to be able to extend thing starts with the pitching teams met, a 5-4 Oklahoma Jar. But we're a different team They have a fielding per- some innings and get after staff. win in Norman, it was the than we were in March, as are centage of .989 and have some things.” Through 53 innings long ball that kept Florida committed 16 errors on the The Seminoles turned to pitched in the NCAA Tour- State in the game. Katie Deck they. So we're familiar with season, both of which would small ball with a narrow 2-1 nament, Oklahoma's four and Jahni Kerr each homered names and their style, but go down as NCAA Division I lead over Washington in their pitchers have combined to on OU’s Alex Storako, but the we've got to go back to the records if they hold up. second game of the World Se- allow just 37 hits and have Seminoles were outhit 13-6 drawing board like we haven’t It's no surprise teams ries. Mack Leonard laid down walked just nine batters with and didn’t attempt a steal. seen them before.” have been reluctant to be ag- a bunt with a runner on sec- 55 strikeouts. Opponents are ‘The Sooners took an early 3-1 Tarik Masri is the interim gressive against this Sooner ond base, and a Washington batting .151 against the Soon- lead, but the Seminoles an- sports editor for The Tran- defense. But as No. 3-seed error allowed the Seminoles ers this postseason with an swered in the top of the next script covering OU athlet- Florida State prepares to face to extend their lead late. on-base percentage of .242. inning on Kerr's three-run ics and area sports. You can Rachel Gwartney the Sooners for the Women’s Florida State stole four That doesn’t leave many homer. reach him by emailing tarike College World Series Final on bases on five attempts in a opportunities for mistakes, Haley Lee and Tiare Jen- normantranscript.com Oklahoma State men’s basketball lands NC State transfer Isaiah Miranda Jon Walker, Stillwater News- he'll be leaving a Cowboy. though, joining NC State midway Now, OSU's front court will in- and eventually upheld in November Press He was an NBA Draft prospect through this past season before not dude Miranda, Jacksonville trans- 2021, until hours before Wednesday's logging a single minute of action. fer Mike Marsh, and a trio of fresh- Boynton will have time to make Mike Boynton got one step clos- deadline. Then he withdrew his This isn't the first time that man in McDonald’s All-American er to filling out the Oklahoma State name from the pool, doubling down Boynton and Co. have pursued him, Brandon Garrison, USA Basketball that decision. He more than likely men’s basketball roster on Sunday the decision to transfer from the either. In fact, they extended an of- product Bric Dailey Jr. and four-star already has. But for now, the Cow- morning. Wolfpack after not seeing a single fer to Miranda on July 6, 2021. signee Justin McBridge. boys add another piece to the puzzle The Cowboys, quite literally, minute of action during the 2022- He'll bring a versatility to OSU's The Cowboys still have one in their pursuit of OSU's first trip to nabbed a huge transfer-portal pick- 23 season. front court that seemed in jeopardy available scholarship to work with, the NCAA Tournament since 2021. up when NC State big man Isaiah after the portal departures of Mous- though Boynton could elect to not Miranda was a four-star recruit Follow News Press sports report- Miranda announced his commit- sa Cisse (Ole Miss), Kalib Boone use it and rid the program of NCAA out of Southern California Acad- ment to OSU via social media. emy (Castaic, California) and the (UNLV) and Tyreek Smith (SMU). sanctions still lingering from an er Jon Walker on Twitter @ByJon- Miranda, at 7-foot, 200 pounds, 17th-ranked center in the Class of He's expected to be the tallest player investigation on former assistant Walker for updates on Oklahoma visited Stillwater this weekend. And 2023 on 247Sports. He reclassified, on the roster for 2023-24. LaMont Evans that was appealed State athletics and more. ‘We’ll be back’: OSU softball’s season Late comeback falls short, ends with loss to Tennessee in Sooners eliminated by East Carolina Women’s College World Series Tarik Masri, The Norman Transcript The struggles Oklahoma has battled through at points Jon Walker, Stillwater for a 136-pitch complete a chance,” Gajewski said. “So They're always going to be ev- throughout the season started to return as it faced elimina- NewsPress game while allowing four hits. I kept sending her with the erywhere.” tion in the fifth inning of the NCAA Charlottesville Regional. “We knew that our game intention of I could shut her This, of course, isn’t where East Carolina ran through two Oklahoma pitchers in the OKLAHOMA CITY — plan against Ashley Rogers down if I had to, and I got my Gajewski and Co. wanted the top of the inning, and the end point of the Sooners’ season Kenny Gajewski took his time was not to chase. I think that’s hands up. She had her head campaign to end. The Cow- started to come into focus. Trailing 8-1 heading into the bot- tom of the fifth, the Sooners could've folded, but didn’t. walking from first base to kind of what we dida little bit down. She kind of hesitated, girls have been here before. Kendall Pettis led off the inning with a five-pitch walk home plate at USA Softball tonight, was chasing that rise I think. That’s what I felt. So, They've hosted Regionals, she saw me, but it is what it is. and made it home after a pair of singles from Bryce Mad- Hall of Fame Stadium. For ball from the box,” Cowgirls swept Super Regionals and ron and Diego Muniz. The Sooners scored one more run on as long as he possibly could, designated player Morgyn We didn’t get it done.” been a game away from the a walk, and Easton Carmichael made it 8-4 two innings later Oklahoma State softball’s Wynne said. “That’s kind of As prolific as Rogers was, championship series. on an RBI-double down the first base line. eighth-year coach wanted to where we fell short, was chas- OSU's pitching staff was up ‘That isn’t what does it for A leadoff home run by Madron gave the Sooners a spark delay what awaited him. ing after those pitches that for the task, too. It marked with the season on the line in the bottom of the ninth, but It was inevitable, though. were intended for us to chase only the eighth time this sea- them anymore. the comeback ended there. The No. 6 Cowgirls were them.” son that Tennessee was held Gajewski wants to win the The Sooners were eliminated with an 8-5 loss, their sec- merely moments removed ‘They were few and far be- to three hits or less. last game of the season. Any- ond to the Pirates at the Charlottesville Regional. from a 3-1 loss to No. 4 Ten- tween, but the Cowgirls had Gajewski went with two- thing other than that doesn’t Even ina disappointing end to a 32-28 season, there were nessee in the Women’s College their chances. time All-American Kelly Max- meet the standard that the bright spots in the loss. Starting pitcher James Hitt retired World Series on Sunday eve- Wynne, who finished 1 for well in the circle to start, and program has set for itself, the the first six batters to protect an early 1-0 lead, but started ning. Gajewski had no choice 3, put the Pokes on the board she was two outs away from standard that the Cowgirls to struggle as he returned to the top of the batting order in the third. but to finish the handshake with a no-doubter of a solo making it through three full have worked to earn since the ‘The Pirates had three hits (with one coming on a bunt), line, take a step back, wipe his home run to left field with innings when the Lady Vols day Gajewski was hired. had a batter hit by a pitch and a walk. It was a momentum- eyes and embrace each and ev- two outs in the top of the (81-9) struck. And they'll have another shifting inning and East Carolina was able to builda 3-1 lead. ery tear-filled player in front sixth. That was the only sure Maxwell fanned the first crack at it again a year from ‘The Sooners hit four singles over the next two innings, of him. thing OSU had at the plate. batter of the frame, That now. They aren't planning on but couldn’t manufacture a run. Hitt retired all three batters “['m just so proud of what Nothing came easy, and that’s going anywhere. was followed by a walk, RBI in order in the top of the fourth inning, but was replaced af- these kids have continued to why a squandered opportu- double, another walk and an “If you just keep kick- ter allowing back-to-back singles to lead off the fifth. do here at OSU. They've raised nity in the fourth hurt that RBI single — a sequence that, ing shins, they'll eventu- Hitt was credited for throwing four full innings and gave the bar again,” Gajewski said much more. on the brink of elimination, ally break,” Gajewski told the up five hits and five earned runs. Carter Campbell came in to in the aftermath of the sea- Cowgirls first baseman made Gajewski insert Lexi team. “That's what we're go- replace Hitt with two runners on and allowed hits on four of son-ending defeat. “We fell Micaela Wark battled through Kilfoyl the next five at-bats. ing to do. We're just going to ‘Three of those were doubles and the non-hit was a sacri- short, and that part hurts.” an eight-pitch at-bat to safely Kilfoyl inherited runners keep kicking the shins of our fice fly ball to deep left field that scored another run. Carson The Cowgirls (46-17) end- reach base with a two-out sin- on second and third and pro- opponents, and we'll eventu- Pierce and Will Carsten closed out the game and combined to ed their fourth consecutive gle. Then freshman left fielder ceeded to retire the side with ally break this door down, and allow just one hit and no runs. trip to the WCWS one game ‘Tallen Edwards ripped a dou- back-to-back ground balls hit we'll look back to teams like Batting in the third and fourth spot in the lineup respec- shy of the National Semi- ble to the wall in right. Gajew- right back at her. The Lady this. tively, Madron and Harris each provided the Sooners some finals, which is where they ski initially signaled for Wark Vols’ only other run came via “We'll take some time and much-needed offensive firepower. The two juniors went made it to a season ago. That's to head home before trying to a throwing error in the bot- three for four at the plate and each drove in runs. in large part due to Lady Vol- hold her up at third, tom of the fifth. regroup to figure out how ‘The Sooners outhit the Pirates 11-10 and had six walks, unteers ace Ashley Rogers. Wark was tagged out at “| feel like my job in that we can improve, and we'll be with five of those hits coming after they had already trailed Tennessee didn’t use ei- home, a ruling that was up- moment is just to get out back. We'll be right back here by seven runs. Meanwhile, nine of East Carolina’s 10 hits and ther of its top two pitchers in held after a review for ob- of the inning and try and go next year and make another three of their four walked batters came in just two innings. a run-rule loss to No. 1 Okla- struction, back with and stop runs from run.” Okdahoma finally got its full lineup healthy for the final Follow News Press sports stretch of the season and entered regional play having won homa only 24 hours before “T caught her eyes coming happening,” said Kilfoyl, who 12 of its last 19 games to become oneof the final four teams the elimination matchup, a around short. I was like, ‘OK, didn’t give up a hit in 3.2 in- reporter Jon Walker on Twit- selected for the NCAA Tournament. divisive tactic that paid off. I got her eyes. She’s not the nings. “In that moment, I ter @ByJonWalker for updates Tarik Masri is the interim sports editor for The Transcript Rogers stifled the Cowgirls at fastest runner on our team, was just trusting my defense on Oklahoma State athletics covering OU athletics and area sports. You can reach him by the plate, going the distance but it looked like we may have because they’re everywhere. and more. emailing tarikenormantranscript.com