The No. 2 Oklahoma softball narrowly avoided being shut out for the first time since 2019 on Sunday as the Sooners fell, 6-1, to No. 23 Alabama.
Alabama evened the SEC series at a game apiece after Oklahoma took Saturday's opener 5-1. The last team to shut out OU was, coincidentally, the Crimson Tide. Alabama beat the Sooners, 1-0, in the first game of their semifinal meeting in the 2019 Women's College World Series. OU would win the next game before falling twice to UCLA in the championship series.
Oklahoma starter Kierston Deal didn't have her best stuff. She retired just seven batters before being pulled, finishing with three runs allowed on four hits, a walk, and a hit batter. But it wasn't just Deal. The Tide struck for a run on her replacement, Isabella Smith, and two against Audrey Lowry.
The Sooners were one out away from the shutout when Sydney Barker hit a solo home run to left-center field. Abigale Dayton was retired immediately after, and Alabama evened the series at one. Oklahoma's only other hit on the day came in the third inning when Kasidi Pickering hit a two-out double.
Alabama collected home runs from Kali Heivilin, a solo shot, and Abby Duchscherer, who hit a two-run blast. Jocelyn Briski pitched her best game of the season, working all seven innings while giving up just the two hits and a walk. OU could blame only themselves, as they also just struck out twice against Briski.
Briski was just 11-10 on the season coming into the game with an ERA of 2.62. It was only her third time all season throwing a seven-inning complete game. But she was brilliant, keeping Oklahoma off balance and inducing 11 ground ball outs in the win.
The series finale between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Alabama Crimson Tide is set for Monday at 6 p.m. from Tuscaloosa.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: No. 2 Oklahoma softball upset by No. 23 Alabama in Game 2 of series
