OU softball rewind: Alex Storako helps Sooners extend winning streak over Iowa State
NORMAN — It doesn’t quite have the same punch as the OU football program’s revered winning streak from the 1950s, but the Sooners’ softball program brought another streak to 47 over the weekend.
With its three-game sweep of Iowa State, OU ran its winning streak against the Cyclones to 47.
Iowa State hasn’t beaten the Sooners since 2006.
OU has won 79 of its last 81 Big 12 regular-season games.
It wasn’t all easy, though, as OU needed a strong pitching performance in the opener to escape with the win.
Here’s a look at what we learned about the Sooners last week:
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No. 1 OU
Overall record: 30-1
Last week: 3-0 (Beat Iowa State 3-0, 13-3 (5), and 10-0 (5))
This week: vs. Texas, 6 p.m. Friday at Hall of Fame Stadium, 11 a.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday at Marita Hynes Field.
More:Alex Storako pitches one-hit gem as OU softball beats Iowa State in Big 12 opener
Tough opener for OU softball at Iowa State
The Sooners haven’t been challenged much this season but Iowa State put up a tough fight in the opener in Ames.
OU managed just three runs in that eventual 3-0 victory over the Cyclones, but pitcher Alex Storako made sure the Sooners were never seriously in danger of dropping the game.
In a complete-game victory to improve to 11-0 on the season, Storako struck out five and allowed just one hit — a two-out infield single in the second inning.
With the shutout, her first seven-inning appearance of the season, Storako’s earned-run average dropped to 0.80.
Storako got all the run support she needed in the second, when Kinzie Hansen ripped an RBI double to right center before Rylie Boone brought home another run on a fielder’s choice.
The Sooners’ only other run came in the sixth, when Jayda Coleman drew a bases-loaded walk.
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OU and Clemson are only NCAA Division I softball teams with one loss
No. 16 Alabama knocked off No. 4 Tennessee 4-2 on Saturday night to hand the Volunteers their second loss of the season.
Tennessee’s loss snapped a 20-game winning streak.
With that defeat, Clemson is the only team other than OU to have just one defeat.
The Sooners have won 22 consecutive games, the longest streak in the country this season.
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Sooners’ power comes alive in Game 2
The second game of the series got off to a bit of a rough start, as an OU error, a walk and a double in the first inning put the Cyclones ahead 2-0.
But Nicole May settled in in the circle and the Sooners’ bats came alive quickly.
Alyssa Brito, Haley Lee, Tiare Jennings, Grace Lyons, Jocelyn Erickson and Sophia Nugent all homered in a 13-3 victory to clinch the series.
The Sooners are second nationally with 1.84 home runs per game, behind only Virginia Tech at 1.97.
Brito and Jayda Coleman are tied for the team lead in home runs with eight.
The Sooners’ .391 batting average is by far the best nationally this season, ahead of Marshall’s .366.
OU leads the country with 2.29 doubles per game, 9.97 runs per game, a .715 slugging percentage, and a .991 fielding percentage.
The Sooners’ pitchers are No. 3 nationally with a 1.00 ERA.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball: Alex Storako, Sooners extend winning streak vs Iowa State
