OU softball: Sooners power past Auburn in final game of Omni Hall of Fame Classic
Jayda Coleman was on fire at the plate against Auburn on Sunday.
From her first at-bat to her last, the OU center fielder could do no wrong.
And with her leading the way, the Sooners capped an impressive three days at the Omni Hall of Fame Classic with another dominant victory.
Coleman went 4 for 4, scored three runs and drove in two as top-ranked OU defeated No.19 Auburn 7-1 at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.
Auburn had a great start as leadoff hitter Nelia Peralta launched a homer off OU’s Alex Storako to begin the game.
After the Sooners were held scoreless in the first two innings, Coleman hit a two-run homer off Auburn starter Maddie Penta in the third before OU blew things open with a four-run fifth.
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For OU coach Patty Gasso, Coleman is solidifying herself as a superstar.
“She’s become one of the smartest thought-process hitters,” Gasso said. “There’s a small group that live in this elite world, like Jocelyn Alo. And I think Jayda Coleman is starting to (enter) in that little universe.”
Although Storako gave up the leadoff home run, she was nearly perfect after that.
Overall, she pitched five innings, struck out 11, walked one and allowed just two hits before Jordy Bahl entered and tossed the last two innings to seal the win.
“Alex was just dealing today,” Gasso said. “Really, really outstanding. And then the combination of bringing Jordy in is just almost unfair. That’s how it’s feeling sometimes. I’m glad they’re on our side.”
The game was tight entering the fifth, but Tiare Jennings and Kinzie Hansen helped OU assert its dominance.
Jennings and Hansen each launched two-run homers, and OU cruised from there against the Tigers (22-9).
Jennings drove in OU’s final run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly.
“Once each one of them has had a few at-bats, they kind of go up knowing exactly what they need to do to change,” Gasso said.
“And that’s the beauty of this lineup is they’re smart and they listen and they learn and they watch what’s in front of them and they talk. And you could hear the game plans in motion. And they just execute them. Eventually, we’re going to get there. It’s just a matter of when.”
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OU improved to 28-1 as it earned its 19th straight victory.
Storako got the win in the circle and is now 10-0 on the season. She has a 0.94 ERA.
A Michigan transfer, the redshirt senior was outstanding throughout the Omni Hall of Fame Classic.
“First time ever at Hall of Fame, so that was really exciting and a really cool experience to see the amount of support that we have here,” she said. “And I think that’s just unmatched.”
OU played seven games from Monday through Sunday. The Sooners will begin a three-game series at Iowa State on Friday.
“It is time to get a well-deserved rest and rejuvenate and kind of start the next one-third of our season,” Gasso said.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU vs. Auburn softball: Sooners sweep Omni Hall of Fame Classic
