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Oklahoma's Haley Lee has her Marita Hynes Field moment

Bob Przybyloby: Bob Przybylo05/26/23BPrzybylo
Syndication: The Oklahoman
Oklahoma's Haley Lee (45) watches her grand slam. Photo credit: Sarah Phipps - The Oklahoman.

It’s only fitting that Oklahoma softball can add one more memorable moment to the rich history of Marita Hynes Field.

It just took one swing. One massive swing from Haley Lee turned what was an anxious atmosphere into a raucous one in OU’s 9-2 victory against Clemson on Friday afternoon in Game 1 of the Super Regionals in Norman.

A grand slam Lee will always remember to help the Sooners move to 55-1 overall and now tie the all-time softball winning streak at 47 games.

The Sooners go for the record Saturday. But more importantly, win No. 48 in a row would send No. 1-ranked Oklahoma back to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series.

Game 2 is Noon on Saturday. TV designation was still TBD as of Friday afternoon.

“I just felt a gritty – the word gritty performance by the team,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “It wasn’t our best performance defensively, which was very uncharacteristic. But what I loved is that the team rallied once they scored two.

“Rallied for Jordy. Rallied for Brito, that’s very uncharacteristic for her. There were a couple of things that went on that’s just not us. So to see them step up the way they did and scored very quickly, it was a testament to feeling adversity and answering that call. And that’s what they did.”

OU was rolling entering the top of the fifth inning with a 4-0 lead. Cydney Sanders had the big bomb with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth.

However, the Tigers fought back. They notched two runs and had the bases loaded with one out when pitcher Jordy Bahl was able to get out of the jam.

And then Oklahoma did what it does

Back-to-back-to-back hits by Rylie Boone, Jayda Coleman and Tiare Jennings led to Lee taking the spotlight.

The momentum was building throughout the stadium with each hit. In the final weekend of Marita Hynes Field, Lee, the transfer from Texas A&M, delivered the crushing blow.

“Truthfully, you’re thinking just do something to help the runners advance,” Lee said. “You’re just thinking base hit, walk, anything in the moment. I looked down to third base and Boone’s just like, ‘slow it down. Find your pitch.’

“So I really just was like if she throws it over I’ll take my pitch. If not I’m happy with a walk. Just finding our pitch and slowing the game down for myself was kind of the process.”

It was Lee’s 14th home run of the season. Alyssa Brito followed with her 16th home run of the year, and a 4-2 narrow lead was now a 9-2 celebration.

Bahl and Alex Storako closed the show. Bahl went 5.1 innings pitched with eight hits, two runs (one earned) and six strikeouts. Storako didn’t allow a base runner in the final 1.2 innings.

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