Sooners take opener, 8-7

NORMAN — Redshirt-senior Isabela Emerling erased a 4-0 deficit with a grand slam in the third inning and freshman Lexi McDaniel gave the Sooners the lead for good with a pinch-hit double in the fifth as No. 1/1 Oklahoma (41-5, 14-2 SEC) defeated No. 6/8 Arkansas (35-7, 10-6 SEC), 8-7, Friday. 

Audrey Lowry earned her 19th win and freshman Allyssa Parker tallied the final out to earn her first save. The win marked the Sooners’ 15th comeback victory, while tying OU’s largest deficit in a comeback win this year.

Oklahoma 8, Arkansas 7
Arkansas’ aggressive bats brought in two runs in the second inning. Flared singles from Tianna Bell and Ataliya Rijo put two on to start the frame. Audrey Lowry struck out Kailey Wyckoff, but Kennedy Miller drew a walk before Karlie Davison plated two with a single up the middle. Lowry made the play on a sac bunt back to her and Kendall Wells caught a pop out behind the plate. 

The Razorbacks extended their lead to 4-0 with a Bell two-run home run to left field in the third inning. But, OU began to mount its comeback in the bottom of the frame. Kai Minor doubled, Kendall Wells was hit by a pitch and Gabbie Garcia walked with one out. With the bags juiced, Isabela Emerling hit an opposite field grand slam to tie the game at 4-4. 

Ella McDowell answered with a solo homer, one of her three hits of the night, bringing Arkansas back in front in the top of the fifth inning. 

The leadoff runner reached once again for OU in the fifth, with Garcia singling to right center. After Emerling was hit by a pitch, Kasidi Pickering moved both runners over with a groundout. Ailana Agbayani plated the pinch runner in Tia Milloy, tying the game with an RBI fielder’s choice. Freshman Lexi McDaniel drove in the go-ahead runner with a double off the left center wall, putting OU up for the first time on the night. 

The Sooners tacked on some vital insurance with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Wells tallied an RBI single and Pickering completed the scoring with a sac fly to deep left. 

Arkansas lingered in the seventh, scoring two via a walk, single and pinch-hit double from Cam Harrison. With two outs and the tying run on second base, Allyssa Parker of Pocola entered and earned the save by coaxing a game-ending groundout.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Audrey Lowry (19-2)
Loss: Saylor Timmerman (8-1)
Save: Allyssa Parker (1)

Wake up with Heavener.news.

Your daily morning briefing on area news, sports, and community events. Free, fast, and straight to your inbox.

[Get your free update HERE.)