The big bad Big 12, got away to a positive star

Northwestern was so excited, I thought I was watching the wrong game.

Up it went in the top of the second inning just gazing the glove of the left fielder as she stretched at the fence.

It was a solo shot and the Wildcats’ fans were jumping up and down, exchanging hugs, high-fives, and without looking at the scoreboard I would have thought this game was over, that the 9th-seeded Big Ten representative from Evansville had reasons to celebrate.

But I was wrong, it brought a 1-0 advantage for them, that was it, and while was doing a double take, these were players, coaches and fans wearing the school’s purple.

Yet, it was only the second inning, and in the Oklahoma University dugout it looked like there were shrugs, shaking of heads, and nothing more than the Sooners coming to bat, getting their turn.

Up first was junior right-fielder Rylie Boone, and on the second pitch from junior southpaw Sydney Supple, she doubled over the right-fielder’s head and sped easily into second base. Next came junior catcher Kinzie Hansen and drove the ball up the middle and in came Boone to knot the score.

If you thought the top-ranked team in the country was done, up stepped sophomore lead-off hitter Jayda Coleman and she took two pitches before bouncing a safety over second base. A wild pitch moved Hansen and Coleman up a base, and senior slugger Jocelyn Alo walked on four pitches.

Right behind her was sophomore second sacker Tiare Jennings and she drilled the first-pitch fastball over the fence in right as the Wildcats watched the grand slam wipe out their slim lead that put them behind 5-1.

An out later, senior shortstop Grace Lyons singled past third, dashed to second, and came home on senior third baseman’s shot up the middle and the frame finally ended with Oklahoma (54-2) having an  insurmountable 6-1 lead.

And worse than that for the Wildcats, it was grand slnam time again as Johns belted a base loaded shot over the fence in right to make it 13-1.

After, Northwestern looked down and out collectively as it came to bat. But senior starting right-hander Hope Trautwein got to the circle and gave up a two-base hit while striking out two. Head coach Patty Gasso then brought in freshman phenom Jordy Bahl who, with a forearm injury, hadn’t pitched in about two weeks.

Looking relaxed and happy to be there, Bahl (22-1) did give up a low liner to right field that scored the baserunner, then got the final out on a stellar play at short by Lyons. Bahl got the save, her first of the season, and Trautwin the win, her 15th in 16 starts.

It took an inning when they trailed for the first time all season, but the Sooners did put together yet another super effort at bat, in the field, and in the circle.

NCAA NATIONAL DIVISION I SOFTBALL REGIONALS