Upcoming Event: Softball versus Battle Series - 1 on October 3, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
Softball
vs Battle Series - 1
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Saturday, May 17
1 p.m.
University of Oklahoma
47-7
11
vs
2
(2) California
36-20
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
California
0
1
1
0
0
2
7
0
Oklahoma Sooners
1
4
0
6
X
11
7
0
Pickering went deep twice in the same game for the second time this year.
Photo by: Morgan Givens/University of Oklahoma
No. 2 Oklahoma Advances to Regional Final With 11-2 Win Against Cal
May 17, 2025 | Softball
Pickering Homers Twice, Drives in Six Runs
NORMAN — Oklahoma Softball's home run leaders took center stage as the No. 2 Sooners (47-7) advanced to the NCAA Norman Regional final with an 11-2, five-inning triumph over California (36-20) on Saturday at Love's Field.
Sophomore outfielder Kasidi Pickering belted two homers, including a grand slam, and freshman shortstop Gabbie Garcia added a two-run shot to help OU advance to its 15th straight Regional final.
Sam Landry went four innings to earn her 21st win of the season, fanning four while stranding seven Cal runners.
Pickering went 3-for-3 with six RBIs and three runs while boosting her batting average to a team-high .414. Garcia went 1-for-2 while driving in three.
The Sooners will face the winner of Saturday's late game in the regional final set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
It took just three pitches for Pickering to give the Sooners the lead as she lined a 77-mph home run to left field. Cal tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Kaylee Pond hit a solo homer off the right field foul pole.
OU put up crooked numbers, scoring four in the bottom of the second inning on a series of walks and singles.
Pickering made it 2-1 with a bases-loaded single to right. Designated player Ella Parker promptly made it 3-1, also with a bases-loaded single to right. Sydney Barker followed and made it 4-1 with a single to left. With the bases still loaded, Garcia was hit by a pitch to make it 5-1.
The Bears narrowed their deficit to 5-2 in the top of the third after leading off with three straight hits. The OU defense eventually got out of a bases-loaded jam by turning an impressive 5-4-3 double play off a soft ground ball that third baseman Nicole McEnroe-Marinas fielded and fired to Ailana Agbayani for the turn.
"As much as we enjoy watching hits being strung together, to me there's no more like an explanation point than a double play that ends an inning," Sooners coach Patty Gasso said. "They're a tough team. They swing it well. They have a lot of pitching options and they're very athletic."
Garcia gave OU a 7-2 lead with a two-run shot to right center, her 17th of the season.
Later that same inning, Pickering pushed the score to 11-2 with a grand slam to left-center, her second home run of the game.
"Pickering was just in a zone," Gasso said. "You could just feel that and see that. Gabbie's home run helped give us momentum. Everybody loves home runs, but I love when everybody strings together (quality at-bats)."
As is her way, Pickering's two home runs came on seemingly effortless swings. In response to her home run swings, "Go to the weight room, eat a lot," drawing laughter from the room. "(OU hitting coach) J.T. (Gasso) tells us how to use every part of our body to hit."
Landry (21-4) is 2-0 at the Norman Regional, tallying seven innings of work in her two outings.
Freshman lefthander Audrey Lowry relieved Landry in the top of the fifth against Cal and ended the game by retiring all three batters she faced.
"I loved Audrey's finish," Gasso said. "I think that was important for her."
Sophomore outfielder Kasidi Pickering belted two homers, including a grand slam, and freshman shortstop Gabbie Garcia added a two-run shot to help OU advance to its 15th straight Regional final.
Sam Landry went four innings to earn her 21st win of the season, fanning four while stranding seven Cal runners.
Pickering went 3-for-3 with six RBIs and three runs while boosting her batting average to a team-high .414. Garcia went 1-for-2 while driving in three.
The Sooners will face the winner of Saturday's late game in the regional final set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
It took just three pitches for Pickering to give the Sooners the lead as she lined a 77-mph home run to left field. Cal tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Kaylee Pond hit a solo homer off the right field foul pole.
OU put up crooked numbers, scoring four in the bottom of the second inning on a series of walks and singles.
Pickering made it 2-1 with a bases-loaded single to right. Designated player Ella Parker promptly made it 3-1, also with a bases-loaded single to right. Sydney Barker followed and made it 4-1 with a single to left. With the bases still loaded, Garcia was hit by a pitch to make it 5-1.
The Bears narrowed their deficit to 5-2 in the top of the third after leading off with three straight hits. The OU defense eventually got out of a bases-loaded jam by turning an impressive 5-4-3 double play off a soft ground ball that third baseman Nicole McEnroe-Marinas fielded and fired to Ailana Agbayani for the turn.
"As much as we enjoy watching hits being strung together, to me there's no more like an explanation point than a double play that ends an inning," Sooners coach Patty Gasso said. "They're a tough team. They swing it well. They have a lot of pitching options and they're very athletic."
Garcia gave OU a 7-2 lead with a two-run shot to right center, her 17th of the season.
Later that same inning, Pickering pushed the score to 11-2 with a grand slam to left-center, her second home run of the game.
"Pickering was just in a zone," Gasso said. "You could just feel that and see that. Gabbie's home run helped give us momentum. Everybody loves home runs, but I love when everybody strings together (quality at-bats)."
As is her way, Pickering's two home runs came on seemingly effortless swings. In response to her home run swings, "Go to the weight room, eat a lot," drawing laughter from the room. "(OU hitting coach) J.T. (Gasso) tells us how to use every part of our body to hit."
Landry (21-4) is 2-0 at the Norman Regional, tallying seven innings of work in her two outings.
Freshman lefthander Audrey Lowry relieved Landry in the top of the fifth against Cal and ended the game by retiring all three batters she faced.
"I loved Audrey's finish," Gasso said. "I think that was important for her."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Landry, Sam (21-4)
L: Annabel Teperson (6-5)
Batting:
2B: Elon Butler 1
HR: Kaylee Pond 1
RBI: Acacia Anders 1 ; Kaylee Pond 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Elon Butler 1 ; Kaylee Pond 1
HBP: Kaylee Pond 1
Batting:
HR: Pickering, Kasidi 2 ; Garcia, Gabbie 1
RBI: Pickering, Kasidi 6 ; Parker, Ella 1 ; Barker, Sydney 1 ; Garcia, Gabbie 3
SH: Agbayani, Ailana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pickering, Kasidi 3 ; Barker, Sydney 1 ; Garcia, Gabbie 1 ; McEnroe-Marinas, Nelly 1 ; Sanders, Cydney 1 ; Emerling, Isabela 1 ; Helton, Chaney 1 ; Dayton, Abigale 2
HBP: Garcia, Gabbie 1 ; Emerling, Isabela 1 ; Dayton, Abigale 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
6
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
rf/1b
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
INF/RHP
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP
/ SoftballUTL
/ SoftballOF
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