Oklahoma pitching, defense can't hold up in 11-9 loss to Bulldogs

The Oklahoma Sooners dropped game one of their super regional series with Mississippi State in a surprising 11-9 defeat.

Twice, the Oklahoma Sooners offense gave the pitching staff a sizeable lead, and twice, the pitching and defense failed to hold onto it.

After Mississippi State took a one-run lead in the top of the third, Kendall Wells got it right back with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning. Isabela Emerling hit a two-run homer two batters later and Kasidi Pickering a solo home run to give Oklahoma a 5-1 lead and complete control of the game.

The Bulldogs got one back in the fourth, and OU responded to keep it a four-run lead heading into the fifth. After a scoreless fifth inning, the wheels fell off for the OU pitching staff and defense in the sixth and seventh.

In the sixth, Oklahoma allowed Mississippi State to tie the game with four runs on four hits and an error. But Oklahoma's offense responded again when Kendall Wells hit her second home run of the game, her 39th of the season. This time, it was a three-run shot to put Oklahoma up three heading into the seventh, but even then, they couldn't hold onto the advantage.

The Bulldogs got to the Sooners for five runs in the ninth to take an 11-9 lead. Oklahoma put two on in the bottom of the ninth with a single by Kai Minor and a walk from Ella Parker. But Wells popped out to first and Gabbie Garcia struck out swinging to end the game.

It was an uncharacteristic performance from the OU defense, which was charged with four errors in the game, a season high. And that made matters worse for a pitching staff that had its worst day of the season, allowing 15 hits, five walks, and being charged for seven earned runs against a team that averaged just over four runs per game this season.

The Sooners' lineup scored more than enough off of a good Mississippi State pitching staff to get the win. They need a better day from the circle and the defense behind them to win on Saturday and force a game three on Sunday.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma can't overcome pitching, defensive lapses in 11-9 loss