OU Softball: Oklahoma freshman pushed herself up and struck huge

The Sooners’ freshman went 3-for-4 with a home run and the game-tying hit in the sixth inning, securing a spot with Texas in a dramatic extra-inning victory over Florida.

Ella Parker, freshman or not, was not about to let Oklahoma’s senior class go out like that.

The Sooners’ sensational rookie physically got herself up off the ground Tuesday at Devon Park, shook off the dust from a massive collision, and delivered the game-tying hit with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The game finished in the eighth inning with Jayda Coleman’s opposite field walk-off home run, which gave OU a stunning 6-5 victory against Florida and put the Sooners back to the Women’s College World Series championship series.

On Wednesday night, the second-seeded Oklahoma will face the first-seeded Texas for the softball championship.

Coleman’s hit, however, would not have occurred without Parker’s outstanding performance: 3-for-4 at the plate, including a two-run home run in the first inning, a long single in the fifth inning, and a single in the sixth.

Each of Parker’s hits was massive. The first knotted the score at 2-2. The last one tied it at 5-5. However, the single in between was extremely popular for a completely other reason.

Parker hit a line shot into the gap in right center field and sprinted to second base. As the throw came in, Gators shortstop Skylar Wallace stood over the base and reached for the ball.

Parker looked to collide face-first with Wallace, sending both players falling on the bag as the ball hit the ground.

“I kind of don’t really remember a whole lot of it,” Parker said, “because I guess the adrenaline was rushing.” “But, just doing whatever to get to second base.”

OU coach Patty Gasso rushed onto the field and stood over Parker while she got medical attention.

“She was talking,” Gasso explained, “but she didn’t want to move.” I believe her bell was rung – quite forcefully. It was a little terrifying because she is tough and refused to move. So the first thing you think is, ‘Did something actually happen?’

“She began to move around a little. We took off her helmet. Then she gently got herself up. But her bell had rang. Both were hit very badly. “I need to go back and look at it again because it happened so quickly.”

“That was just an odd thing that happened,” Florida coach Tim Walton explained.

According to Gasso, the OU medical staff examined Parker and cleared her.

“We had our doctors right there in the dugout waiting to see her and gave her the OK,” according to Gasso. “She passed all the protocols and exams for the concussion protocol. So she wanted it. We inquired, ‘Are you okay? I know you have clearance; are you okay with it?

“‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, get me back in there.”

Parker stepped up to bat again in the sixth inning, with the Sooners still behind 5-4. Kelly Maxwell, the OU pitcher, was already on track by that point. Maxwell had given up three home runs early, but the Gators’ fourth and last hit was an infield single in the sixth inning.

That’s why Parker’s final at-bat so crucial. OU’s offense, which has struggled for the better part of two games against Florida starter Keagan Rothrock, required a boost.

“I think that kind of started a rally for our team to pass the bat,” Coleman told the crowd.

Avery Hodge started the rally with a one-out double to the right field corner.

Parker took strike one, then drove in the speedy Hodge from second with a crisp single to left center field against Rothrock. The crowd of 11,166 burst into a frenzy.

OU had a chance to win it in the seventh when Kasidi Pickering hit a one-out single and Rylie Boone was deliberately walked, but the rally fizzled.

Coleman ultimately killed it off in the eighth, following another good frame from Maxwell.

“I know my team’s got my back,” Parker remarked. “I’m just working on passing the bat. “Just passing the bat to the next teammate.”