The Oklahoma Sooners softball team continued its dominant ways winning its 49th straight game after taking down the Stanford Cardinals on Thursday.
On Saturday, the Sooners will take on perhaps its toughest matchup all season in the Lady Vols of Tennessee.
The Lady Vols are led by senior centerfielder Kiki Milloy who leads all WCWS players in home runs (25) and slugging percentage (.975). Combine that with her team-high .425 average and 1.548 OPS, and she could cause major problems for the Sooners’ pitching staff.
Milloy is arguably the best outfielder in the nation. That debate includes Oklahoma’s Jayda Coleman. Coleman has a .422 average and a team-high 1.358 OPS. Her 16 home runs have her tied for 2nd on the team. But it’s her outstanding fielding that Sooner fans feel sets her apart.
This is also a revenge game for former Oklahoma OF and now Tennessee SS Mackenzie Donihoo. She’d love nothing more than to send her former team to an elimination game.
Here’s a look at the two sides as they get set for their game on Saturday.
How To Watch
The first pitch for the Sooners and Lady Vols is scheduled for 2:00 pm CT on ABC.
Sooners to Watch
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Jayda Coleman, CF: .422 batting average, 16 home runs, 47 RBI, .813 slugging percentage, .545 on-base percentage, 15 stolen bases
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Tiare Jennings, 2B: .429 batting average, 16 home runs, 60 RBI, .804 slugging percentage, .493 on-base percentage
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Alyssa Brito, 3B: .411 batting average, 17 home runs, 59 RBI, .845 slugging percentage, .467 on-base percentage
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Kinzie Hansen, C: .408 batting average, 12 home runs, 53 RBI, .760 slugging percentage, .439 on-base percentage
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Haley Lee, DP: .401 batting average, 14 home runs, 51 RBI, .748 slugging percentage, .495 on-base percentage
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Nicole May, P: 18-0, 0.82 ERA, 102.1 innings pitched, 127 strikeouts, and opponent’s batting average of .159
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Alex Storako, P: 17-0, 1.13 ERA, 99 innings pitched, 106 strikeouts, and opponent’s batting average of .165
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Jordyn Bahl, P: 19-1, 1.03 ERA, 129.2 innings pitched, 170 strikeouts, and opponent’s batting average of .166
Lady Vols to Watch
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Kiki Milloy, CF: .419 batting average, 25 home runs, 56 RBI, .969 slugging percentage, .568 on-base percentage, 39 stolen bases
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Zaida Puni, INF: .371 batting average, 13 home runs, 58 RBI, .728 slugging percentage, .473 on-base percentage
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McKenna Gibson, INF: .369 batting average, 15 home runs, 60 RBI, .731 slugging percentage, .509 on-base percentage
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Ashley Rogers, P: 19-1, 0.83 ERA, 135.2 innings pitched, 170 strikeouts, and opponent’s batting average of .130
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Payton Gottshall, P: 16-1, 1.57 ERA, 106.2 innings pitched, 130 strikeouts, and opponent’s batting average of .154
By the Numbers
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Oklahoma’s 49-game winning streak is the best in NCAA softball history.
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The Sooners are in their seventh straight Women’s College World Series.
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The Sooners lead the nation in team batting average (.370), while Tennessee is batting .301, 43rd in the country.
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Oklahoma is allowing an opponents batting average of .163 in 2023. Tennessee is allowing opponents to hit .158.
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The Sooners’ pitching staff continues to lead the nation in ERA at 0.98. The Lady Vols are No. 4 in the nation with a team ERA of 1.55
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Oklahoma is outscoring its opponents 480-56, and Tennessee has outscored its opponents 415-99.
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The Sooners have hit 112 home runs on the season, and Tennessee has hit 78. Oklahoma has allowed 21 homers, and Clemson has allowed 23 home runs on the season.
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The Sooners have struck out just 151 times and have drawn a walk 230 times in 2023. Tennessee has been struck out 268 times and been walked 253 times.
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Tennessee has recorded 425 strikeouts from the circle this season. Oklahoma’s pitching staff has recorded 433 strikeouts on the year.
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Story originally appeared on Sooners Wire