OU women's gymnastics sets Sooners' scoring record vs. West Virginia

Ragan Smith scored a perfect 10 for the second consecutive week and the OU women's gymnastics team scored a program-record 198.675 to beat West Virginia (195.550) on Friday at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

The Sooners now hold the fourth-highest score in NCAA history with their record breaking performance. The 198.675 is the highest score in the nation this season and the Sooners fifth score of 198-plus this season.

Along with their overall scoring record, the Sooners tied the program record on beam with a 49.800, punctuated by Smith’s 10.0.

With her seventh perfect score on beam, Smith tied Sooner legend Maggie Nichols for most career perfect 10s in program history on the event. Smith has now recorded at least two perfect 10s on beam in each of the last three seasons.

OU swept the event titles on the night, highlighted by multiple career highs. Jordan Bowers took home the all-around title with a career best 39.800, becoming just the third OU gymnast to ever post a 39.800+ in the all-around (Maggie Nichols, Anastasia Webb). Bowers also took home the bars and floor titles with matching 9.975s. Faith Torrez, who earned a career high 39.775 in the all-around, took home the vault title with a 9.925. Smith took home the beam title with her 10.0.

“Starting on vault, we’ve been working a lot on our touches, working a lot on our landings. I thought our landings were much better in this meet,” head coach K.J. Kindler said. “Faith sticking for the first time - that was really great. Soraya, who did exhibition for us, also sticking. If we could get a couple of those per rotation that’s great for vault. We’re doing the most difficult vaults in the country and everyone else was very much in control with small steps, that’s what you want if you’re not sticking it.”

OU shuts out SDSU in Mary Nutter Classic, extends win streak to 65

There was no cake. No singing of "Happy Birthday." There was, however, celebration. Just like there’s been 64 other times.

OU softball’s NCAA-record winning streak not only stretched to 65 with Saturday’s 7-0 win over San Diego State at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, but the streak reached yet another milestone.

The streak began right on the field where the Sooners beat the Aztecs.

It was Feb. 24, 2023, and OU opened the Mary Nutter with an 8-0 win over Cal State Fullerton, rebounding from a loss to Baylor the previous Sunday.

The Sooners haven’t lost since.

After an explosion of the bats Friday, as OU combined 19 runs in wins over Mississippi State and Wisconsin, the Sooners largely relied on pitching and defense against San Diego State.

Kierston Deal came up big, settling in quickly after two runners reached against her in the first.

The sophomore retired 16 consecutive batters until an infield hit with two outs in the sixth ended the streak.

The night before, Sooners coach Patty Gasso said she wanted to start stretching out her starters.

She did that Saturday, as Deal went the distance, allowing just three hits and walking none to throw OU’s first seven-inning complete game of the season.

The Sooners (12-0) got all the offense they needed in the second after Maya Bland was called safe due to obstruction with one out.

With two outs, Jayda Coleman delivered a two-run single.

OU added two more in the fifth on Tiare Jennings’ two-run home run to straightaway center on the eighth pitch of the at-bat.

In the sixth, Hannah Coor delivered her first career hit, helping ignite a two-out rally.

Jennings followed with a two-run double, then freshman Ella Parker dropped a single into center to score Jennings.

Jennings finished 3 for 4 with four RBIs and two runs.

Hansen and Kasidi Pickering also added two hits each.

OSU softball sweeps final day in Florida

Back-to-back complete game shutouts from Ivy Rosenberry and Lexi Kilfoyl lifted the No. 7 Oklahoma State softball team to a 1-0 win over Pittsburgh and a 6-0 win over Loyola Chicago on Saturday in Tampa, Fla.

With Saturday’s results, the Cowgirls improved to 13-2 on the season.

The day’s first game against Pittsburgh was a true pitcher’s duel, with Rosenberry (3-0) limiting the Panthers to four hits and only allowing two Pitt baserunners to get as far as second base.

Despite getting runners on base in the first, second and fifth innings, OSU was unable to cash in any runs until the sixth, when Pitt right-hander Adriana Romano walked Rosie Davis with the bases loaded to score Claire Timm in what was the game’s only run.

In game two against Loyola Chicago, Kilfoyl (6-2) took a perfect game into the sixth inning before giving up a one-out single that ended up being Loyola’s only baserunner of the game.

Kilfoyl’s dominance was important because OSU had difficulty scoring until breaking through with two runs in the fourth inning, thanks to an RBI ground out from Caroline Wang and an RBI single from Davis.

In the fifth inning, Lexi McDonald opened the lead to 5-0 with a three-run home run that was the first of her career. An RBI single from Kilfoyl in the sixth capped the scoring.

Saturday’s games brought an end to a 10-game tour through Florida that saw the Cowgirls go 8-2 and secure quality wins over No. 4 Washington, No. 16 Florida, Wisconsin, and others. OSU outscored its last five opponents by a combined score of 30-2 with three shutouts.

The Cowgirls return to action at 4 p.m. CT on Tuesday with a home-opening doubleheader against South Dakota State at Cowgirl Stadium.

Extra points

OSU BASEBALL: Oklahoma State (3-2) picked up its second win in the Kubota College Baseball Series Friday at Globe Life Field with a 9-3 win over Michigan. Six different Pokes drove in runs in the contest, with Carson Benge and Nolan Schubart collecting two RBIs apiece to lead the way. Sam Garcia picked up his first win in an OSU uniform as the southpaw struck out six and allowed just one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.

OU BASEBALL: The Sooners opened the 2024 home schedule Friday with a 20-0 win over Wright State, showcasing offensive power and pitching depth in front of a record crowd of 2,107. Oklahoma notched season highs in runs (20) and hits (21), while the pitching staff recorded its first shutout of the season and struck out 15 batters to just four walks. Starting pitcher Braden Davis was electric in his second start of the season. The lefty transfer hurled six scoreless innings, surrendering just three hits and one walk to accompany a career-high eight strikeouts.

—Staff and wire reports

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU women's gymnastics sets Sooners' scoring record vs. West Virginia