The Sooners took advantage.
OU beat the Sun Devils in Tempe, 2-1, thanks to a two-run home run by Kendall Wells in the sixth inning. The Sooners managed just four hits against Brown, a consensus All-American last year and one of 50 players in the country on the National Player of the Year watch list.
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Ella Parker walked to start the sixth, giving Oklahoma just its fourth baserunner of the game to that point. Nelly McEnroe-Marinas singled in the second and Abby Dayton doubled in the third to give OU its only two hits in the first five innings. McEnroe-Marinas also walked leading into the sixth.
And it looked like Brown would get out of trouble against Parker the same way he did against the Sooners in the other innings after striking out Kasidi Pickering following Parker’s walk. But Wells, a freshman, took the first pitch she saw of her at-bat in the sixth inning over the left-center field wall to put Oklahoma ahead after the Sooners fell into a hole in the third inning.
Otherwise, Brown was great, pitching all seven innings and striking out 13 Oklahoma batters. Audrey Lowry, the Sooners’ starter, wasn’t flashy, but she also kept Arizona State in check, allowing just a solo home run to Kaylee Pond in the third while their only baserunner allowed more than 5 2/3 innings. Miali Guachino finished the final four outs to preserve the victory.
The Sooners will travel to Tucson for a game against No. 18 Arizona on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 5 pm CT.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: No. 3 Oklahoma beats Arizona State in inaugural season