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Kendall Wells sets NCAA mark in OU softball thrilling win at Texas, 4-3

Bob Przybyloby: Bob Przybylo04/12/26BPrzybylo

It just takes one swing for OU softball freshman Kendall Wells. Now normally, it has been more than one swing in a series of games.

But Saturday night? It was that one swing. A swing that will go down in history and gave OU another hard-fought victory at Texas.

Wells crushed a three-run home run in the top of the fifth to pave the way for the Sooners 4-3 victory in Austin.

Wells has struck out four times in the series to that point. One swing. One swing and history was made with home run No. 31 of the season, setting the NCAA freshman record.

One swing that turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 advantage.

A gritty game by both squads, showing why they’re among the best of the best in the country. Texas got on the board first, but Gabbie Garcia tied it with a solo shot in the top of the second.

Back-to-back games of big-time pitching outings for OU. This time around it was Miali Guachino. She gave it some runs, sure, but she was nails when it mattered most.

She struck out Katie Stewart and Reese Atwood back-to-back not once but twice. Or else the game easily could have gotten away from the Sooners.

Guachino had six strikeouts in the six innings and 104 pitches.

Audrey Lowry came in for the seventh and the top of the order. Finished it off in style with a double play off Atwood.

OU is now 40-3 overall and 13-1 in the SEC. The series wraps 1 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.

OU 3, Texas 0 (Friday)

Ella Parker got it started early, with a two-run home run in the top of the first. After that? Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan was nearly unhittable.

Nearly unhittable, but it did not matter because the OU defense continued to make one top-notch play after another.

It began with Ailana Agbayani getting a great jump on short fly ball, making an over the shoulder grab to save a run.

Still 2-0 in the fifth, Texas started with a triple. Parker, though, turned a short fly out into a double play, gunning the runner at the plate.

Through the first six innings, Texas was 0 for 10 with a runner on base.

Audrey Lowry kept the Horn bats at bay, and eventually, OU was going to provide her with some more help.

That came in the form of Isabela Emerling smashing a solo home run in the top of the sixth. The defense was once again on display in the bottom half, with a 1-2-3 double play to stop another Texas threat before it could even get going.

It’s not just hitting, not just pitching. It’s defense, and the Sooners brought everything with them to Austin to begin things.

The game featured two rain delays (82 minutes combined), including one following the top of the seventh inning.

Lowry was brilliant in shutting the Horns down, going the distance despite the two stoppages in play. She struck out four.

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