The last time Auburn saw Oklahoma pitcher Paige Parker was in game three of last years Women’s College World Series. Parker’s performance was good enough on that day to earn the victory and the national title for the Sooners.
The left-hander was once again brilliant in the circle on Friday afternoon at Jane. B Moore Field, as the Sooners took game one of the Auburn Super Regional, 4-0. Parker threw a complete game shutout, struck out four and only gave up three hits on the afternoon.
Despite the brilliant Sooner pitching performance, Auburn had many chances to score. In the second inning, the Tigers had the bases loaded and brought in Jenna Abbott to pinch hit. Parker struck the left-hander out to end the inning.
"We clearly didn’t live up to expectations," Auburn coach Clint Myers said. "We had opportunities to score, we didn’t. They outplayed us."
The Tigers were in position to score once again in the fifth inning after Kasey Cooper bombed a triple off of the top of the left-center wall. Parker would once again settle in to strike out Carlee Wallace to end the inning.
The Sooner bats came alive in the sixth and seventh innings.
A two out Nicole Pendley ground-rule-double plated the Sooners first run. Macey Hatfield then singled to give Oklahoma their second run. Shay Knighten and Sydney Romero both singled in the seventh to give the Sooners their third and fourth runs.
Parker came back out in the Auburn half of the seventh and retired the Tigers in order to secure the victory.
Makayla Martin was in the circle for Auburn and threw a complete game. The right-hander got herself out of multiple jams before the sixth inning when the Sooner proved to be too much. Martin gave up 10 hits, struck out two and gave up four runs.
"I’m irritated. I’m not happy," Auburn catcher Carlee Wallace said. "We’re not losers around here so we can get mad when we lose. We can come back. We’ve done it before. We’ve got to come out and just be us."
Auburn will look to bounce back in game two of the NCAA Super Regional on Saturday. First pitch is set for noon, and action can be seen on ESPN. Auburn ace Kaylee Carlson will be in the circle for the Tigers.
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