It was the next-to-last weekend of Big 12 softball action and there were big series all over the country.
BYU played Utah in an annual rivalry series. Oklahoma State went to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor. Arizona State hosted Texas Tech and Iowa State went to Kansas. Finally, Houston jetted off to Tucson, Ariz., to face Arizona.
Texas Tech secured the Big 12 regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament in two weekends in Oklahoma City.
Here’s a wrap of Week 8 of Big 12 softball play.
Series Recaps
No. 2/5 Texas Tech (47-4, 19-2) at No. 24/RV Arizona State (35-16, 8-13)
Game 1: Texas Tech 6, Arizona State 0
Game 2: Texas Tech 7, Arizona State 5
Game 3: Texas Tech 7, Arizona State 1
Tech’s Kaitlyn Terry started the opener and struck out seven in a two-hitter as the Red Raiders got home runs from Taylor Pannell and Desirae Spearman to open the series.
Saturday’s game was a big one for Tech, as it clinched a share of the Big 12 title, head coach Gerry Glasco won his 400th career game and his 100th game at Texas Tech. The Sun Devils gave the Red Raiders a run, including a home run from Brooklyn Ulrich, but Victoria Valdez drove in the final run for Tech in the seventh inning, which was her first hit of the season.
Then, the Red Raiders handled the Sun Devils on Sunday to clinch their second straight Big 12 regular season title. Nijaree Canady was in the circle for the second straight game while Pannell and Mia Williams each hit a home run.
Based on the release the Big 12 sent out after the game, the Red Raiders are the only Big 12 team that has clinched its seed for the league tournament in two weekends.
No. 18/17 Oklahoma State (34-13, 14-7) at Baylor (27-23, 9-12)
Game 1: Oklahoma State 4, Baylor 2
Game 2: Oklahoma State 9, Baylor 1
Game 3: Oklahoma State 8, Baylor 1
The Cowgirls scored all four runs in the seventh inning to rally past the Bears. Amanda Hasler’s two-out, two-run triple broke a 2-2 tie and gave OSU the lead.
In Game 2, heroics were not necessary for the Cowgirls. Hasler and Karli Godwin hit home runs, while Hasler drove in five runs.
The Cowgirls completed the sweep on Sunday with Ruby Meylan in the circle, as Aubrey Jones doubled and drove in two runs. It was OSU’s second Big 12 sweep and fifth straight series win.
Houston (20-31, 3-21) at No. 20 Arizona (34-13, 15-6)
Game 1: Arizona 9, Houston 1
Game 2: Arizona 8, Houston 0
Game 3: Arizona 15, Houston 4
Arizona was dominant in the first two games, as Houston scored its only run in the first two games on a home run by Makenna Mitchell. In Game 1, the Wildcats got home runs from Sydney Stewart, Tayler Biehl and Addison Duke. Stewart had five RBI. In Game 2, Regan Shockey went 3-for-3 and scored twice. Grace Jenkins drove in three runs.
Game 3 was more of the same. Stewart, Jenkins and Tele Jenkins each hit a home run while Jennings drove in five runs. Stewart drove in three runs and scored three times. Hartley hit another home run for Houston.
BYU (18-30, 7-14 Big 12) vs. Utah (32-18-1, 8-12-1)
Game 1: Utah 3, BYU 2
Game 2: Utah 9, BYU 0
Game 3: BYU 5, Utah 1
Utah won the first two games of the series in much different ways. In Game 1, the Utes won in walk-off fashion, as Danika Wilson‘s seventh-inning single drove in the winning run. In Game 2, the Utes blew out the Cougars. Wilson had a double and drove in three runs, while Shonty Passi had two doubles.
BYU handled Game 3 as it built a 5-0 lead and had no issues putting the Utes away. Ilove’a Brittingham had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Lily Owens added two hits, including a double.
Iowa State (28-21, 8-13) at Kansas (32-16, 13-8)
Game 1: Kansas 12, Iowa State 2
Game 2: Iowa State 4, Kansas 1
Game 3: Kansas 4, Iowa State 2
The Jayhawks and Cyclones played a doubleheader on Friday to avoid weather. Kansas’ offense exploded in Game 1, with Anna Soles hit a home run and drove in three runs. Eight different Jayhawks drove in a run, with Presley Limbaugh scoring three times. Iowa State won the second game on the strength of two hits and two RBI from Jessie Clemons, along with six innings of relief from Jaiden Ralston.
Kansas walked off the finale, with Soles blasting a two-run home run in the eighth inning to gives the Jayhawks their sixth series win of the season.
