OU Softball Lassos Cowgirls

April 19, 2000

Postgame Audio:
Coach Gasso
Ashli Barrett

NORMAN, Okla. - The University of Oklahoma softball team defeated intrastate rival Oklahoma State, 10-5, tonight at the OU Softball Complex. A crowd of 1,320, the largest ever to watch the Sooners play in their home stadium, was on hand as OU completed a sweep of regular season Bedlam games. The Sooners won, 4-2, in Stillwater on April 5. OU is now 49-6 overall and 13-1 in the Big 12 Conference. OSU dropped to 32-17 and 7-7 with the loss.

Oklahoma jumped to an early lead, outscoring the Cowgirls 10-0 through four innings. OSU made a run late in the game, scoring three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth, but it was not enough to overcome the powerful Sooner offense.

In the bottom of the first, lead-off hitter Christy Ring singled to center field and then promptly stole second base. Ring advanced to third on a wild pitch and then came home on a sacrifice fly by junior Lisa Carey, giving Oklahoma a 1-0 lead. In the second, freshman Kelli Braitsch singled to left and advanced to second, as Ring was thrown out at third. Braitsch picked up two RBI on the play as LaKisha Washington and Leah Gulla came home. The Sooners' bats really heated up in the third. Carey and Andrea Davis both knocked singles to reach base. Then junior catcher Ashli Barrett drilled her 16th home run of the season over the fence in center field to increase OU's lead to 6-0. The long ball was the team's 58th of the season.

Oklahoma State replaced starting pitcher Lauren Bay in the fourth with Annie Gunderson. OU did not let up, however, as it totaled four more runs in the inning against the reliever. Carey hit a triple, bringing home Ring, and then crossed the plate herself on a single up the middle by Davis. Barrett smacked a double to left field to score pinch runner Jaime White. Gunderson walked Mandy Fulton and Erin Evans before Bay re-entered the contest for OSU. Pinch hitter Macey Wilson hit a sacrifice fly to center field, knocking in sophomore Larissa Foley, who was pinch running for Barrett, for the Sooners' 10th and final run of the game.

Oklahoma State fought back, scoring three runs on two hits in the top of the fifth. A two-run homer by third baseman Jenny Kipp highlighted the inning. In the sixth, freshman rightfielder Ryan Realmuto, the first batter of the inning, hit another homer for OSU. Catcher Liz Silva walked before sophomore Stewart came into relieve OU's starting pitcher Lana Moran. The Cowgirls recorded their final fun of the game as Silva scored on a single up the middle by shortstop Casey O'Neil.

Moran improved her season record to 19-1 with the victory. Bay fell to 14-10.

The Sooners return to action this weekend against Baylor in Waco, Texas. The two teams play Friday at 4 p.m. and on Saturday at noon.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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