OU Softball Dominates Harvard in NCAA Regional

May 18, 2000

NORMAN, Okla. - The fourth-ranked University of Oklahoma softball team came out firing in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament today at the OU Softball Complex, dropping Harvard University in a five-inning run-rule win, 11-0. With the victory, the Sooners moved to 59-8 on the season and will face No. 4 seed Cal State Northridge at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Harvard fell to 19-20 on the year. The Crimson will play fifth-seeded Northwestern at 2:30 p.m.

Oklahoma used three big innings, scoring four runs each in the first and fourth innings and three runs in the second, to get the win. The Sooners were led offensively by juniors Lisa Carey and Andrea Davis and freshman Kelli Braitsch. Carey and Davis both knocked doubles and home runs in the contest. Carey, the Big 12 Player of the Year, leads the team with 18 roundtrippers on the season. Davis' long ball was her 13th of the year. Braitsch, OU's shortstop, went 2-for-3 with a double.

"Our game plan was to come out and score early," said Oklahoma Head Coach Patty Gasso. "Lana (Moran) did well with the 1, 2, 3, and that really set the tone for us. We were really aggressive early with our stolen bases and our bunts, I think that those things really set the tone. There was a great atmosphere here tonight."

Moran upped her season record to 25-2 with the victory and lowered her ERA to 1.25. The senior from San Bernardino, Calif., gave up only two hits while striking out four and walking none. Harvard's Suzanne Guy took the loss after giving up four runs in just one-third of an inning. Chelsea Thoke went the rest of the way for the Crimson, walking two and striking out six. Guy fell to 6-9 on the season.

Just after entering the game, Thoke unintentionally hit OU third baseman Leah Gulla in the face with a pitch. Gulla left the game and did not return.

In the first game of the day, No. 3 seed Arkansas beat No. 4 seed Cal State Northridge, 5-0. Second-seeded Oregon State battled to a 1-0 victory over fifth-seeded Northwestern in 10 innings in the second game.

Regional play continues tomorrow at the OU Softball Complex. Games are scheduled for 2:30 (Harvard vs Northwestern), 5 p.m. (Oklahoma vs Cal State Northridge) and 7:30 p.m. (Oregon State vs Arkansas).

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Softball Dominates Harvard in NCAA Regional

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