Softball Team To Play For National Title!

May 28, 2000

Postgame Audio!
Coach Gasso
J. Stewart
L. Carey

Quotes

Oklahoma City - The University of Oklahoma softball team advanced to play in the national championship game by edging Arizona, 1-0, in semifinal action of the Women's College World Series Sunday at Don E. Porter ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in front of a record crowd of 7,422.

Arizona had previously beaten the Sooners 6-0 in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 20 and the Wildcats came out firing today. The biggest Arizona threat came in the top of the first inning when centerfielder Nicole Giordano hit an infield single and stole second base with two outs. Third baseman Toni Mascarenas singled to center field, moving Giordano to third. Mascarenas got trapped in a run down trying to swipe second and when the ball hit her in the helmet as she tried to return to first base, OU's Lisa Carey picked up the ball and gunned down Giordano at home to end the inning.

Carey, a first-team All-American, launched her 19th home run of the season over in the fence in left field in the bottom of the fourth inning to account for the game's only run. The homer was Carey's first hit in the World Series (after going 0-6 in OU's first two wins).

Sophomore hurler Jennifer Stewart pitched an outstanding game for the Sooners, improving her record to 33-6 on the year. The third-team All-American gave up only six hits to the nation's top hitting team, while striking out four in seven innings of work. Arizona junior Becky Lemke was solid on the mound as well. She fanned nine OU batters and gave up only four hits. Lemke finished the season at 30-7. The Wildcats exited the tournament with a 59-9 season mark.

OU, 65-8 and the tournament's No. 3 seed, will face UCLA in the final at 12:15 p.m. Monday. The fourth-seeded Bruins are also undefeated in World Series action, making the final by way of a 6-0 win over Southern Mississippi today. UCLA enters Monday's title game with a 46-11-1 season record.

A Sooner victory Monday would mark the first national championship by an OU women's athletic team and the 20th overall.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Softball Team To Play For National Title!

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