Softball Falls to No. 19 South Carolina

Feb. 24, 2001

COLUMBUS, Ga. - The University of Oklahoma softball team managed only five hits and stranded another five runners on base in a 4-0 loss to 19th-ranked South Carolina in Saturday's game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The loss drops OU to 12-1 as the Gamecocks improve to 10-7.

USC starter Megan Matthews (6-4) had a wicked rise ball that caught OU off guard all afternoon. The right-handed pitcher struck out 15 batters and walked none as the Gamecocks shut out the Sooners for the first time this season.

OU starter Jennifer Stewart (8-1) gave up five hits in just 2 1/3 innings of work and allowed all four runs. USC struck quickly against the lefty, getting one run off two hits in the first and the final three runs on three hits in the third inning.

Freshman Adrianne Ratliff relieved Stewart in the third and closed out the game with just two hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out two and walking one.

The Sooners could never get a rally going, mustering only one hit in the first, third fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Senior Lisa Carey got the first one in the first with a single through the left side. Matthews retired the next six batters--all strikeouts--before sophomore Kelli Braitsch doubled to centerfield in the second inning for hit No. 2.

Senior Mandy Fulton singled through the left side in the fourth, senior Ashli Barrett doubled to left center in the fifth and sophomore Christy Ring singled to the shortstop and beat the throw for the final hit in the sixth.

Oklahoma finished second in its pool and will be the No. 2 seed in the Silver Medal Bracket of the tournament. It will face seventh-seeded Nebraska at 8 p.m. Saturday night.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Softball Falls to No. 19 South Carolina

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