Softball Downs Louisiana-Monroe 5-2

March 12, 2001

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The Oklahoma softball team warmed up for its next tournament with a win over Louisiana-Monroe on Monday at Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. The Sooners moved to 21-3 on the year with a 5-2 win over the Indians (14-11).

"We came out slow, but our hitting is so contagious," said head coach Patty Gasso. "I called a couple of hit-and-runs that worked really well and it broke the game open. We still have plenty of things to work on. What we were so good at last year was scoring early and its something we need to get to doing."

The Sooners got multi-hit games from sophomores Kelli Braitsch (2-for-4) and Leah Gulla (2-for-3), along with senior Mandy Fulton (2-for-3). Braitsch added two RBIs, while Gulla and Andrea Davis drove in one run each.

OU put two runners on in the fourth with back-to-back singles by Ashli Barrett and Fulton to lead off the inning. A Gulla RBI single to left field drove in one run for the early 1-0 lead.

The Indians tied it up in the top of the fifth after Amy Dietz reached on an error by Braitsch. Anne Hancock came in to pinch run for the left fielder and scored on a single to right field by the leadoff hitter Kristy Dietz.

Oklahoma broke open the game in the bottom of the sixth with four runs on four hits. Fulton led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and advanced to third on a ground out to shortstop by Erin Evans. Senior Davis singled to right center to score Fulton. After Gulla reached on a fielder's choice, she advanced to second on LaKisha Washington's single down the left-field line. Junior Christy Ring hit a ball to the shortstop, who threw to third to get out Gulla and errored, allowing her to score. Braitsch drove in the final two runs on a single up the middle.

ULM got its second run on a pinch-hit solo home run by Hilary Hay in the top of the seventh.

Junior Jennifer Stewart moved to 13-1 on the year after limiting the Indians to two runs (one earned) on four hits with four strikeouts. ULM's Ashley Bellew (3-5) got the loss after allowing five runs (two earned) on 11 hits.

The Sooners return to action on on Mar. 15-18 at the Kia Klassic. The 16-team tournament, hosted by Cal State-Fullerton, features 10 teams that ranked or received votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25. OU's pool includes Fresno State, Notre Dame and Utah State. The Sooners open against USU on Thursday at 3 p.m. CT and the Bulldogs at 9 p.m. CT. OU will face the Fighting Irish on Friday at 1 p.m. CT.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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