Softball Holds Off Late Fresno State Rally

March 16, 2001

FULLERTON, Calif. - The Oklahoma softball team built an 8-2 lead and allowed Fresno State to score four unanswered runs before defeating the seventh-ranked Bulldogs 8-6 in the second game of the Kia Klassic late Thursday night. The Sooners remained undefeated in the tournament and improve to 23-3 on the year.

OU scored quickly with two runs in the second, starting with a Jennifer Stump single up the middle to get on base. She advanced to third when pitcher Lori Hoffman made an errant throw on an Erin Evans bunt. Sophomore Leah Gulla ripped a single up the middle to score Stump and advanced Evans to second.

Senior LaKisha Washington bunted for a base hit and moved the runners over for Christy Ring, who beat the throw to first for a hit and scored Evans. A couple of fielder's choices by Kelli Braitsch and Lisa Carey ended the inning for OU.

OU broke the game open with four runs on three hits in the fourth. After Gulla reached on an error by the second baseman, Ring singled down the left line to advance Gulla. An RBI-single by Braitsch coupled with an error by the catcher socred two runs. Carey reached on an error and scored the final run of the inning on an RBI double to right center from Ashli Barrett.

The final two runs came in the sixth after Ring singled and Braitsch doubled to get on base. The two scored on a passed ball and error by the third baseman, respectively.

Fresno State (16-6) scored a run in the third and fifth before getting two runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Junior Jennifer Stewart pitched the first five innings where she scattered six hits and allowed only two runs (one earned). Stewart was replaced in the beginning sixth by Adrianne Ratliff, who struggled against the Bulldog hitters. The freshman walked two, gave up two hits and allowed two runs before getting out of the inning.

Ratliff took the mound in the seventh and gave up back-to-back singles to Hoffman and Linsay Fossatti before Stewart was called back to action. She got the Sooners out of the inning, but not before Hoffman and Fossatti scored.

FSU's Lori Hoffman (4-2) was credited with the loss after giving up six runs (one earned) on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings of work.

Oklahoma wraps up pool play on Friday when it takes on Notre Dame at 1 p.m. CT. The Sooners will then be seeded for bracket play that runs Friday evening through Sunday. A win makes OU the winner of the pool and they will play again at 5 p.m. A loss gives the Sooners the rest of the day off and they will play at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Softball Holds Off Late Fresno State Rally

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