OU Softball Drops Two Games At Nebraska

March 30, 2001

Box Score Game 1Box Score Game 2

LINCOLN, Neb. - Sixth-ranked Oklahoma (27-6, 2-1 Big 12) dropped a pair of Big 12 games to No.17 Nebraska (27-9, 3-0) in front of 749 fans at the Nebraska Softball Complex on Friday. The Sooners lost the first game 6-5 before falling 3-1 in the night cap. NU extended its school-record winning streak to 18 consecutive games and have now won 29 straight at home.

Junior Jennifer Stewart (18-3) started the first game and was credited with the loss after giving up six runs on eight hits. She struck out five, but gave up two homers that equalled four runs. NU starter Leigh Ann Walker pitched four innings in the no-decision, giving up four runs and five hits. Reliever Katie Decker (6-1) came in and tossed three innings with only one run on a single hit to pick up the win.

The Sooners scored four runs on four hits in the fourth inning. Sophomore Erin Evans opened up with a single up the middle. She stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Amber Burgess. After the next two hitters flied out, back-to-back singles by Christy Ring and Lisa Carey resulted in a run. Mandy Fulton, who finished catcher Ashli Barrett's at-bat when her foul richocheted off her cheek, took care of the other runners on base with a three-run homer straight out to center field. It was her first of the year.

Nebraska jumped out quickly in the first when lead-off hitter Leigh Suhr homered to center for the only run and hit of the inning. The Huskers didn't get another hit until the fourth inning when Kim Ogee and Nicole Trimboli led off doubles. Senior Jamie Fuente sac bunted Ogee in to close the margin to 4-2, but that's all the Huskers would get out of the inning.

The Huskers took back the lead in the fifth on an Ogee three-run homer to left center. But OU answered when Jennifer Stump tied the game at 5-5 in the sixth on a solo shot to left field.

After OU went three up, three down in the top of the seventh, Nebraska's Suhr led off with a double to get on pass. After reaching third on a sac bunt, the Sooners walked Trimboli and Fuente to load the bases and get the force at home. But Burgess hit a game winner out to left to give Nebraska the 6-5 win.

The second game featured the collegiate pitching debut of Carey that lasted 4 1/3 innings. The senior saw limited time in the circle during the fall season and struck out three and walked just one in her first outing.

The Huskers took the early 1-0 lead in the first after center fielder Ogee reached on a Fulton error and advanced when left fielder Trimboli got hit by a pitch. She stole third and scored on a single by Fuente.

The Sooners loaded up the bases in the fifth inning that resulted in just one run. Stump led off with a walk, but sophomores Leah Gulla and Evans struck out. So with two outs, LaKisha Washington singled up the middle and Ring walked. Shortstop Kelli Braitsch got to full count and watched ball four sail by and walked in the tying run.

It didn't take the Huskers long to answer with two runs in the third. Starting pitcher Peaches James walked to get on base and scored when Cindy Roethemeyer homered to left. After Ogee singled to left with one out, freshman Adrianne Ratliff came in to relieve Carey. She forced Trimboli to ground out to short, but walked Fuente and loaded the bases on an Amber Burgess single up the middle. The Sooners got out of the inning on a fly out to center by shortstop Amanda Buchholz.

OU's rally in the seventh fell short when the Sooners went three-up, three down to end the game with the 3-1 loss. Oklahoma managed only three hits in the game and only had runners in scoring position three times during the game.

Ratliff closed out the game by limiting Nebraska to just one hit in 1 2/3 innings.

Oklahoma will continue its Big 12 road swing with a pair of games at Iowa State. The Sooners and Cyclones will face off at 3 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Softball Drops Two Games At Nebraska

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