OU Softball To Host NCAA Regional

May 13, 2001

NORMAN, Okla. - The owner of a 45-7 record and a No. 5 national ranking, the University of Oklahoma softball team was selected as one of eight NCAA Championship Regional hosts Sunday night. The Sooners, who will be the No. 1 seed when regional play begins Thursday at the OU Softball Complex, will face sixth-seeded Lehigh at noon on the first day of competition. Regional play will end on Sunday with the winner advancing to the Women's College World Series May 24-28 at Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

The remainder of the six-team regional field in Norman will consist of No. 2 seed Washington, No. 3 seed North Carolina, No. 4 seed UMass and No. 5 seed Seton Hall. Oklahoma has faced North Carolina already this season. The Sooners run-ruled the Tarheels 8-0 in six innings March 9 in the Worth Invitational in Norman.

Following the OU/Lehigh contest that will start regional competition, Washington will face Seton Hall at 2:30 p.m. and North Carolina will take on UMass at 5 p.m. The losers of games 1 and 2 will play in an elimination contest at 7:30 p.m. to end the first day of play.

This marks the third regional the Sooners have hosted under seventh-year head coach Patty Gasso (also hosted in 1997 and 2000) and the third time OU has been a No. 1 regional seed under Gasso (also No. 1 in 1998 and 2000). The Sooners have participated in NCAA postseason play in all seven of Gasso's seasons.

Reserved all-session tickets will cost $25. Adult single-session tickets will cost $7 while youth (6-12) single-session tickets will cost $4. Children 5 and under will be admitted free. All tickets will go on sale Monday through the OU Athletic Ticket Office. The phone number is (800) 456-4668. Tickets may also be purchased on gamedays.

NCAA Region 5 Field
1. Oklahoma (45-7)
2. Washington (37-21)
3. North Carolina (37-17-1)
4. UMass (43-11)
5. Seton Hall (29-14)
6. Lehigh (38-13)

Thursday's Regional Schedule
Game 1 (Noon): No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Lehigh
Game 2 (2:30 p.m.): No. 2 Washington vs. No. 5 Seton Hall
Game 3 (5 p.m.): No. 3 North Carolina vs. No. 4 UMass
Game 4 (7:30 p.m.): Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors