OU Softball Dominates North Carolina 13-0

May 18, 2001

NORMAN, Okla. - Fifth-ranked Oklahoma (47-7) wasted no time in putting a 13-0 drumming on third-seeded North Carolina (38-19-1) in NCAA Region 5 action. The Sooners eliminated the Tar Heels in front of a record-crowd 1,327 fans behind a 12-hit performance that featured two OU home runs. The win was the 20th consecutive for the Sooners, whose 13 runs were the most in school history in NCAA postseason competition

"Our mission tonight was to come out and attack early and I was excited to be the visitors," OU head coach Patty Gasso said. "We were a team of adrenaline tonight. Everything was working from our hitting down to our pitching. I was very excited about that."

Oklahoma jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. On the first pitch, Kelli Braitsch nailed a double down the right field line and Christy Ring walked before the duo each advanced a base on a wild pitch. After Lisa Carey walked to load the bases, Ashli Barrett cleaned up with a grand slam down the left-field line. It was her fourth grand slam of the year and moved her up to 10th among the NCAA's all-time leaders.

In the top of the fourth, the Sooners loaded the bases again and put another four runs on the board. Senior LaKisha Washington had her first home run of the year--a solo shot to left--to give OU the 5-0 lead. Braitsch walked and advanced to second when Ring grounded out to third. Carey then singled to short as Braitsch rounded third and went home on the throw.

Following Barrett's double out to right center, Jennifer Stump walked to load the bases. Down 1-2 in the count with two outs, center fielder Erin Evans drove in the final two runs with a double to right center.

Another five runs in the fifth came on just three Sooner hits and two UNC errors. Senior Jaime White drove in a run when she reached on a fielder's choice, but there was no out recorded when the shortstop errored on the throw to the second baseman. After Carey singled to load the bases, pitcher Michael Parrott walked Barrett which scored Braitsch.

Stump recorded out No. 2 with a hard-hit ball to second. Evans then came up and reached on a throwing error by Parrott which scored the final two runs of the game.

OU ace Jennifer Stewart (34-3) picked up the win after limiting the Tar Heels to just one hit in three innings. She also struck out a pair. Junior Angela Wedlake and freshman Adrianne Ratliff closed out the game, tossing one inning each.

The Sooners will meet second-seeded Washington at 2:30 on Saturday. The Huskies got to the semi-final game by run-ruling fourth-seeded UMass 8-0 in five innings. The loser of the OU-UW game will face the Minutewomen at 5:30 p.m. in an elimination game.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Softball Dominates North Carolina 13-0

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