Sooner Softball Is Georgia Bound

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Feb. 20, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. - For the seventh straight year, the Oklahoma (11-0) softball team will be travelling to participate in the prestigious NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., this weekend. Starting on Friday, 24 of the nation's top collegiate softball teams, including 12 top 25-ranked clubs, will clash for early season supremacy. OU's slate begins on Friday at 5 p.m. with a matchup against Utah (6-13) who the Sooners defeated, 6-1, earlier in the season at the UTA Tournament.

Immediately following the Utah contest, Oklahoma will then face No. 13 Alabama (7-6) at 7:30 p.m. The action begins at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday for the Sooners when they will take on Wisconsin (3-2) to conclude pool play before earning the right to advance to the championship round.

The Last Time Out
In a battle of two local softball teams, Oklahoma came from behind to beat Oklahoma City, 8-2, at the OU Softball Complex Tuesday afternoon. Three Sooner errors led to the Stars' lone run in the second inning before OU bounced back with a five-run third inning and a three spot in the sixth frame. The Sooners' leading hitter in the game was freshman catcher Christina Enea who went 3-for-4 at the plate and contributed three RBI and scored a run.

The Sooners exploded for a five-run fifth inning to regain control of the game. With one out, OCU starter Lindsey Voss (0-1) walked the next three batters before junior centerfielder Jennifer Stump (1-for-3) stepped to the plate and hit a two-RBI single. Stump was then brought home two batters later on a double by Enea, her second two-bagger of the game. OU's other two runs were scored on a put out to first base and consecutive wild pitches by Voss.

Oklahoma spotted three more runs in the sixth inning to cushion the lead. Enea collected two more RBI with a single to plate senior leftfielder Christy Ring (0-for-3) and Stump.

OU starter Angela Foster worked the first three innings of the game and did not relinquish a hit before being relieved by freshman Kami Keiter (2-0) who pitched the next 2.1 innings for her second win. Sophomore Adrianne Ratliff finished the final 1.2 innings of scoreless ball.

OU/Nike Classic Recap
Oklahoma remained undefeated on the season by sweeping through its second straight tournament to begin the season with five wins last weekend in the OU/Nike Classic. OU began the classic, which was held at the OU Softball Complex and Reaves Park in Norman, with a 6-1 victory over Creighton on the first day of competition on Friday. In the first of two games on Saturday, the team pounded four home runs to run-rule Drake 15-0 in five innings before holding on to defeat No. 21 Louisiana-Lafayette, 5-3, later in the evening.

Junior third baseman Leah Gulla hit a grand slam home run in the first inning as the Sooners went on to defeat Northwestern State, 4-1, in Sunday's first game. Oklahoma then ended the tournament with their second run-rule affair of the event, a 12-3 trouncing of Southwest Missouri State on Sunday evening.

Outstanding Relief Efforts
Oklahoma's bullpen has been nearly untouchable so far this season in their relief efforts. In 15.2 innings of work, the Sooner relief corp has surrendered only one run (unearned), six hits and two walks, while striking out 22. The solid relief performances have led to two of the team's 11 wins, while they have also racked up two saves.

Seniors Angela Foster and Jennifer Stewart, sophomore Adrianne Ratliff and freshman Kami Keiter make up the Oklahoma pitching staff and have all seen action in relief while also juggling starting duties.

The (Un)usual Suspects
Its not only been the usual suspects, like junior rightfielder Jennifer Stump and junior shortstop Kelli Bratisch, who have been accounting for the team's roundtrippers this year, but the seemingly most unlikely players have been getting in on the home run act. Junior third baseman Leah Gulla, who had seven career home runs entering the season, has already sent five pitches out of the ballpark. Fellow junior Erin Evans, owner of one home run in her previous two years, hit two shots in one game last weekend versus Drake. Several of the Sooner newcomers have also gotten in on the act as freshmen Christina Enea, Jessica Leslie and Heather Scaglione and junior Tiffany Weight have already recorded their first home runs as Sooners.

Hitting Home Runs In The Classroom As Well
Nine University of Oklahoma softball players were named to the Big 12 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll last week for excelling in the classroom during the fall semester. Student-athletes are awarded the honor for posting a grade point average of at least a 3.0 during the semester. Sophomore first baseman Katie Overton received special recognition for posting a 4.0 for the fall.

Other team members on the list were: sophomore Lindsey Abbott (University Studies), junior Kelli Braitsch (Journalism), sophomore Kaycee Clark (University Studies), freshman Christina Enea (University Studies), junior Erin Evans (Special Education), sophomore Megan Hube (University Studies), freshman Kami Keiter (University Studies) and junior Jennifer Stump (Sociology).

Diamond Notes
* No. 7 Oklahoma has opened the 2002 season with 11 consecutive wins for the third straight season.

* The team completed its second straight tournament sweep to begin the season by posting a 5-0 record during the OU/Nike Classic last weekend.

* With 19 home runs through the first 11 games, the Sooners are on pace to shatter their single-season record of 85 homers set just two years ago.

* The Sooners recorded a season-best 15 runs and 14 hits in a 15-0 win over Drake.

* Oklahoma faced its first top 25-ranked team of the season in No. 21 Louisiana-Lafayette and defeated them, 5-3.

* Junior centerfielder Erin Evans hit two home runs in the Drake contest after hitting only one home run total in the last two years.

* Dating back to last season, senior leftfielder Christy Ring has collected a hit in 13 of the last 15 games.

In A League Of Her Own
Senior lefthanded pitcher Jennifer Stewart is on the verge of solidly establishing herself as the Sooners' all-time ace after completing a record setting first three years of her collegiate career. A two-time All-American and three-time All-Big 12 and Midwest Region selection, Stewart already tops the school career lists in victories and victory percentage and is on pace to finish her time at OU No. 1 in five other categories. Here's a look at where the Yukon, Okla., native stands on several other all-time charts:

COMPLETE GAMES
1. 101Patti Graham (1981-84)
2. 87Cheryl Jacobs (1978-80)
3. 747.1 Jennifer Stewart (1999-Present)

INNINGS PITCHED
1. 806.2Patti Graham (1981-84)
2. 752.1Cheryl Jacobs (1978-80)
3. 76 Jennifer Stewart (1999-Present)

APPEARANCES
1. 133Jill Most (1994-97)
2. 131Jennifer Stewart (1999-Present)

GAMES STARTED
1. 109Patti Graham (1981-84)
109Jennifer Stewart (1999-Present)

SHUTOUTS
1. 38Jill Most (1994-97)
2. 34Patti Graham (1981-84)
3. 33Cheryl Jacobs (1981-84)
4. 30Jennifer Stewart (1999-Present)

On The Brink
Not only is staff ace Jennifer Stewart about to break numerous school career records this season, but the senior lefty is also set to establish a personal milestone of 100 career wins. At 97 career victories, Stewart stands just three wins shy of the century mark. Stewart, who owns the all-time wins crown at OU, already outdistances her next closest Sooner on the list by 21 victories.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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