Sooners Rebound With 8-3 Win Over Rutgers

March 15, 2002

FULLERTON, Calif. - After being shut out during their first two games of the Kia Klassic, the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners broke out for their first scores of the tournament with an 8-3 win in eight innings over Rutgers Friday morning in their final game of pool competition in the Kia Klassic. Oklahoma scored six runs in their first opportunity in extra frames to clinch the victory as Rutgers (1-9) was only able to answer with a single score. OU (24-7) picked up its first win of the classic after dropping its first two games on Thursday against two Top 25 ranked teams.

As the game moved into extra innings, OU's bats came alive to score six runs at the top of the eighth inning. With junior second baseman Tiffany Weight (0-for-4) on second base and a strikeout by junior shortstop Kelli Braitsch (1-for-4) to begin the inning, the next six batters reached base and moved around to score the runs. The Sooners loaded the bases as a base hit by senior leftfielder Christy Ring (1-for-4) moved Weight to third and a fielder's choice by junior third baseman Leah Gulla (1-for-4) caused Ring to be called safe at second base after the Scarlet Knights' second baseman failed to hold on to the ball after tagging Ring on her way to second.

Rutgers' starting hurler Leah Black (0-5) then walked freshman catcher Christina Enea (1-for-3) to bring in the first run before junior rightfielder Jennifer Stump (2-for-3) and freshman first baseman Kami Keiter (1-for-4) hit two-RBI singles to plate the next four runs. Rightfielder Lindsey Abbott (0-for-1) capped off the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center field to score freshman desginated player Jessica Leslie (1-for-3).

Senior Jennifer Stewart (10-3) allowed an unearned run to score in the bottom of the eighth before closing out the game for the win. Stewart came on for starter Angela Foster in the fourth inning and held the Scarlet Knights scoreless into extra innings without surrendering a hit in her 4.1 innings of work.

Freshman catcher Heather Scaglione (0-for-1) accounted for the Sooners' first run of the game. After getting hung up between second and third base, Scaglione headed for third and, after reaching third safely, an errant throw on the failed pick off attempt by the Scarlet Knights allowed Scaglione to advance home.

Braitsch sent a home run over the right field fence to put the Sooners up 2-0 in the third inning.

Rutgers countered with two runs in the fourth inning after three consecutive singles up the middle plated two runs to tie the score at 2-2.

OU begins bracket competition tonight at 7 p.m. at the Titan Softball Complex.