Oklahoma Outlasts Tulsa, 14-6, In Softball Action

March 27, 2002

TULSA, Okla. - In a wild six inning affair which bounced back and forth through the first three innings, ninth ranked Oklahoma defeated Tulsa, 14-6, in front of 1,048 fans at the Hardesty Sports Complex on the TU campus. The two teams scored 14 of the game's 20 runs in the first three innings as Oklahoma (29-8) scored six runs over the next three innings to secure the run-rule victory. Junior rightfielder Jennifer Stump (3-for-5) crushed two home runs in the game, one coming in OU's key seven-run second inning in which it took the lead for good. Freshman pitcher Kami Keiter improved to 7-4 on the season after coming on in relief of starter Jennifer Stewart in the second inning.

Oklahoma scored its first eight runs of the game after two outs were recorded. Junior third baseman Leah Gulla (1-for-3) began the scoring in the top of the first inning when she doubled and moved to third base on a failed pick off attempt. With Gulla at third base, freshman catcher Christina Enea (2-for-4) singled her home for the first run of the ballgame.

TU responded with three runs in their half of the first with two runs coming courteousy of a two-run homer by Tulsa third baseman Chrissy Strimple (1-for-2). The first run of the inning for the Golden Hurricane scored when centerfielder Jessie Smith (1-for-3) drew a leadoff walk and, after being sacrificed to second base, scored when OU catcher Heather Scaglione (1-for-2) threw an errant toss towards home in an attempt to get Smith at the plate.

OU bounced back with a seven-run second inning to regain the lead. After the Golden Hurricane quickly got two outs on the first two Sooner batters, an error by Tulsa first baseman Lindsey Dyer (x-for-x) allowed junior centerfielder Erin Evans (x-for-x) to reach second base to keep the Sooners' chances alive. Sophomore second baseman Lindsey Abbott (x-for-x) then stepped to the plate and laced a double to right field, the first of her career, to score Evans.

The next seven batters would reach base for OU and score six more runs to give the Sooners an 8-3 advantage. Stump and junior shortstop Kelli Braitsch (1-for-2) accounted for five of the runs as Stump hit a two-run homer and Braitsch crushed a three-run shot later in the frame. Just prior to Braitsch's homer, Enea hit her second consecutive RBI-single in the game to score senior leftfielder Christy Ring (1-for-4) who had doubled two batters earlier.

Errors again cost the Sooners three more runs in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs recorded, freshman pitcher Kami Keiter, who cae on in relief of starter Jennifer Stewart to begin the second frame, hit Strimple and then an error by Gulla prolonged the inning. Following the error, the Golden Hurricane mustered two consecuitve RBI-singles and an error by sophomore first baseman Katie Overton (1-for-2) allowed the third run of the frame to cross home plate.

Oklahoma scored its next two runs without collecting a hit in the fourth inning. Four straight walks by TU reliever Jenny Magill forced in the first run and the second run was scored when Tulsa starter Ami Day (11-1) reentered the game and threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded to bring in the second run and make it a 10-6 game in favor of OU.

The lead was extended to 12-6 when Evans tripled home a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Evans would then score on Stump's second home run of the game.

Oklahoma returns home to the OU Softball Complex for a Friday night doubleheader against Texas Tech in the Sooners' Big 12 Conference home opening series. Game times for the twinbill are 5 and 7 p.m. - OU-

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Oklahoma Outlasts Tulsa, 14-6, In Softball Action

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