No. 7 Oklahoma Softball Edged Again, 5-3, By No. 20 FAU

March 4, 2002

MIAMI, Fla. - For the second time in two days, No. 20 Florida Atlantic handed the No. 4 Oklahoma softball team a heartbreaking loss as the Owls dropped the Sooners, 5-3, in the championship game of the Florida International Golden Panthers Invitational on Sunday morning. After gaining an early advantage, OU (17-5) once again allowed FAU (19-3) to climb back into the game with unearned runs. Oklahoma falls to 17-5 on the year as Florida Atlantic improves to 19-3.

Oklahoma jumped on top of Florida Atlantic first with two first inning scores. Junior shortstop Kelli Braitsch (0-for-1) drew a leadoff walk at the top of the inning and was sacrificed to second base by senior leftfielder Christy Ring (0-for-3). Junior third baseman Leah Gulla (2-for-4) then doubled Braitsch home in the next at bat before scoring herself three batters later on an error by the Owls' first baseman.

FAU took a 3-2 lead in the third inning by plating three runs, two of which were unearned. A two-base error charged to junior first baseman Tiffany Weight (0-for-2) put the second batter of the inning, FAU rightfielder Ginny Matthews (0-for-2), on at second base. A fielder's choice and a base hit moved Matthews around the bases to score the first Owls' run before two more singles in the inning scored the other two runs.

Florida Atlantic increased its lead to 4-2 in the fifth when another Sooner error allowed a run to score.

The Sooners fought back and loaded the bases in the top of the sixth frame before Braitsch drew a walk to force a run home and leave the game 4-3 in favor of FAU. FAU catcher Callie Piper (1-for-3) answered the OU score in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer off of OU's Jennifer Stewart to give FAU the decisive 5-3 advantage.

OU threatened to tie the game by placing two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh inning before FAU starter Nicole Myers (11-2) struck out the final two batters to end the game.

Kami Keiter (4-2) suffered the loss on the mound for the Sooners. Three of the four runs charged to Keiter were unearned due to the two costly Sooner errors.

The Sooners return home to host the OU/Worth Invitational this weekend at the OU Softball Complex in Norman. OU opens tournament play at 3:30 p.m. Friday against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

No. 7 Oklahoma Softball Edged Again, 5-3, By No. 20 FAU

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