No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 18 Texas Square Off This Weekend

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April 11, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. - The Red River Rivalry between No. 9 Oklahoma (36-8, 9-0 Big 12) and No. 18 Texas (35-10, 8-1 Big 12) will have more than just state bragging rights on the line this weekend. With OU sitting atop the Big 12 Conference and UT trailing by just a game, the two-game set will be a battle for first place in the league. The series opens up Saturday at noon and concludes on Sunday, also with a noon start time, at the OU Softball Complex. Saturday's game will be broadcast in the Oklahoma City area on KREF 1400 AM and can also be picked up off Oklahoma's official athletic web site at www.soonersports.com.

Prior to the series opener on Saturday, the Sooners will host a Worth Clinic for youths beginning at 9 a.m. with registration beginning at 8 a.m. The weekend's other special promotions are: Saturday - "Pack the Park" and an OU CD Holder giveaway, Sunday - OU Notepad giveaway.

Last Time Out
The ninth-ranked Oklahoma softball team matched its best start in Big 12 Conference history with a doubleheader sweep of Missouri Wednesday afternoon at University Field to improve its league leading record to 9-0. The Sooners defeated the Tigers 8-1 in the first game and 3-1 in game two. Freshman Heather Scaglione provided the offensive highlights on the afternoon as she went deep twice, once in each game.

In the first game, OU recorded runs in all but two innings, including two in the second, fourth and fifth frames to break the game open. Junior rightfielder Jennifer Stump (2-for-3) and Scaglione (2-for-3) both hit solo homers to account for the lone runs in the first and sixth innings. Stump led off the game with her solo shot, her eighth of the year and fourth since moving into the leadoff role two weeks ago, to stake starting pitcher Kami Keiter (9-4) to an early 1-0 lead.

Keiter worked the first five innings of the contest and gave up only one run on five hits, while striking out three.

In game two, the Sooners scored single runs in the third, fourth and seventh innings to provide the necessary run support in the game. Scaglione continued her hot hitting by collecting a career-high three hits, including her second home run of the day in the fourth inning.

Senior leftfielder Christy Ring (2-for-4) led off the third frame with a base hit and, after moving to second base on a wild pitch, scored on a double by Christina Enea (3-for-4). Enea and Ring connected again to score the third run of the game for the Sooners in the seventh inning when Ring led off with a single, stole second and scored on a RBI-single by the freshman catcher to put OU up 3-0.

Scouting Texas
Texas (35-10, 8-1 Big 12) heads into Norman this weekend for a showdown with Oklahoma with the top spot in the Big 12 Conference on the line. The Longhorns fell out of a tie with the Sooners for first place after splitting with Nebraska over the weekend and now only trail OU by a game. UT won an earlier contest in the year over OU, a 1-0 decision at the Kia Klassic in Fullerton, Calif.

Texas has found their success this season through one of the most threatening offenses and pitching staffs in the league. Offensively, the Longhorns are batting .281 as a team (third in the Big 12) and are led by freshman third baseman Wynter Turner who is hitting at a .364 clip. Although the team's home run numbers are low (just 17in 45 games), Texas leads the Big 12 in doubles with 58 already on the season.

In the circle, freshmen sensations Cat Osterman and Amy Bradford serve as the staff aces as both players rank in the top six in the conference in ERA. Bradford sports a team-best 0.88 ERA has has put together an 11-1 record with four saves. Osterman, who has received twice as many starts as Bradford, leads the league in wins with a 23-7 record and has posted a 1.08 ERA. Osterman averages nearly two strikeouts per inning and over eight a game.

Diamond Notes
* OU's 9-0 start in Big 12 Conference matches its best Big 12 start ever which was previously set by the 2000 squad.

* The Sooners' current 12-game win streak also ties their longest of the season. OU rattled off 12 consecutive victories to begin the year.

* Last week's 6-5 come-from-behind victory over OSU was OU's first win of the season when trailing after five innings.

* Freshman hurler Kami Keiter extended her innings pitched without issuing a walk streak to 38.1 frames last week and has given only one free pass in the last 42.2 innings.

* Oklahoma's offense has recorded double-digit hit efforts in their last four straight games to raise their team batting average above the .300 mark.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 18 Texas Square Off This Weekend

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