No. 11 Oklahoma Softball Loses Thriller To No. 1 Arizona

April 17, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. -

Arizona shortstop Lovieanne Jung delivered a clutch two-out double in the top of the ninth inning to plate the only run of the ballgame as the top-ranked Wildcats defeated 11th-ranked Oklahoma, 1-0, in the final game of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Softball Challenge at the Hall of Fame Stadium. Until the Wildcats scored in extra frames, UA starter Jennie Finch (23-1) and OU starting pitcher Kami Keiter (9-6) dueled it out in the circle the entire contest as Finch held the Sooners to three hits, while Keiter matched the effort by scattering four hits. Arizona improved to 40-5 overall, while Oklahoma fell to 36-12 with its fourth straight loss.

With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Wildcat centerfielder Crystal Farley (1-for-2) hit a hard shot back at Keiter to leg out a single. Jung (1-for-5) then placed her double in deep center field to allow Farley to sprint home from first base for the winning run.

The Sooners threatened to tie the score and take the lead in the bottom of the frame. Freshman first baseman Christina Enea (0-for-3) drew a one-out walk bringing freshman catcher Heather Scaglione (0-for-4) to the plate. Scaglione took several good cuts off of Finch and pulled a fly ball just foul of the left field line poll to miss a two-run homer by just a few feet. Finch recovered and proceeded to strike Scaglione out later in the at bat. Junior rightfielder Jennifer Stump (0-for-3) then followed with the second walk of the inning to place runners at first and second with two outs, before junior third baseman Leah Gulla (1-for-4) struck out to end the game on Finch's 19th strikeout of the contest.

After Finch fanned the first nine Sooners to start the game, OU started to hit her the second time through the lineup. Senior leftfielder Christy Ring (1-for-4) led off the bottom of the fourth frame with a base hit, but was left stranded at second base after the next two batters grounded out to third base and the final out was recorded on a pop out to shortstop. Oklahoma placed runners in scoring position the next two innings, but Finch recorded key strikeouts to end the threats.

Keiter turned in a valiant pitching performance and worked her way out of several jams throughout the game. The Wildcats had runners in scoring position in five innings, but were unable to convert until the ninth frame. Keiter, who has been the victim of several pitcher's duels this season, lost her fourth 1-0 defeat of the year with three coming to top 25-ranked opponents. The freshman hurler finished the game scattering four hits and striking out five. Her innings pitched without issuing a walk streak ended at 43.2 innings as she walked four batters in the game.

OU hosts Kansas for two games this weekend beginning Saturday at 3 p.m. at the OU Softball Complex.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

No. 11 Oklahoma Softball Loses Thriller To No. 1 Arizona

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