Texas 2, Oklahoma 0

May 5, 2002

Top-seeded Texas rebounded from a 4-0 Saturday night defeat to second-seeded Oklahoma to eliminate the Sooners, 2-0, in a Big 12 Softball Tournament semifinal game Sunday morning. The Longhorn victory sets up a championship showdown against No. 3 seed Nebraska at 2:30 p.m.

Freshman pitching ace Kat Osterman tied the Texas single-season record for shutouts with her 16th of the year by holding the Sooners to three hits and two walks while striking out four. The Big 12 Pitcher and Freshman of the Year improved to 33-7 on the season.

Second baseman Lindsay Gardner provided the only offense Texas would need with a leadoff homer just inside the left field foul pole in the bottom of the first inning. Gardner scored the Horns' second run in the fifth frame on a close play at the plate to seal the victory. She finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs and an RBI.

Oklahoma's Tiffany Weight doubled to start the sixth inning but the Sooners were unable to advance her. Kami Keiter gave up three hits and a walk in 3.1 innings for OU and fell to 13-7 on the season. Jennifer Stewart threw 4.1 innings of relief and surrendered a run on five hits and two walks.

Texas improved its record to 47-11 while the Sooners dropped to 45-14. The Longhorns have posted a 4-1 mark against OU this year.

Texas Head Coach Connie Clark
On the game:
"We were excited to come back today when our backs were against the wall and win to advance to the final game. We have to credit OU, they came to battle against Cat and they did a good job. But I think our hitters came to battle with the mindset that we were going to get it done, and we did."

On Lindsay Gardner's home run:
"I think that it really helped. Yesterday we had oppurtunities and we didnt get it done. They struck first and it took a little wind out of our sails, but today we came out and struck first and I think that was the difference."

Oklahoma Head Coach Patty Gasso
On the loss:
"We had a lot of opportunities and we did a good job of getting our leadoffs on base. I'm very proud of the way that this team came back and the approach that we had today. This wasn't really the outcome that we wanted but we did get some good production. Heather Scaglione took a good shot to the face and we have a week and a half to get the swelling down. She wanted to go back out with the full count. She showed a lot of courage going back out there and I think she will be okay."

On the NCAA Regionals:
"I think that we are ready to go to a regional and make some noise. We saw our hitters come through and I really don't think that we will see a pitcher that is as good as Cat Osterman in a regional. I think that she is one of the only pitchers that can stop this team offensively."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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