Oklahoma Wins Back-And-Forth Battle Over Iowa State

April 6, 2002

AMES, Iowa - In a game that saw three lead changes and one tie, No. 9 Oklahoma outlasted Iowa State, 10-6, in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Southwest Athletic Complex on the Iowa State campus. Junior third baseman Leah Gulla's (3-for-4) hit a three-run homer homer in the sixth inning to put the Sooners (33-8, 6-0 Big 12) up for good in the game. Iowa State (13-11, 4-3 Big 12) hit three home run's of their own, two coming from starting pitcher Erica Martinez (3-for-4). Senior Angela Foster (7-1) worked three innings of relief to pick up the win as freshman Kami Keiter threw the final two innings for her first career save. Iowa State fell to 13-11 overall and 4-3 in the conference with the loss.

Down 2-0 in the first inning after the first of Martinez's home runs, Oklahoma fought back in the third and scored three runs to take a 3-2 lead. Keiter (1-for-2), in the designated player role, started off the frame with a walk and, after pinch runner Lindsey Abbott advanced to third base on a stolen base and a wild pitch, Abbott scored on a grounder to the Iowa State second baseman which resulted in a two-base error to place senior leftfielder Christy Ring (1-for-4) on second base. Junior rightfielder Jennifer Stump (0-for-2), who had walked prior to Ring's at bat, were driven home on a two-RBI single by freshman first baseman Christina Enea (1-for-5).

Iowa State responded in the bottom of the inning with three runs off of a three-run homer by ISU's first baseman Lindsey Herrin (2-for-4) to allow the Cyclones to regain the lead at 5-3. Foster relieved starter Jennifer Stewart following the three-run homer and retired six of the next seven hitters she faced.

The momentum swung back in Oklahoma's favor in the top of the fifth inning when the Sooners plated three runs to retake a 6-5 advantage. Gulla and freshman catcher Heather Scaglione (1-for-4) laced singles before junior centerfielder Erin Evans (3-for-4) brought both Sooners home on a triple to center field.

Martinez immediately tied the score at six with her second home run, a solo shot, to lead off the bottom of the fifth frame.

The lead bounced back to the Sooners in the top of the sixth inning when Gulla parked a three-run homer over the left field fence to make it a 9-6 ballgame.

When Foster ran into trouble in the sixth inning after the first two hitters collected singles, Keiter became the third pitcher of the game for the Sooners and recorded outs on the next three batters to get OU out of the jam.

After Oklahoma scored a lone run in the top of the seventh inning on a RBI-double by Ring, Keiter closed out the bottom of the ninth for her first career save.

Foster pitched three innings and gave up only four hits and one run, while Keiter held the Cyclones scoreless over the final two innings and surrendered only one hit.

The Sooners' roadtrip continues as Oklahoma hits the road for Missouri next Wednesday. OU and MU will battle in doubleheader action with game times scheduled for 3 and 5 p.m. at University Field in Columbia, Mo.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Oklahoma Wins Back-And-Forth Battle Over Iowa State

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