Braitsch Leads Sooners To 4-0 Win Over Longhorns In Softball

May 4, 2002

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The fourth time was a charm for the 12th-ranked Oklahoma softball team as the Sooners posted their first win of the season against the 13th-ranked Texas Longhorns with a 4-0 win Saturday night in Game 14 of the Big 12 Softball Tournament at the Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium. On the brink of elimination, the second seeded Sooners (45-13) continued the hit the ball well in their night cap after recording 14 hits and 10 runs earlier in the day in a win over Kansas. Against top-seeded Texas (46-11), Oklahoma hit Longhorn pitchers up for four runs on seven hits. Junior Kelli Braitsch stayed hot at the plate for OU with a 1-for-3 effort including a two-run homer. The Sooners' win forces a rematch with the Longhorns Sunday morning at 10 a.m. where the winner advances to face the seventh-ranked and third seed Nebraska Cornhuskers in the tournament championship game at 2:30 p.m.

OU freshman starting pitcher Kami Keiter (13-6) turned in her second shutout performance of the day as she completed her eighth contest of the season and held UT to only four hits while striking out three. The performance helped the Sooner pitching staff extend their scoreless innings streak as they have not allowed a run in the last 18.1 innings. Oklahoma's defense also continued to play flawlessly with their sixth straight errorless game and ninth in the last 10 contests.

Freshman designated player Jessica Leslie (1-for-2) began the third inning by reaching base after being hit by a pitch and advanced to third base on two consecutive sacrifice bunts by junior second baseman Tiffany Weight (0-for-2) and senior leftfielder Christy Ring (1-for-3). Leslie then scored on Braitsch's second home run of the tournament to give the Sooners' only their second lead over the Longhorns in four contests this season.

OU tagged UT starting pitcher Amy Bradford (13-2) for two more runs the next inning to cap off the scoring in the game. Junior rightfielder Jennifer Stump (2-for-3) collected the first of her two hits at the beginning of the fourth frame and remained at first base until two batters later when junior centerfielder Erin Evans (2-for-3) tripled her home for the third Sooners' run. Leslie then followed with a double to plate Evans for the 4-0 lead.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Braitsch Leads Sooners To 4-0 Win Over Longhorns In Softball

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