Oklahoma Writes Hollywood Ending In California

March 13, 2003

Fullerton, Calif. - No. 6 Oklahoma stretched its win streak to 15-straight with a pair of wins at the Kia Klassic in Fullerton, Calif., including a dramatic seventh-inning victory over No. 12 Arizona State on Thursday.

The Sooners (22-3) beat UNLV, 5-2, and toppled the Sun Devils, 5-3, to position themselves for a possible No. 1 seed in the single-elimination tournament that begins Friday.

OU needed some late-game heroics from a proven senior to hand Arizona State their fourth consecutive loss this season in games between the two softball superpowers.

Down 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, with two runners on and two outs, OU senior shortstop Kelli Braitsch slayed the Sun Devils with a walk-off home run over the right field wall to give Oklahoma the 5-3 decision.

"Even with all the big-game experience we've had at Oklahoma and me being a senior -- it was still a pressure situation," admitted Braitsch after the game. "But I was very relaxed. I saw the ball and connected. I've had game-winning home runs before but none like this."

The Sooner dugout erupted and mobbed Braitsch at home plate after the ball cleared the wall while the Sun Devils looked on in disbelief.

Oklahoma had taken an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on a one-run single by Leah Gulla (1-for-3) that scored Kristin Vesely. The Sooners added a run in the third off a one-run double by Braitsch (3-for-4) that plated Erin Evans.

Arizona State rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth to overtake the Sooners, 3-2, before watching their lead evaporate with the Braitsch homer in the bottom of the seventh.

OU freshman Dana Askins, in relief of Kami Keiter, recorded the win on the mound for Oklahoma. Askins (5-2), pitching from the middle of the sixth inning, allowed one hit with one walk and one strike out. Keiter gave up six hits and three runs while walking one and retiring three ASU bats before heading to the dugout.

The Sooners returned Askins to the circle for their game against UNLV. The Moore, Okla., native pitched six innings before Keiter came in to finish off the Rebels in the seventh. Askins allowed two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out five. Keiter struck out two of the final three ASU batters to seal the win.

OU recorded three runs in the first inning to jump on UNLV early. Freshman Christina Enea belted her third roundtripper of the season to plate Leah Gulla and Kelli Braitsch.

The Rebels got two early runs of their own to pull within 3-2 before the Sooners went up, 5-2, in the third. Leah Gulla hit her seventh double of the season to score Braitsch and Kristin Vesely and OU took the game by the 5-2 margin.

The Sooners will play Cal State Northridge on Friday at 11 a.m. for the No. 1 seed. That game will determine what opponent OU will face in the brackets beginning Friday night.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Oklahoma Writes Hollywood Ending In California

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