Big Game To Open Big 12

March 18, 2003

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NORMAN, Okla. - No. 4 Oklahoma (24-3) opens Big 12 Conference play with a bang against the No. 5 Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb., in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Bowlin Stadium. OU then travels to Lawrence to face No. 24 Kansas in a weekend series on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. at Jayhawk Field.

Oklahoma gained its highest ranking of the season by compiling a 4-0 record at the Kia Klassic in Fullerton, Calif., last weekend. OU defeated then-No. 12 Arizona State for the fourth consecutive time this season with a dramatic walk-off home run by Kelli Braitsch in the seventh inning. The Sooners then beat UNLV and Cal State Northridge to go a perfect 3-0 in pool play. OU dismissed Louisiana-Lafayette, 1-0, in the championship bracket before the tournament was called off due to rain.

Oklahoma is riding a 17-game win streak and has amassed a 24-3 record.

No. 4 Oklahoma (24-3) at No. 5 Nebraska (16-4)
Bowlin Stadium - Lincoln, Neb.
Thursday, March 20 - 4 & 6 p.m

No. 4 Oklahoma (24-3) at No. 24 Kansas (16-6)
Jayhawk Field - Lawrence, Kan.
Saturday, March 22 - 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 23 - 1 p.m.

Scouting Nebraska
The doubleheader between Oklahoma and Nebraska will begin the Big 12 Conference stretch for both teams with a bang. The Sooners are ranked No. 4 with the Huskers close behind at No. 5 in the latest polls. Nebraska is 16-4 on the season - the best start in school history -- and is coming off a 2-2 performance at the Kia Klassic in Fullerton, Calif. NU dropped games to No. 13 DePaul and Fresno State but beat Notre Dame and host No. 9 Cal State Fullerton. Lisa Wangler is the highest-rated Husker batter at .400 and leads the team in hits (28), RBI (23) and total bases (53). On the mound, Nebraska is led by Peaches James who sports a 9-3 record with a 2.27 ERA in 80.1 innings. Close behind is Summer Tobias (7-1) with an ERA of 1.31 in 48 innings pitched. OU and Nebraska have historically been the top two teams in the Big 12 since the formation of the conference in 1996. The two teams have combined for five regular-season titles (of seven) with the Sooners claiming three and the Huskers winning two. Nebraska is 31-27 all-time against the Sooners and is 6-4 in the past 10 games of the series. In the last meeting, OU beat Nebraska, 10-2 (2001 Big 12 Tournament).

Scouting Kansas
Oklahoma continues conference play by visiting the No. 24 Jayhawks in Lawrence this weekend. The teams will play a game on Saturday and Sunday. Kansas is 16-6 on the season. OU will be the second conference foe for KU. The Jayhawks were swept by Oklahoma State last weekend in Stillwater, 2-1, and 5-2. KU's best hitter is freshman catcher Melaney Torres with a .356 batting average. Torres has 16 hits with nine RBI and 24 total bases. Junior outfielder Mel Wallach is batting .304 and leads the Jayhawks in total bases (34) and home runs (4). In the circle, junior Kara Pierce has a 0.65 ERA with a 10-3 record. She's pitched 86.1 innings and fanned 91 batters. Senior Kirsten Milhoan has pitched 44 innings and sports a 3.02 ERA with a 4-1 record. Kansas is 30-36 all-time against the Sooners but just 1-9 in the past 10 games in the series. OU beat the Jayhawks, 10-0, in the last meeting between the two schools in the 2002 Big 12 Tournament. Head coach Tracy Bunge is in her seventh season in Lawrence and owns a 192-171 over the span.

Last Week
Then-No. 6 Oklahoma (24-3) earned consecutive wins over Arizona State, UNLV, Cal State Northridge and Louisiana-Lafayette for a perfect 4-0 record before the Kia Klassic was halted due to rain in Fullerton, Calif. No. 2 Arizona was the only other team to also have a 4-0 mark in the tournament. Oklahoma is riding a 17-game win streak, its best since a 23-game march at the end of the 2001 season.

Keiter Flying High
Keiter (14-1) pitched complete games in OU's wins over Cal State Northridge and Louisiana-Lafayette at the Kia Klassic. The lefty from Arvada, Colo., pitched 20.1 of 28 innings for the Sooners in the four games with two wins and a save against UNLV at the tournament. Keiter allowed just two earned runs and four walks against a total of 73 batters faced. She struck out 23 batters with a weekend-high of 12 batters fanned in the game against Louisiana-Lafayette. Keiter nearly pitched a perfect game against Cal State Northridge. Deep in the seventh inning with no hits and no walks, the Matadors finally got a hit to deny Keiter the distinction. But, OU went on to win 1-0 on the strength of Keiter's performance. On the season, Keiter has an 0.81 ERA in 103.2 innings with 90 strike outs. Offensively, Keiter has 10 hits including three home runs, a triple and a double for 22 total bases. She's scored four runs with seven RBI.

Braitsch Provides Fireworks
Senior shortstop Kelli Braitsch added to her reputation as the ultimate clutch player with a dramatic walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh in OU's 5-3 win over No. 12 Arizona State at the Kia Klassic on March 13. Braitsch is also OU's all-time career total bases leader with 409 over her career. She passed former Sooner great Lisa Carey (1998-2001) who had amassed 350 bases. The senior from Broken Arrow, Okla., also moved past Lisa Carey and Ashli Barrett for third on the all-time career walks drawn list with 78. Braitsch has a chance to assume the lead on several more career lists as her senior season progresses. She currently ranks third in batting average (.360), fourth in RBI (148) and third in home runs (33).

Gulla The First
OU third baseman Leah Gulla was named NFCA National Player of the Week and Big 12 Player of the Week for her outstanding performances against No. 10 Arizona State, UC-Riverside and UMKC. It marked the first time OU has had an NFCA National Player of the Week. Gulla is one of two Sooners to start every game (Braitsch) this season and leads Oklahoma with a .410 batting average. She also leads the Sooners in RBI (31), hits (34) and doubles (7). Gulla hit her seventh double of the season to score Braitsch and Kristin Vesely as OU defeated UNLV, 5-2, at the Kia Klassic. Gulla hit her second double-home run game of the season in the Sooners' 13-1 run-rule game against Cal Riverside (first was against No. 8 LSU at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.).

Evans One to Watch
With eight stolen bases to lead the team this season, senior Erin Evans has picked up where she left off last season. The centerfielder has 63 stolen bases as a Sooner and moved to third on the OU career list. Evans needs 12 more to climb to second place (74) and 24 more to overtake all-time Sooner stolen bases leader Christy Ring (86). In each of her three seasons at Oklahoma, Evans has earned first team Academic All-Big 12 honors.

Frosh Vesely Leading Off
Freshman rightfielder Kristin Vesely has led off for the team in 18 of 27 games and is batting .275 with 22 hits including three doubles, one triple, 15 runs and eight RBI. Vesely is a two-sport athlete who played midfield for the Sooner soccer team last fall. Vesely and 2003 signee Norelle Dickson (Orange, Calif.) helped bring home the gold for the United States in the First Pan Am Championships in Hermosillo, Mexico in December of 2002. The USA Junior Women's National Team defeated Canada 2-0 to capture the gold medal. By finishing in the top five of the Pan Am Championship, the USA earned its berth in the 2003 ISF Junior Women's World Championships next summer in Nanjing, China.

Stump as DP
Senior Jennifer Stump endured surgery on both her knees in the fall of 2002 and now hits at the designated player slot for the Sooners. She's batting .231 with 12 hits, one double, one run, 10 walks and 16 total bases. Stump led OU last season with 49 runs and had a team-high 35 walks drawn.

Weight = Title Experience
Starting at second base for the Sooners, senior Tiffany Weight has amassed 44 putouts and 40 assists this season. She also belted her second career home run on Feb. 28 in OU's 7-4 win over UC-Riverside. Weight came to Norman with a national championship already on her resume. The Springville, Utah, native played her first two seasons at Utah Valley State College and led the Wolverines to the NJCAA national title in 2000. Now, Weight is in Norman playing for Oklahoma and making regular trips to the NCAA postseason. "Being at the College World Series (last year) was probably one of my best moments," Weight said, who now wears Sooner jersey No. 16. "Having little kids around wanting autographs and seeing all the people there, I thought,'This is amazing. I'm here, and this is where everyone wants to be who plays softball.'"

Scaglione Solid Behind Plate
Sophomore Heather Scaglione has started 25 of 27 games at catcher for Oklahoma in 2003. On 160 chances, she has amassed 144 putouts and 15 assists with only one error. Scaglione's powerful arm has caught seven runners attempting to steal a base. Scaglione has done a little of everything offensively for Oklahoma. The San Diego, Calif., native has batted .348 with 23 hits, four doubles, two triples, three homers and 10 RBI. Scaglione also has nine runs, 40 total bases and 10 walks drawn. Additionally, she successfully stole a base in one of her two attempts.

Enea Continues Fast Start
Sophomore first baseman Christina Enea is batting .364 with 20 hits including three doubles, two triples and two home run in just 55 at bats. She has six runs, 15 RBI and 36 total bases. Last season, Christina Enea was named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America team as a third team utility player selection. Enea capped off one of the best Sooner freshman campaigns in recent history, leading the team for the majority of the season in hitting. Enea finished with a Big 12-best 57 RBI and 19 doubles. Enea compiled a .354 batting average, eight home runs and 68 runs scored. Enea was also named first team All-Midwest Region and first team All-Big 12. Enea became the first OU freshman to garner All-America honors and the 15th all-time selection for the program.

OU Places Braitsch, Enea On Watch List
Oklahoma senior Kelli Braitsch and sophomore Christina Enea were named to the initial watch list for the second annual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award announced by the Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States. The award, which is considered the Heisman Trophy in women's collegiate softball and is the only national player of the year award, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Braitsch has previously been named two-time, first team All-Big 12, the 2001 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and a member of the Women's College World Series All-Tournament team. Last year, Christina Enea became the first OU softball player in the program's history to earn All-America honors as a freshman. The first 25 finalist will be announced on April 8th. The list will then be reduced to ten players on April 29th, with three finalists being named on May 13th. The winner of the 2003 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced at the 2003 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Depth In The Dugout
The Sooners are enjoying production out of the dugout this season. Freshman pitchers Dana Askins (6-2) and Nicole Denes (4-0) have combined for 82.3 innings. Junior transfer Nikki Holt and freshman Lori Shimasaki are seeing playing time as pinch runners with both scoring eight runs each for the Sooners. Sophomore transfer April Valdez has started 12 games for OU with six hits including one double, a home run, four RBI and 34 putouts. Freshman Mariee Mena has started 13 games (played in 19) and has five hits with one double, one run and one RBI. Mena's stolen two bases of three attempts and has 12 putouts on the season. Jessica Leslie has started 10 games (played in 19) and belted her second career home run during OU's 8-0 win over UMKC on March 3. In fact, two of Leslie's three hits this season were extra-base hits (a double against UMKC in the first game of the twinbill). Junior Katie Overton has started one game and played in seven. Overton has three hits in eight at bats (.375) and has scored two runs for the Sooners.

Dana Askins (Fr.)	Moore, Okla.
Nicole Denes (Fr.)	Coppell, Texas
Nikki Holt (Jr.)	Camarillo, Calif.
Mariee Mena (Fr.)	Escondido, Calif.
Lori Shimasaki (Fr.)	Edmond, Okla.
April Valdez (Fr.)	Hacienda Hts., Calif.
Kristin Vesely (Fr.)	Phoenix, Ariz.

Seasoned Sophomores
The Sooners' youngest players were some of the biggest contributors to the team's success last year. As freshmen, first baseman/catcher Christina Enea, pitcher Kami Keiter, second baseman/designated player Jessica Leslie and catcher Heather Scaglione, stepped in and secured starting roles as productive members of the team. Enea, Keiter and Scaglione each garnered All-Big 12 honors at the end of their first seasons. Enea made one of the most significant impacts of the group at the plate as she finished the season leading the squad in batting average (.359), RBI (59) and doubles (19). On the mound, Keiter was one of the staff's most consistent performers as she compiled a 13-7 record, a 0.71 ERA and held opponents to a .203 batting average. Keiter also pitched her first no-hitter in Oklahoma's 8-0 victory over Creighton. Leslie and Scaglione were also effective in first year. Leslie, who batted .243, owned the team's second longest hitting streak of the season at nine games and was only caught stealing once in nine attempts. At .286, Scaglione became one of the team's top power producers with nine home runs. A second team all-conference selection at catcher, Scaglione also added NCAA Region 5 All-Tournament Team honors to her list of accomplishments.

National Respect
The Oklahoma Sooners opened at No. 8 with the release of the 2003 USA Today/NFCA softball preseason poll. The Sooners should be comfortable in the eighth slot. OU also started at No. 8 in the 2000 preseason poll but rocketed to No. 1 en route to winning the national championship that year. Oklahoma is the only Big 12 school to have been ranked in the Top 10 in each of the last four preseason polls released by the NFCA. The Sooners started at No. 7 in 2002, No. 2 in 2001 and No. 8 in 2000. The Sooners were tied for 11th place in the 1999 preseason poll. OU was one of four Big 12 schools ranked in the Top 25. Nebraska was tied for fourth, Texas was No. 12 and Texas A&M was No. 24. Baylor just missed the Top 25 at No. 27.

Top 25 Staple
OU was ranked eighth in the final USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll last season. The Sooners have been ranked in the Top 25 for an impressive 59 straight weeks dating back to 1999. Oklahoma achieved its highest ranking at the end of the 2000 season when it claimed the No. 1 spot after winning the national title. OU opened at No. 8 in the 2003 preseason poll, marking the fourth straight year OU has opened the season ranked in the Top 10.

OU Picked Third in Big 12
Oklahoma was selected to finish third in the preseason Big 12 softball poll released by the conference office in Dallas. Nebraska and Texas preceded OU in the poll by a narrow margin. Oklahoma returns 10 letterwinners from the 2002 squad which finished 49-16 overall and second in the Big 12 at 14-2. Oklahoma is the only Big 12 school to advance to the Women's College World Series each of the past three years. The Sooners captured the national title in 2000.

OU Powers Into New Century
Over the past three years, OU has amassed an impressive 165-33 record (.833), the 2000 national championship, 2000 Big 12 championship, 2001 Big 12 tournament championship and three straight NCAA Regional titles. Oklahoma's dominance at home is also well documented. The Sooners are 45-7 (.865) at the OU Softball Complex over the past three seasons. The Sooners will aim for an unprecedented fourth consecutive trip to the Women's College World Series in 2003.

Sooners Packing 'Em In
NCAA softball attendance figures from last season show Oklahoma ranked fourth in the nation and first in the Big 12 Conference in average home attendance. "The interest and excitement for women's softball has exploded across the country thanks in a large part to the success of the Sooners in recent years," said head coach Patty Gasso. "Attendance records at the OU Softball Complex and the Women's College World Series at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City have been shattered."

Streaks to Watch
Oklahoma needs just 15 more wins to record the 1,000th victory in the program's history. The Sooners are currently 985-587 (.627) all-time in 29 years of softball. OU's first conference win this season will be the 100th Big 12 victory for the Sooners. OU will be the first Big 12 school to reach that mark. The Sooners have a 99-22 record against Big 12 competition (.818). If OU reaches an NCAA Regional this season, it will mark the 10th consecutive for the Sooners.

Big 12 Conference Leader
Since the formation of the Big 12 in 1996, Oklahoma has amassed a league-best 99-22 (.818) record and never finished lower than second in the standings. The Sooners lead the conference in first team All-Big 12 selections with 29 and have the most All-America selections since 1996 with 15. Over that span, OU has captured three conference titles (1996, 1999, 2000) and have been Big 12 Tournament champions twice (1996, 2001). Head Coach Patty Gasso was named Big 12 Coach of the Year in 1996, 1999 and 2000.

Yet to Lose in Hosted Regional
The Sooners hosted their third straight NCAA Regional in 2002 at the OU Softball Complex in Norman. Oklahoma is a perfect 12-0 in those games with three consecutive regional titles and three straight trips to the WCWS. Last year, OU dispatched Utah, No. 10 Texas and No. 23 Texas A&M (twice). In 2001, the Sooners topped Lehigh, North Carolina and No. 12 Washington (twice). In 2000, OU defeated Harvard, Cal-Northridge and Oregon State (twice) en route to the WCWS and the national championship.

Award-Winning Facilities
The OU Softball Complex was recently cited in an article in USA Today entitled "Athletes Pay Tributes to Favorite Venues". In the article, star athletes were asked to pick their favorite college facilities (besides their own) to perform at within their respective sports. Laura Berg, Fresno State All-American and Olympic outfielder, picked OU's Softball Complex: "The outfield fence was short, so you could jump over it to catch a fly ball if you had to," said Berg. "The grass was like a putting green, just perfect. If you wanted to hit a slapper, you bounced one really high and could beat it out. The dugouts were great and were easy to get in and out of, and they were big so you didn't feel like you were in a can of sardines. Unfortunately, we lost both games there." The NFCA and TURFACE sports products presented the Field Maintenance Award to the University of Oklahoma in 2001. The award recognized the Sooner softball coaches and groundskeepers for outstanding field maintenance at the OU Softball Complex. Located at the corner of Wadsack Drive and Jenkins Avenue, the complex provides permanent chairback and bleacher seating for 1,000, a concessions building, restrooms, press box, VIP lounge and ticket office. Additionally, the facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art, underground drainage system, a sprinkler system and batting cages.

Gasso Signs Stellar Class
University of Oklahoma Head Softball Coach Patty Gasso announced the signing of six athletes to national letters of intent on Monday, Dec. 2, 2002. "Most people would agree that we signed one of the top three classes in the nation," said Gasso. "These athletes are very versatile and can play numerous positions. They all possess power and speed." Oklahoma will graduate five players at the conclusion of the 2003 season. Leah Gulla, Kelli Braitsch, Jennifer Stump, Erin Evans and Tiffany Weight all experienced winning the 2000 National Championship and have powered OU to three consecutive Women's College World Series appearances. "With this group coming in, I don't feel like we'll miss a beat," said Gasso. "We'll have some young talent but they're a very mature group. Within their four years here in Norman, I think they'll be competing for another national championship."

Stacia Aleman	Oklahoma City, Okla.
Norrelle Dickson	Orange, Calif.
Jamie Fox	Lafayette, La.
Alison Horne	Fayetteville, Ga.
Jessica Johnson	Lakewood, Calif.
Amber Spaulding	Fontana, Calif.

Head Coach Patty Gasso
As she begins her ninth season at the University of Oklahoma, Head Coach Patty Gasso has molded the OU softball program into a national power and placed herself as one of the elite college softball coaches in the country. In each of her eight years, Gasso has led the Sooners to the NCAA Regional. En route to shattering offensive records, her 2000 team won the NCAA National Championship in OU's first NCAA Women's College World Series appearance. Coach Gasso holds an overall record of 402-126 (.761) at the University of Oklahoma. Gasso's Sooner teams have never finished lower than second in the Big 12 standings. She has compiled a 117-24 (.830) record in conference games and OU has claimed three Big 12 titles under her direction. Numerous Sooner players have prospered under Coach Gasso's tutelage and garnered national, regional and conference recognition. She has directed 14 All-Americans, 32 All-Midwest Region honorees and 53 all-conference selections. In the Big 12 era, four Sooners have been named Big 12 Player of the Year, two have been selected as Big 12 Freshman of the Year and one other was honored as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. The OU softball success under Gasso has also spilled over into the classroom where 47 individuals have earned academic all-conference recognition and five of those have gone on to become Academic All-Americans, including Lana Moran, the 2000 Academic All-American of the Year. Gasso and her staff have consistently been recognized for their efforts on and off the field. The staff has been awarded the last three Speedline/NFCA Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year awards, while also receiving the national honor in 2000. In addition, Gasso has been named the Big 12 and Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 1996, 1999 and 2000.

Asst. Coach Melyssa Lombardi
As a catcher for Oklahoma in 1995-1996, Melyssa Lombardi helped direct the Sooner pitchers to new heights. Now in her sixth season as a full-time assistant coach, Lombardi continues to guide the Sooner pitchers and catchers to even greater heights.

Asst. Coach Howard Dobson
In keeping with Oklahoma's national reputation as an offensive force, the Sooner softball program in 2002 added one of the nation's top offensive minds with the hiring of Howard Dobson as assistant coach. Head coach Patty Gasso lured away the University of Houston's top assistant coach who led the Cougars to national rankings in batting average and scoring last year. Just as he was at UH, Dobson will be responsible for handling OU's outfielders and hitting instruction.

Sooners on the Air
11 of Oklahoma's games this season are currently scheduled to air live over the Sooner Sports Radio Network. The Network blankets the state with 30 stations carrying live broadcasts of OU sports and also delivers Sooner games to fans and alumni in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico. The flagship stations for the network are 50,000-watt KOMA and KRXO in Oklahoma City and KFAQ in Tulsa. Fans can also access broadcasts live via the internet at www.SoonerSports.com. Just go to the 2003 OU softball schedule and click the "Listen" link under the appropriate game. The Oklahoma-Texas series in Austin, Texas on April 11-12 and the Bedlam series with Oklahoma State on April 2 and April 24 are possibilities for live TV coverage. Check SoonerSports.com for the latest information.

Tickets
OU features a fearsome schedule that includes seven teams that finished in the top 25 of the final NFCA/USA Today poll last season and seven teams that are ranked in the Top 25 of the 2003 preseason poll. The Sooners host top competition at the OU Softball Complex this spring with Long Beach State, Wisconsin, Missouri, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Texas A&M visiting Norman. Season tickets are available now through the Oklahoma Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or (800) 456-GoOU. Fans can also purchase tickets online at www.soonersports.com.

Diamond Club
If you are interested in supporting the 2003 Oklahoma softball team by joining the Diamond Club, please contact:
OU Athletic Development
180 W. Brooks
Norman, OK 73019

(405) 325-8000 - Phone
(405) 325-7003 - Fax

SoonerSports.com
For the latest information on 2003 Oklahoma Sooner softball, including schedule, results, rosters, stats, game notes, standings, interviews and photos, visit the official web site of University of Oklahoma athletics at:
http://www.soonersports.com

Important Links
Here is a list of other web links that may interest fans and media:
National Fastpitch Coaches Association
USA Softball - Oklahoma City
ESPN Softball Coverage
NCAA Softball
Big 12 Softball

2 April Valdez
Sophomore, INF - Hacienda Heights, Calif.
Has played six games at left field, four games at first and one game each at second and right field ... Started 12 games while playing in 13 ... Batting .176 with six hits, one double, one homer and four RBI ... Has amassed 34 putouts and five assists without an error ... Belted her first home run as a Sooner on March 11 against St. Gregory's ... Transfer from DePaul ... Was an all-conference selection for the Blue Demons ... A versatile player who is contributing to the program immediately.

3 Kami Keiter
Sophomore, LHP/INF - Arvada, Colo.
Leading Sooners on the mound in 2003 with a 14-1 record ... Has pitched a team-high 103.2 innings ... Compiled a team-best 0.81 ERA ... Allowed 61 hits and just 12 earned runs ... Fanned 90 of the 359 batters she's faced including 25 looking ... Scored four runs and walked four times ... Allowed just one hit and struck out nine Titan batters in OU's 3-0 win over No. 7 Cal State Fullerton at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. on Feb. 23 ... Batting .208 with five hits, one triple and one home run ... Homered against UAB on Feb. 14 at the OU/Nike Classic in Norman ... Hit a clutch single for the game-winning RBI against Long Beach State on Feb. 15 in the OU/Nike Classic ... Tripled against No. 7 Cal State-Fullerton in Columbus, Ga. at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 23 ... Hit a home runs against No. 10 Arizona State and UC-Riverside in Tempe on Feb. 28 ... Nearly completed a perfect game against Cal State Northridge until Matadors got a hit late in the seventh ... Served as a starting and relief pitcher as well as a designated player last season ... Earned second team All-Big 12 honors as a utility player ... Named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team as a pitcher.

4 Kristin Vesely
Freshman, OF - Phoenix, Ariz.
Has led off for the Sooners in 18 of 27 games ... Batting .275 with 22 hits, three doubles, one triple and eight RBI for 27 total bases ... Walked five times and stole three bases on seven attempts ... Starter at rightfield ... Scored Oklahoma's first run of the season on Feb. 7 against Illinois-Chicago at the GRU Tournament in Gainesville, Fla. ... Hit the team's first triple of the season against Long Beach State on Feb. 15 ... Had three hits and two runs against Long Beach State on Feb. 15 at the OU/Nike Classic in Norman ... Two-sport standout in softball and soccer ... Played midfield for the Sooner soccer team in fall ... Earned a spot on the USA Softball Junior Women's National Team ... One of 17 players to represent U.S. at the inaugural Pan American Junior Women's Softball Championship held Dec. 13-21, 2002 in Sonora, Mexico.

5 Nicole Denes
Freshman, RHP - Coppell, Texas
Right-handed pitcher ... Has pitched 29.2 innings so far this season ... Has 3.30 ERA allowing 27 hits and 23 walks with 14 earned runs ... Hit a double in her first at bat for the Sooners against Villanova on Feb. 22 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. ... Has two assists ... Recorded her first win as a Sooner in a 7-4 victory over UC-Riverside in Tempe, Ariz. ... Invited to USA Softball's Jr. Women's National Team camp in the fall.

7 Leah Gulla
Senior, INF - Huntington Beach, Calif.
One of the team's best defensive players ... Started all 27 games at third base ... Leads team with .410 batting average so far this season ... Has 34 hits with seven doubles, six homers and 31 RBI and five walks ... Second on the team in total bases with 59 ... Also second on team in slugging percentage at .711 ... Blasted a pair of two-run homers against No. 9 LSU for all of Oklahoma's scores on Feb. 23 in Columbus, Ga., at the NFCA Leadoff Classic ... Nailed two home-runs in five inning run-rule game against UC-Riverside in Tempe, Ariz., on March 2 ... 11-for-19 at ASU Tournament - batted .579 with three doubles, two homers, five runs and a team-high 11 RBI. ... Named NFCA National Player of the Week on March 5 -- OU's first honoree in that category ... Named Big 12 Player of the Week on March 5 ... Her sacrifice fly against Louisiana-Lafayette scored Erin Evans for the lone run of the game in the Sooners' 1-0 win on March 14 ... Picked up first team All-Big 12 honors as an at-large third base selection ... Led team in assists (157), home runs (15) and slugging percentage (.604) in 2002 ... Named to the NCAA Region 5 All-Tournament Team.

8 Kelli Braitsch
Senior, SS - Broken Arrow, Okla.
Starter at shortstop for fourth straight year ... Started all 27 games ... Oklahoma's all-time career total bases leader with 409 ... Has 55 putouts and 53 assists .. Batting .345 with 29 hits, five doubles and a triple ... Leads team with eight home runs and has 28 RBI ... Leads team in total bases (60) ... Scored a team-high 23 runs ... Hit the first home run of the season in the team's opener against Illinois-Chicago at the GRU Tournament in Gainesville, Fla. ... Nailed apparent home run game-winner against UAB on Feb. 14 at OU/Nike Classic only to see Blazers take game on pitcher interference ruling in bottom of the seventh ... Compiled five singles, a double and two home runs ... Hit OU's first inside-the-park home run of the season against No. 10 Arizona State in Tempe on March 1 and then belted a two-run homer in the seventh to seal the Sooner win ... Was 9-for-18 (.500) at ASU Tournament with two doubles, two home runs, a team-high seven runs and seven RBI ... Blasted a ball that hit the right foul pole for the automatic home run against UMKC on March 3 in Norman ... Blasted dramatic walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh in OU's 5-3 win over No. 12 Arizona State at the Kia Klassic on March 13 ... Two-time first team All-Big 12 ... The best athlete on the team ... A complete athlete who has speed, a good arm and power ... Contributed 124 assists and 96 putouts last season ... Compiled a .330 batting average with 64 hits and 45 runs scored in 2002.

9 Jessica Leslie
Sophomore, OF - Raytown, Mo.
Starter in left field for OU in eight games this season ... Played in 10 of 19 contests ... Belted her first homer of the season against UMKC on March 3 in Norman ... Split time at second base with Weight most of 2002 ... Played in 50 games and tallied 20 runs on 26 hits ... Recorded the team's second best hitting streak during 2002 ... Hit safely in nine straight games, hitting .400.

10 Christina Enea
Sophomore, INF - Woodland Hills, Calif.
Second on team with .364 batting average ... Has 20 hits, three doubles, two triples, three home runs and 15 RBI for 36 total bases ... 152 putouts and seven assists from first base ... Homered in OU's first win over No. 10 Arizona State in Tempe on Feb. 28 ... Led the Sooners at the ASU Tournament (7-for-12) with a .583 average including a double, a triple, a home run, two runs scored and three RBI ... Successfully moved from starting catcher to first base last season ... Started all 65 games for the Sooners ... Amassed a team-high 387 putouts ... Compiled a team-best .359 batting average ... Led the team in RBI (59) and doubles (19) ... First Sooner to be named All-American as a freshman.

13 Heather Scaglione
Sophomore, C - San Diego, Calif.
Handles the action behind the plate for the Sooners in 2003 ... Started 25 of 27 games so far as catcher ... Batting .348 with 23 hits, four doubles, two triples and three home runs ... Drawn a team-high 10 walks ... Successfully stole one base in two attempts ... Is second on team with 144 putouts, 15 assists ... Blasted a roundtripper against South Florida on Feb. 7 at the GRU Tournament in Gainesville, Fla. ... Became the team's regular catcher toward the end of last season ... Has also seen time as the team's designated player ... Occasionally saw action at first base as well ... Garnered second team All-Big 12 honors as a catcher ... Named to the NCAA Region 5 All-Tournament Team ... Big 12 Player of the Week on April 8, 2002.

14 Jennifer Stump
Senior, OF - West Palm Beach, Fla.
Had surgery on both knees in 2002 ... Playing as DP for Sooners ... Currently batting .231 with 12 hits, one double, one homer and seven RBI ... Scored four runs ... Blasted a two-run homer against No. 10 Arizona State in Tempe on Feb. 28 ... Starting rightfielder for Sooners last season ... Led team with 49 runs ... Also had a team-high 35 walks ... Earned Big 12 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2002.

15 Erin Evans
Senior, OF - Lawton, Okla.
OU's starting centerfielder ... Started 26 games at CF ... One of the fastest players on the team ... Has stolen a team-high eight bases on 12 attempts so far this season ... Batting .341 with 29 hits, four doubles, two doubles, two triples, two home runs and nine RBI ... Blasted a home run against South Florida on Feb. 8 at the GRU Tournament in Gainesville, Fla. ... Belted a homer against No. 10 Arizona State in Tempe on March 1 ... Was 9-for-16 (.562) in ASU Tournament including two doubles, a home run, five runs and six RBI ... Scored the lone run in OU's 1-0 win over Louisiana-Lafayette at the Kia Klassic on March 14 ... Stole 15 bases last season ... A very dependable player ... A quick player who makes good reads in the outfield ... Very solid defensively ... A good bunter and baserunner ... Has three sac bunts this season.

16 Tiffany Weight
Senior, INF - Springville, Utah
Starter at second base for the Sooners in 2003 ... Started 26 of 27 games at 2B ... Batting .250 with nine hits and five RBI ... Scored nine runs ... Has 44 putouts and 40 assists ... Belted a three-run homer against UC-Riverside in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 28 ... Played in 54 games for the Sooners last season ... Saw the most action at second base (34 games) ... Was third on the team with 66 assists ... Fourth on the team in putouts with 147 ... A transfer from Utah Valley State College in 2001 ... Led Wolverines to the NJCAA national title in 2000.

17 Dana Askins
Freshman, LHP/UTL - Moore, Okla.
Backing up Kami Keiter on the mound for the Sooners ... Currently 6-2 record ... Pitched 53.1 innings with an ERA of 1.44 ... Struck out 40 of 198 batters faced ... Allowed 42 hits and 11 earned runs while issuing just 15 walks ... Batting .100 with one hit, one double and one RBI ... Drawn three walks ... Has 13 putouts and 13 assists this season ... Adds depth to Sooner pitching staff ... A left-handed pitcher ... Pitched for Moore HS in Moore, Okla., just north of Norman on I-35.

23 Lori Shimasaki
Freshman, OF - Edmond, Okla.
A role player for the Sooners this spring ... Played in 22 of 27 games mostly as a pinch runner ... Has five stolen bases on six attempts (.833) ... Has three at bats but eight runs as pinch runner ... Saw considerable playing time in the fall ... Has tremendous speed ... A four-year letterwinner at Deer Creek High School ... An All-State selection as a senior.

26 Katie Overton
Junior, INF - Oklahoma City, Okla.
Has played in seven games for the Sooners , starting one, with four putouts this season ... Batting .375 (3-for-8) with two runs scored ... Played in 37 games last season ... Tallied seven hits and 10 runs ... Saw most action at first base (23 games) ... Has the ability to play infield or outfield ... Suffered a broken toe in the fall.

28 Mariee Mena
Freshman, OF - Escondido, Calif.
A role player for the Sooners ... Has played in 19 games, starting 13 this season ... Batting .208 with five hits including one double and one RBI ... Scored one run ... Has walked six times and been hit by a pitch once ... Has 12 putouts this season ... Hit her first double for the Sooners against Villanova on Feb. 22 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. ... Earned 12 varsity letters in four different sports at Escondido High School ... Also competed in tennis, volleyball and soccer.

30 Nikki Holt
Freshman, UTL - Camarillo, Calif.
Played in 19 games this season, starting two in outfield ... Has eight runs scored as a pinch runner ... Is a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts ... Three putouts on young season ... Transfer from University of Washington ... Has experience in the outfield ... Hit .455 her senior year at Camarillo High School.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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