No. 6 Sooners Set To Host OU/Worth Invitational

March 5, 2003

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

NORMAN, Okla. - The No. 6 Sooners host Northwestern State and Wisconsin in the OU/Worth Invitational beginning Friday at Noon. The teams will play a double round robin at the OU Softball Complex in Norman.

Oklahoma went 5-0 at the ASU Tournament in Tempe, Ariz., last weekend with a two-game sweep of UC-Riverside and a three-game sweep of No. 10 Arizona State.. The Sooners handed the Sun Devils their first losses of the season at their home field.

On Monday night, Oklahoma extended its winning streak to seven games with a doubleheader sweep of UMKC at the OU Softball Complex in Norman. OU blanked the Kangaroos, 4-0, in the first game of the twinbill and run-ruled the nightcap, 8-0.

The Sooners are 4-1 against top-10 teams this year and are currently riding their longest win streak of the season. OU jumped to No. 6 in the latest USA Today/NFCA and the ESPN.com/USA Softball polls.

OU/Worth Invitational Schedule
Norman, Okla. (All times CT)

Friday, March 7
Wisconsin vs. Northwestern State - Noon
Oklahoma vs. Northwestern State - 2:15 p.m.
Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin - 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 8
Northwestern State vs. Wisconsin - Noon
Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin - 2:15 p.m.
Oklahoma vs. Northwestern State - 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 9
Wisconsin vs. Northwestern State - Noon

Scouting Wisconsin
Wisconsin is 6-7 and not ranked in either national poll. The Badgers opened the 2003 season at the Fiesta Bowl Tournament. UW dropped games to Mississippi State, No. 1 Arizona and No. 4 Texas but beat Fresno State and No. 17 Oregon State to go 2-3.

The Badgers are coming off another tough tournament stretch. They opened with a win over Long Island on Feb. 21 but lost their last four games to Florida International, Rutgers, and Florida Atlantic (twice).

Freshman Emily Friedman currently leads the Badgers with a .289 BA. Erin Barnharst leads UW with three home runs and nine RBI after her Big Ten Player of the Week performance in North Carolina. Andrea Kirchberg has 94 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings of work.

The Badgers faced Oklahoma for the first time in program history last season at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. The Badgers fell to the then-No. 4 Sooners, 4-3, in the first meeting Feb. 23. In the teams' second meeting the next day, the Badgers were 2-1 winners over OU.

The Badgers are two wins away from the program's 200th victory. It will also be coach Karen Gallagher's 200th win as a head coach.

Scouting Northwestern State
The Northwestern State Demons (1-11) are unranked and have a lone win over Notre Dame at the Louisiana-Lafayette Tournament on Feb. 28. The Demons lost seven straight contests to start the season and have lost four in a row coming into the OU/Worth Invitational.

The Demons' highest rated batters include freshman Sarina Noack (.406) who has 13 hits, two runs, two RBI for 13 total bases. Sophomore Nicole Martin (.317) is the NWSU total bases leader so far with 19 on 13 hits including two doubles and a pair of triples. She has five RBI. Junior Lindsey Danzy (.270) has 10 hits including a team-high five doubles six runs.

On the mound, the Demons split time between three pitchers. Senior Amanda Ortega has 36.0 innings pitched with an ERA of 3.11. Ortega's allowed 40 hits and 16 earned runs while walking 12 and striking out 34. Sophomore Loni Rasberry (21.1 innings) has an ERA of 1.64 while Crista Miller (22.0 innings) has a 3.82 average.

Eileen Schmidt, an All-American catcher at Virginia who became a highly successful assistant coach at South Carolina and Arkansas, was named as the new head softball coach in July of 2002.

Last Week
The Sooners swept No. 10 Arizona State in three games and defeated UC-Riverside twice to go 5-0 in the ASU Tournament. Oklahoma returned home Monday night, blanking UMKC 4-0 and 8-0 at the OU Softball Complex to improve to 14-3 on the season.

Gulla Garners National Honors
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. This marks the first time OU has had an NFCA National Player of the Week. Gulla batted .579 with a team-high 11 hits in five games over the weekend in Oklahoma's sweep of No. 10 Arizona State and UC-Riverside in Tempe, Ariz. Gulla had three doubles, two home runs, five runs scored and team-high 11 RBI for the Sooners. Defensively at third base, Gulla contributed seven putouts and 10 assists with no errors. Gulla also had two hits, including one double and one RBI in the doubleheader against UMKC Monday night. Starting all 17 games for Oklahoma, Gulla is batting .418 this season and leads the Sooners in hits (23), RBI (20), doubles (6), and assists (33). In five innings, Gulla hit her second double-home run game of the season on Sunday in the Sooners' 13-1 run-rule game against UC-Riverside (the first was against No. 8 LSU at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.).

Keiter Flying High
OU lefty Kami Keiter improved to 10-1 on the season with a pair of wins over No. 10 Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., and a win over UMKC in the past week. Keiter has now pitched Oklahoma to wins over three top-10 teams (No. 7 CS-Fullerton, No. 10 Arizona State - twice) as No. 6 Oklahoma moved to 14-3 on the season. Keiter has a 1.02 ERA on the season and has struck out 58 batters in 68.2 innings for the Sooners.

Evans One to Watch
OU centerfielder Erin Evans batted . 562 (9-for-16) with two doubles, a home run, five runs and six RBI in five games over the weekend in Oklahoma's sweep of No. 10 Arizona State and UC-Riverside in Tempe, Ariz. Evans also stole a base to add to her team-high seven this season and moved into a tie for third on the OU career list in most steals with 62. Against UMKC, Evans had two hits, two runs, one double and one RBI in six appearances at the plate. With seven stolen bases to lead the team this season, senior Erin Evans has picked up where she left off last season. The centerfielder has 62 stolen bases as a Sooner and is just one away from taking over third place 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 been named first team Academic All-Big 12.

Frosh Vesely Leading Off
Freshman rightfielder Kristin Vesely has led off for the team in 14 of 17 games and is batting .340 with 18 hits including three doubles, one triple, 10 runs and seven 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.

Braitsch Total Bases Leader
Senior shortstop Kelli Braitsch is now OU's all-time career total bases leader with 392 over her four-year 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 76. 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 (140) and third in home runs (31).

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 .242 with eight hits, one double, one run, seven walks and 12 total bases. Stump led OU last season with 49 runs and had a team-high 35 walks drawn. She was selected to the 2002 Big 12 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Weight = Title Experience
Starting at second base for the Sooners, senior Tiffany Weight has amassed 29 putouts and 20 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.'"

Solid Behind the Plate
Sophomore Heather Scaglione has started 16 of 17 games at catcher for Oklahoma in 2003. On 105 chances, she has amassed 91 putouts and 14 assists with no errors. Scaglione's powerful arm has caught five runners attempting to steal a base. Scaglione has done a little of everything offensively for Oklahoma. The San Diego, Calif., native has batted .318 with 14 hits, two doubles, two triples, two homers and six RBI. Scaglione also has seven runs, 26 total bases and eight walks drawn. Additionally, she successfully stole a base in her one attempt.

Enea Off to Hot Start
Sophomore first baseman Christina Enea is batting a team-high .429 with 12 hits including two doubles, a triple and a home run in just 28 at bats. She has two runs, seven RBI and 19 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 Contributing
Oklahoma welcomed five freshman and two transfers to a squad of 10 returning players for the 2003 season. Freshman rightfielder Kristin Vesely has led off for the team in 14 of 17 games and is batting .340 with 18 hits including three doubles, one triple, 10 runs and seven RBI. Freshman pitchers Dana Askins (2-2) and Nicole Denes (2-0) have combined for 48 innings on the mound. Junior transfer Nikki Holt and freshman Lori Shimasaki are seeing playing time as pinch runners with both scoring six runs each for the Sooners. Sophomore transfer April Valdez has started seven games for OU with three hits including one double, two runs, two RBI and 31 putouts. Freshman Mariee Mena has started eight games (played in 12) and has three hits with one double, one run and one RBI. Mena's stolen two bases of three attempts and has seven putouts on the season.Overton has two hits in five at bats (.400) and has scored a run 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 54 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.

Depth in the Dugout
The Sooners are enjoying production out of the dugout this season. Freshman pitchers Dana Askins (2-2) and Nicole Denes (2-0) have combined for 48 innings on the mound. Junior transfer Nikki Holt and freshman Lori Shimasaki are seeing playing time as pinch runners with both scoring six runs each for the Sooners. Sophomore transfer April Valdez has started seven games for OU with three hits including one double, two runs, two RBI and 31 putouts. Freshman Mariee Mena has started eight games (played in 12) and has three hits with one double, one run and one RBI. Mena's stolen two bases of three attempts and has seven putouts on the season. Jessica Leslie has started six games (played in 13) and belted her second career home run during OU's 8-0 win over UMKC on March 3. In fact, Leslie's two hits this season were both extra-base hits (a double against UMKC in the first game of the twinbill). Junior Katie Overton has started one game and played in four. Overton has two hits in five at bats (.400) and has scored a run for the Sooners.

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 29 more wins to record the 1,000th victory in the program's history. The Sooners are currently 971-577 (.627) all-time. 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.
Currently playing at first base for Oklahoma after stints in left field (two games) and right field (one game) ... Started seven games while playing in eight ... Batting .143 with three hits, one double and two RBI ... Batted one game in the eighth slot and six in the ninth ... Has amassed 31 putouts and three assists without an error ... 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 10-1 record ... Has pitched a team-high 68.2 innings ... Throwing a team-best 1.02 ERA ... Allowed 42 hits and just 10 earned runs ... Struck out 58 of the 237 batters she's faced including 19 while 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 ... 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.
Leads off for the Sooners as a freshman ... Batting .340 with 18 hits, three doubles, one triple and seven RBI for 23 total bases ... Walked twice and stole one base on three 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 16.0 innings so far this season ... Has 3.50 ERA allowing 14 hits and 13 walks with eight 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 Junior 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 17 games at third base ... Second on the team with .418 batting average so far this season ... Has 23 hits with six doubles, four homers and 20 RBI and five walks ... Second on the team in total bases with 41 ... Also second on team in slugging percentage at .745 ... 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 ... 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 17 games ... Oklahoma's all-time career total bases leader with 392 ... Has 42 putouts and 32 assists .. Batting .358 with 19 hits, four doubles ... Leads team with six home runs and 20 RBI ... Leads team in total bases (43) ... Scored a team-high 16 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 ... 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 three games this season ... Played in six of 13 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.
Injured in game with UAB on Feb. 14 ... Leads the team with .429 batting average ... Has 12 hits, two doubles and seven RBI for 19 total bases ... 73 putouts and four assists ... 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 16 of 17 games so far as catcher ... Batting .318 with 14 hits, two doubles, two triples and two home runs ... Drawn a team-high eight walks ... Successfully stole base in only attempt ... Has team-high 91 putouts with 14 assists and no errors ... 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 .242 with eight hits, one double, one homer and four RBI ... Scored three 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 ... Named to Big 12 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll.

15 Erin Evans
Senior, OF - Lawton, Okla.
OU's starting centerfielder ... Started 16 games at CF ... One of the fastest players on the team ... Stolen a team-high seven bases on 11 attempts so far this season ... Batting .358 with 19 hits, three doubles, one triple, 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 ... 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 all 17 games at 2B ... Batting .222 with six hits and four RBI ... Scored eight runs ... Has 29 putouts and 20 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 2-2 record ... Has pitched 32.0 innings with an ERA of 1.97 ... Struck out 23 of 120 batters faced ... Allowed 29 hits and nine earned runs while issuing just seven walks ... Batting .111 with one hit, one double and one RBI ... Drawn three walks ... Has 12 putouts and seven 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 13 of 17 games mostly as a pinch runner ... Has two stolen base on two attempts ... Has two at bat but six 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 four games for the Sooners with four putouts this season ... Batting .400 (2-for-5) with one run 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 eight games, starting 12 this season ... Batting .200 with three hits including one double and one RBI ... Scored one run ... Has walked four times and been hit by a pitch once ... Has seven 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 14 games this season, starting two in outfield ... Has six 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

No. 6 Sooners Set To Host OU/Worth Invitational

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors