OU Outlasts Bama, 6-3

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Oklahoma staved off elimination in the Women's College World Series with a nine-inning, 6-3, victory over Alabama on Saturday afternoon at Hall of Fame Stadium. The matchup was a game of surges with the Sooners building a 3-0 lead and Alabama answering with a three-run scoring barrage of their own to send the game to extra innings. OU then poured on three more runs in the top of the ninth stanza to ice the game.

Oklahoma (47-13) advanced to play California at 6 p.m. Saturday evening. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and can also be followed via the internet at SoonerSports.com.

OU put the game's first run on the board in the third inning. Senior Jennifer Stump (2-for-3) drew a walk to reach first and was replaced by pinch runner Tiffany Weight. Sooner pitcher Kami Keiter pushed Weight to second with a sacrifice bunt and she advanced to third on a single by April Valdez (1-for-3). With Erin Evans at the plate, Valdez stole second and both runners continued around the bases on a wild pitch from Bama pitcher Erin Wright to put OU up, 2-0.

The Sooners added a run in the fourth to jump to a 3-0 lead. Facing two outs, senior shortstop Kelli Braitsch (1-for-3) mashed her 12th home run of the season over the right field wall on the first pitch.

Alabama regrouped to tie the game in the next two frames. Leading off the fifth, Tide third baseman Staci Ramsey (2-for-3) homered to center field on a 2-1 count. Two batters later, centerfielder Jaclyn Wilkins 1-for-3) caught Keiter on her first pitch and sent the ball over the left field wall to pull Alabama within one run, 3-2.

In the sixth stanza, a Staci Ramsey sacrifice fly plated Jackie McClain and the game was tied, 3-3.

The teams traded scoreless innings into the ninth until the Sooners dealt Alabama the final volley. OU sophomore Christina Enea (2-for-4) singled through the left side on a 2-2 count to lead off the frame. Kelli Braitsch reached on a fielder's choice as Bama failed to catch Enea on her dash to second. Jennifer Stump then doubled down the left field line to RBI Enea and give the Sooners the 4-3 lead.

Tiffany Weight replaced Stump on second and advanced to third on a wild pitch as Braitsch darted home on the mistake by Tide relief pitcher Stephanie VanBrakle. Erin Evans then singled through the left side to plate Weight from third and Oklahoma assumed the decisive 6-3 advantage.

Keiter forced a flyout, a groundout and fanned Angela Johnson to finish off the Tide in the bottom of the ninth. Keiter had seven strikouts and three walks while allowing four hits and two earned runs in the win to improve to 34-8 on the season.

Oklahoma now plays defending national champion California at 6 p.m. to decide who stays alive in the 2003 Women's College World Series.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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