Softball Defeats DePaul 5-1 To Finishes Pool Play

The No. 5 Oklahoma softball team made quick work of DePaul in its final game of pool play at the NFCA Leadoff Classic (Columbus, Ga.) on Saturday morning. Sophomore Nicole Denes stifled the Blue Demons all game to pick up her 10th win of the season in the 5-1 victory. OU improved its pool play record to 2-1 and season record to 14-3-1.

The Sooners enter championship play as the No. 7 seed and face No. 1 seed Florida State. The Seminoles are ranked No. 10 and have a 15-1 record. FSU defeated Texas, Washington and Army to advance as the top seed in the tournament. Following the top-10 matchup OU will play either Michigan or South Carolina, based on the outcome of both games. If OU loses it will play at 8 a.m. and if they win they will play at 10 a.m. (CST).

DePaul starting pitcher Kate Sheaks sent the Sooners down in order in the first two innings but wasn't as successful in the third as OU's junior class put together a one-out rally. Mariee Mena, Kristin Vesely and Norrelle Dickson loaded the bases for junior April Valdez. Valdez worked the count and picked up an RBI with a base loaded walk. Fellow junior Christina Enea hit into a fielder's choice that plated Kristin Vesely. The third run of inning came off an RBI double by Heather Scaglione. Scaglione leads OU with 19 RBI in 18 games so far this season.

Boxscore

OU upped its advantage to 4-0 in the fourth inning when Vesely's two-out double to center brought home freshman Amber Spaulding. The junior class would strike again, this time it was Jessica Leslie with two-out single to score Enea and put OU up 5-0 in the fifth inning.

Denes's was dominant in the circle all game. She limited the Blue Demons to one run, via a solo home run, on six hits while striking out four. She did not allow a walk and needed just 95 pitches to claim the victory. The complete game victory is her seventh of the season and improves her season mark to 10-3.

OU will begin championship play at either 3 or 5:30 p.m. (CST). The remainder of the tournament is single elimination with the champion being crowned Sunday at Noon.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Softball Defeats DePaul 5-1 To Finishes Pool Play

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