Jayhawks In Town For Two Weekend Softball Games

The No. 21 Oklahoma (33-16-1, 7-6) softball team continues Big 12 action with a two-game weekend set against Kansas (27-23, 3-8). Saturday's game will be preceded by the official dedication of Marita Hynes Field. First pitch is schedule for 2 p.m., with the second game following Sunday at 1 p.m.

The ideal home field advantage has held true for the fifth-place Sooners, who are 18-3 on Marita Hynes Field this season. The eighth-place Jayhawks, who have been unsuccessful against OU in 14 of the last 15 meetings, have struggled to a 9-12 road record.

Kansas' strength lies in its pitching and its weakness is at the plate. As a staff, the Jayhawks have a 1.95 ERA. The ace of the staff is Kara Pierce, who is 15-10 with a 1.87 ERA. The wins haven't come for Pierce in league play (2-4) but her ERA has dropped to 1.78.

The Jayhawk offense is hitting .160 during conference play, which ranks at the bottom of the Big 12. Oklahoma, who's offense has slowed down from its torrid pace early in the non-conference season, is ranked fourth with a .252 average.

The KU lineup does not feature a batter hitter above .300. Tops among the Jayhawks is infielder Destiny Frankenstein who is hitting at a .279 clip and has a team-high 22 RBI. Junior Seren Settlemier has hit 11 home runs, which has helped produce a season total of 20 RBI.

The first 250 fans in attendance for Saturday's game will receive free OU softball trading cards, which they can get signed during an autograph session following the game. The first 100 fans in attendance on Sunday will receive free Sooner Schooner Bobbleheads.

Both weekend games will be broadcast on the O-Zone. Fans can also access Sunday's tilt with Kansas on local radio station KREF (1400 AM) with Brian Brinkley on play-by-play.

THIS WEEK
Wednesday, April 21
Texas Tech at Oklahoma (Game 1) 7-3

Texas Tech at Oklahoma (Game 2) 4-3

Saturday, April 21
Kansas at Oklahoma 2 PM

Sunday, April 22
Kansas at Oklahoma 1 PM

OU Weekly Release | O-Zone Broadcast | Live Stats

VITAL STATS
Record - 33-16-1
Streaks - Won two
USA Today/NFCA Ranking - No. 21
ESPN.com/USA Softball Ranking - No. 20
Big 12 Record - 7-6
Home Record - 18-3
Road Record - 5-8
Non-Conference Record - 26-10-1
Midwest Region Record - 13-9
Out of Region Record - 20-7-1

SOONERS GET BACK ON TRACK
The Oklahoma softball team swept both games of a Wednesday doubleheader against Texas Tech. OU won the opener 7-3 and took the finale 4-3. Kami Keiter took the win in the opener and reentered in the second game to record the save. Freshman Jessica Johnson earned the win in game two and improved to 5-0 on the season. The Lady Raiders were only able to retire Heather Scaglione once in two games. The junior catcher went 3-for-4 with three RBI and four walks. Freshman Jamie Fox had a two-run single, while Stacia Aleman and Jessica Leslie also picked up RBI.

HYNES FIELD TO BE DEDICATED
When the University of Oklahoma announced Marita Hynes' retirement last summer, OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione said, “We all have a chance to leave a legacy of some kind and in Marita's case, it's spectacular and historic.”

That legacy is now made, at least in part, of something more tangible. Saturday, the OU Athletics Department and softball program will officially dedicate the playing surface as Marita Hynes Field.

“Marita meant so much to all of Sooner Athletics, our softball program and the general growth of the sport,” Castiglione said. “Of all the tributes she could receive, this one seems particularly appropriate. We're honored to have Marita's name on one of our facilities, and one that means so much to her.”

Hynes was initially appointed to the university's athletic staff in 1976 as the head softball and field hockey coach. When the field hockey program was discontinued, Hynes accepted additional administrative duties while continuing to serve as softball coach.

In 1984, Hynes was named coordinator of promotions for the department. She was named associate athletic director in July 1995. Most recently, Hynes had directed administrative supervision of volleyball, women's basketball, softball, men's and women's cross country, track, tennis, gymnastics, and the university's newest sport, women's soccer.

She served as project manager over the OU Softball Complex, which has earned a reputation as one of the finest facilities in the country. Hynes coordinated the development of the Headington Family Tennis Center and was actively involved in the construction of the OU Soccer Complex/John Crain Field, which opened for play in the fall of 2000. Other projects in which Hynes was involved included an addition to the Mosier Indoor Facility and renovations to John Jacobs Track and the McCasland Field House.

In recent years, national and state organizations have taken note of Hynes' numerous contributions. She has served as tournament director for the NCAA Women's College World Series for 12 years. For her contribution to the sport, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Softball Hall of Fame.

After 28 years of service, Hynes retired on July 1, 2003. She remains active with the athletics department in a limited capacity as coordinator of several of the championships hosted by OU.

RECENT HISTORY
Any OU hopes of claiming the Big 12 regular season title were banished by poor defensive efforts and a sweep at Nebraska last weekend. Nebraska played the part of the undefeated first place team as they took advantage of numerous Sooner miscues to stay perfect in Big 12 play at 10-0. The pair of losses dropped OU to 5-6 in conference with three series and a Bedlam rematch remaining on the conference slate.

The first game of the series from Bowlin Stadium was an ugly contest with the two teams combining for six errors and three unearned runs. OU's four errors proved more costly as they fell 2-1. Neither starting pitcher, Kami Keiter and Peaches James, surrendered an earned run while the OU hurler extended her streak of innings without allowing an earned run to 29.

The Sooners took a 1-0 lead in the first inning for the second consecutive game only to relinquish it on defensive miscues. A leadoff triple by Kristin Vesely and single by Norrelle Dickson put OU up 1-0. The lead stood for three innings when a pair of two-out errors by Norrelle Dickson allowed the tying run to score. Nebraska ended Keiter's unearned runs streak at 34 with a solo home run in the sixth inning. Nebraska went on for the 3-1 win.

SWITCHING THINGS UP
After defensive struggles in Nebraska last weekend, OU coach Patty Gasso felt it was time to shake up the infield. The result against Texas Tech was moving Norrelle Dickson to her natural position, third base, and inserting senior Katie Overton at short stop. Dickson had started the previous 48 games at short, while freshman Jamie Fox has started the same number at third. Fox found herself penciled in at designated player and in right field against the Lady Raiders.

Coach Gasso was pleased with the performances of all three players, especially Dickson at third. She is not sure if the change will be permanent but she said the new lineup will remain for the immediate future.

READY FOR PRIMETIME
There is no waiting in the shadows for freshmen on the Oklahoma softball team. Coach Gasso expects contributions immediately. This season the Sooners have had to rely on freshman more than any season since 2000. Freshman have accounted for about three starting spots (32%) in every game. Jamie Fox and Norrelle Dickson are two of five Sooners that have started in every game this season. Amber Spaulding, Stacia Aleman and Jessica Johnson have accounted for 58 percent of the starting nods at designated player, while Spaulding has also started in right field 19 times (40 percent). Fox, Dickson, Aleman and Spaulding, who have received the most playing time of the rookie group, have a combined batting average of .300.

STOPPING CRIME
In 50 games this season only 19 runners have attempted to steal a base against junior catcher Heather Scaglione and she's gunned down 12 of them (63 percent). Last year 38 runners tried to the steal on the Sooner signal caller and she tossed out 14 (38 percent). Scaglione had a streak of 34 straight games without allowing a stolen base snapped against Arizona (3/19). Coach Gasso has taken to calling her the best catcher in the country and it's clear that Scaglione's reputation is preceding her.

PROMOTING THEFT
Baseball statisticians say individuals need to successfully steal 80 percent of the time to help their team. How about if your team completes the theft at an 85 percent rate? The Sooners have swiped 80 bases on 94 attempts (85 percent) this season. Twelve Sooners have recorded a stolen base with Norrelle Dickson at the top of the pack with 23.

The Sooners work on the base paths is an added dimension from last season. In 2003, OU stole 56 bases on 88 attempts (64 percent). A safe estimate is that OU will play 13 more games, including the Big 12 Tournament, for a regular season total of 61. At their current rate OU is projected to steal 98 bases, which is 14 shy of the school record of 112 set in 2000.

OF NOTE....
Oklahoma (No. 21) is not the highest ranked Big 12 team in either of the major national polls this week, which is a first this season ... Nebraska has taken the Big 12's top spot at No. 15 ... OU's current ranking is its lowest since the final poll of the 1999 season ... With 16 losses this season, OU has already surpassed its loss total from 2003 when they went 47-14 ... The most losses by an OU team under Patty Gasso is 23, which came during Gasso's first year (43-23 in 1995) at OU ... OU's current loss total ranks as the highest since 2002 when the Sooners went 49-16 ... Jessica Leslie (left field) is the only remaining regular who has not committed an error this season ... Norrelle Dickson has recorded multiple hits in 19 games this year, while Heather Scaglione has done it 16 times ... OU's batting average has dropped 37 points since the start of the Kia Klassic (.326 to .289) ... OU is 3-10 against ranked team's this season and 2-3 against teams currently in the NFCA top-10 ... Dickson, No. 2 in the Big 12 in hits (60) and No. 7 in batting average (.357), leads all freshman in batting average, hits, and ranks second in stolen bases (24) ... Heather Scaglione claimed sole possession of ninth place on the OU single season list for home runs with her 13th blast of the season hit against Missouri (4/10) ... OU is hitting just .190 (11-for-58) with the base loaded this season, although they are hitting a robust .309 with runners on base ... Leadoff hitters are getting on at a .351 clip with Christina Enea (.452), April Valdez (.417) and Norrelle Dickson (.414), Mariee Mena (.429) and Heather Scaglione (.457) all hitting well above .400 when they start innings ... With runners at third base and less than two outs, OU is hitting .468 as a team, although with two outs OU is hitting .276 ... Kami Keiter notched the 54th complete game of her career, which moves her into sole possession of sixth place on the OU career list ... Keiter also owns sixth place in career wins (57) thanks to victories against Oklahoma State and Missouri.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Jayhawks In Town For Two Weekend Softball Games

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