Denes Sidelined For Remainder Of Season

NORMAN, Okla. The Oklahoma softball program announced Monday morning that starting pitcher Nicole Denes will be sidelined for the remainder of the season with a heart arrhythmia.

Denes noticed she had an irregular heart beat while the Sooners were in College Station for their Big 12 opener at Texas A&M on March 27. The condition, medically termed Supraventricular Tachycardia, was diagnosed last week by OU athletics staff cardiologist Dr. Phil Adamson.

“I look at the situation two ways,” explained OU head coach Patty Gasso. “I am so thankful that we caught it early. Dr. Adamson told me something that I will always remember. He said that if we didn't get this figured out when we did, it could have been one of those tragic situations that you read about in the newspaper. It is a major disappointment for Nicole, but she is a strong woman who is determined to return from this setback.”

Gasso continued, “As a team we are absolutely devastated. Nicole has done a great job for us all year. She carried the staff for the first month of the season. It leaves a big hole in the middle of our pitching staff. We have to stand tall and battle through this adversity. Everyone on this team has to step up their level of play.”

Denes is currently on medication for the condition. In six weeks there will be a determination if surgery is needed. The arrhythmia is located in the lower chamber of her heart.

Coach Gasso indicated that the medical staff believes Denes can return to playing softball and she added, “We expect, and Nicole expects, to be in our lineup next season.”

Denes was the ace of the Sooner staff for the first month of the season when junior Kami Keiter was sidelined with a strained biceps. Denes finishes the 2004 campaign with a 16-6 record, 1.77 ERA, five shutouts, 12 complete games and 128 strikeouts in 142.1 innings of work. The sophomore hurler was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week on March 2 and currently ranks in the top-six of seven different Big 12 pitching categories.

The Sooners are down to two healthy pitchers at the moment. Junior April Valdez has a cracked rib that causes severe pain when she throws. There is no timetable set for her return to the pitching circle, although Valdez is capable of hitting with the ailment. Valdez will likely serve as OU's No. 2 pitcher in the absence of Denes. She is currently 2-1 on the season with a 2.27 ERA.

Remaining on the short staff are Keiter and freshman Jessica Johnson. Keiter, an All-American in 2003, is 6-6 on the season with a 1.13 ERA in 87 innings of work. Johnson is 4-0 with a 2.43 ERA in 31.2 innings pitched.

The Sooners play their third game in three days when they travel to regional rival Tulsa tonight for a 7 p.m. game. OU is 28-13-1 on the season and 2-4 in Big 12 play after sweeping Texas over the weekend. The Bedlam rivalry renews on Thursday at 7 p.m. when the Sooners face the Cowgirls at Oklahoma State.

Live stats can be accessed for the Tulsa game by clicking here.

The regional showdown will also broadcast on local radio station KREF (1400 AM) with Brian Brinkley on play-by-play. Fans can access a live internet feed of the radio broadcast by clicking here.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Denes Sidelined For Remainder Of Season

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