Softball Finds Offense In 12-2 Rout

HOUSTON, Texas -- Oklahoma softball head coach Patty Gasso had been anxiously awaiting an offensive breakout and her team wasted no time Saturday morning as they run-ruled (five innings) Sam Houston State by score of 12-1. OU is 4-4 on the season and 2-1 in action at the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational.

OU had three runs on the board before Sam Houston starter Shalayne Blythe (1-1) had recorded an out. The first blow was a two-run double by senior Christina Enea. With one out, sophomore Jamie Fox crushed a three-run homer to left field to put the Sooners ahead 6-1 after one frame.

In the second inning OU added three runs on a solo home run by junior Kristin Vesely and two-run double by senior Kami Keiter. It was Vesely's first long ball since the 2003 Big 12 Tournament, a span of 84 games.

Box Score

Vesely pushed the lead to 11-1 in the third inning with a two-run double to left center. Vesely tied career highs in hits (3-for-3) and RBI (3).

Jamie Fox (2-for-3) increased OU's lead to 12-1 with her fourth RBI of the day in the fourth inning. The four RBIs were also a career high for Fox.

In OU's previous five games the Sooners had mustered just three runs while only winning one of those contests.

After allowing a run in the first inning OU starting pitcher Nicole Denes settled into an impressive groove. She recorded five consecutive strikeouts and did not allow a ball into fair territory to eight consecutive batters. Denes, who sat after the third innings, allowed two hits while striking out five in route to earning her first victory (1-0) of the season.

Freshman Jadyn Smith worked two innings in relief of Denes and allowed one earned run while striking out two.

OU will play the host Houston Cougars at 1 p.m. (CST) to wrap up Saturday play. OU will return to the Cougar Softball Complex to play UH at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

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