Seniors Sizzle In Softball Season Opener

CLEARWATER, Fla. The weather was unusually cold at the Clearwater Invitational (Fla.) where the No. 4 Oklahoma softball team opened the 2005 season Friday afternoon. That was about the only thing that was cold for the Sooners, who used school records of 19 hits and six doubles to run-rule (five innings) Florida Atlantic by a score of 12-0.

The win marked the 14th consecutive year that OU has won its season opener. The loss dropped the FAU Owls to 0-3 on the young season.

“We were very anxious to play and I felt like that could go either way,” said Gasso. “Obviously it went right and we were able to score early and each inning we put the game further out of reach.”

Seniors Heather Scaglione and Jessica Leslie began their final collegiate seasons with a pair of firsts. They both recorded the first 4-for-4 performances of their OU tenures.

Box Score

For Scaglione, she began 2005 right where she left off in 2004. She laced an RBI double down the right field line to give the Sooners a 2-0 advantage in the opening frame. The powerful catcher hit another double off the right center wall and one that was just out of the reach of a diving FAU center fielder. She finished the day with three doubles, to tie an OU single game record, and two RBI.

Leslie turned in an all-around spectacular performance. She had three singles, a double, a stolen base, three runs scored and one diving catch in foul territory.

By the time Florida Atlantic had recorded its first out of the game, OU had a run on the board. The Sooners top of the lineup manufactured the run. Sophomore leadoff hitter Norrelle Dickson reached on an error then moved to third on an infield single by Kristin Vesely. A squeeze bunt by Christina Enea brought home Dickson with OU's first score.

OU put the game out reach in the third inning. Back-to-back leadoff doubles by Scaglione and Leslie increased the lead to 4-0. One batter later junior Nicole Denes followed with OU's fifth double of the contest to push the lead to 5-0. The third inning scoring was completed with an RBI single from Dickson.

Two insurance runs were added in the fourth frame. Freshman Susan Ogden highlighted the session with an RBI infield single in her first collegiate at bat.

The biggest blast on a rare frigid Florida morning came in the Sooners final turn at the plate. Denes drilled a three-run homer to left field that put the Sooners ahead by double-digits at 12-0. On the day, Denes was 2-for-4 with four RBI.

The win marked the highest offensive output in a season opener since 1981 when they defeated Lady of the Lake 18-0.

Senior hurler Kami Keiter was forgotten in the offensive onslaught. Keiter allowed four hits and struck out four over four innings of shutout ball. She handed the duties off to Denes, who struck out two batters in the fifth and helped conserve the shutout.

OU will continue Clearwater Invitational play against Appalachian State at 2:30 p.m.

Game Notes: Freshman Savannah Long became the second consecutive freshman to start the season at shortstop for OU head coach Patty Gasso ... In 2004 Norrelle Dickson began at short before moving to third base ... Sophomore Jade Prather had an infield single in her first career at bat ... Leslie tied a career high with three runs scored ... She had accomplished the feat on two prior occasions ... OU tied the single game record with six doubles, which has now happened on seven occasions in school history ... Scaglione now shares the OU single game record for doubles with three others ... Senior Christina Enea had a nine game hitting streak that dated back to 2004 snapped.

Seniors Sizzle In Softball Season Opener

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Seniors Sizzle In Softball Season Opener

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