Softball Can't Solve Florida's Ace

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The No. 4 Oklahoma softball team's offense never found its groove on Saturday and it led to pair of losses at the Clearwater Invitational (Fla.). After falling earlier in the day to Louisville (2-1), the Sooners were unable to muster any significant rally in falling to host Florida by a score of 3-0 on Saturday evening.

Hard-throwing UF starter Stacey Stevens was able to keep the OU bats off balance all night. She improved to 2-0 on the season after shutting out the Sooner bats that pushed 18 runs across the plate in two games on Friday. Stevens allowed just two hits while walking one and striking out seven.

The two Sooners hits were singles by sophomore Jamie Fox and junior Nicole Denes. OU managed just three hits in two Saturday losses.

Box Score

The Gators posted the first earned runs of the season against the OU staff, snapping a streak of 22 innings, in the third inning. With no outs and runners at first and third, Florida called for a squeeze, which worked despite a near perfect block of home plate by OU catcher Heather Scaglione. With the Gators up one run, first baseman Melissa Zick laced a double to centerfield that cleared the bases and put the Gators ahead comfortably at 3-0.

All of the UF runs came off of Kami Keiter, who fell to 1-1 on the young season. Keiter worked five innings before handing off to Denes, who allowed one hit in the final two innings of work. Denes is yet to allow a run in six innings of work this season.

OU will finish Clearwater Invitational play on Sunday at 11 a.m., with an opponent that is yet to be determined.