Revenge Denied, Softball Cruises By Lafayette

FULLERTON, Calif. -- In a rematch of the 2004 Regional I Championship, the No. 8 Oklahoma softball team (29-4) denied Louisiana Lafayette (21-3) a chance at revenge by cruising to a 7-3 victory in the opener of the 2005 KIA Klassic in Fullerton, Calif. The Sooners extended their school record and the nation's longest winning streak to 27 games.

“This is a big win for this team against one of the best pitchers in the country,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso. “I thought we really battled at the plate early and with the way momentum carries this team, it was only a matter of time. (Heather) Scaglione hit a bomb to ignite us and then every one fell in line and did their part.”

Box Score

After going down in order in the bottom of the first inning, senior Heather Scaglione began the Sooners' scoring in the second inning. Scaglione worked out of a 0-2 count to push it full. On the seventh pitch of the at bat she crushed a home run to left field. It was first home run that UL All-American Brooke Mitchell had allowed this season, but it wasn't the last of the game.

The momentum stayed in the dugout and overflowed onto the field in the third inning when OU batted around. Lafayette native and Sooner second baseman Tayl'r Hollis went yard on a 2-1 pitch with one out in the third inning. For the OU freshman it was her fifth home run of the season and surely the most significant of her career. Hollis was recruited heavily by Lafayette and LSU before deciding to come to Norman.

“I knew she has some extra nerves coming, so that is extra special for Tayl'r,” said Gasso. “It is fun to excel against your home town team but what is really exciting is the way that she is playing like a veteran. When she steps in the box, you'd never guess that she was just a rookie.”

Hollis ignited a rally, which was continued on slap singles by Norrelle Dickson and Kristin Vesely. After a walk to Jessica Leslie, Scaglione picked up her second RBI with a single through the right side. Vesely also scored on the play with the right fielder over-ran the ball. Suddenly, the Sooners had a commanding 4-0 lead.

OU wasn't done at 4-0 though. Senior Christina Enea drove in a run on a fielder's choice and two batters later Kami Keiter put the lead at 7-0 with two-run single to left center.

OU chased Mitchell and has now given one of Division I softball's most dominant pitchers her three worst career outings. In the first game of the 2004 Region I Championship, OU hit the Lafayette righty for four runs on eight hits. Then the Sooners hit her for nine runs and nine hits to clinch a fifth consecutive WCWS berth. On Thursday, they hit her for seven runs and five hits in 2.2 innings. Combined, Mitchell has allowed 20 earned runs on 22 hits in her last three starts against OU.

ULL didn't give up. The Rajin' Cajuns were able to do something nobody had done in 79 innings against Keiter, score an earned run. In fact they posted three earned runs with the big knock being a two-run single provided by pinch hitter Desi Chapman. The inning turned in ULL's favor when a sure double play to short took a bad hop and leap-frogged OU freshman Savannah Long.

The final three innings where uneventful with neither team putting together a serious threat.

Senior Kami Keiter improved to 14-1 on the season and extending her own winning streak to 13 games. She worked a complete game allowing four hits, three earned runs and striking out 10 batters.

“Kami was on fire today,” praised Gasso. “Every ball was where she wanted it and that allowed her to get ahead on most of their batters. She was able to frustrate their potent lineup from the beginning of the game.”

The Sooners return to Klassic action at 3:30 p.m. Central, when they square off with No. 21 Arizona. OU is also scheduled to face Syracuse tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. Central, before entering Championship play on Saturday and Sunday.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Revenge Denied, Softball Cruises By Lafayette

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