Softball Mean to North Texas Green

DENTON, Texas The No. 8 Oklahoma softball team (34-6) run ruled North Texas (7-19), 9-1, in a five inning contest on Wednesday night at Denia Park in Denton, Texas. The wins extends OU's win streak to three games and provides momentum for the Sooners' showdown at No. 15 Missouri this weekend.

“We accomplished what we came here to do,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso. “We really wanted to see Nicole Denes take control of the game and she did. We came out aggressive offensively and hit their pitching from the opening at bat.”

Box Score

Over the last two weeks the OU coaching staff felt like the OU offense was missing a beat. That was not the case on Wednesday night when the Sooner bats put on a show. OU posted four runs in each of the first two innings and added another in the third inning to seal the rout.

UNT starter Kristina Fowler (5-8) began on a positive note by getting OU's hottest hitter, Kristin Vesely, to line out. After that it was downhill. She allowed hits to four of the next five batters, including an RBI triple to senior Jessica Leslie and two-run double to sophomore Jamie Fox. Freshman Tayl'r Hollis put the Sooner advantage at four with a RBI single that capped the first frame scoring.

Fowler was pulled two batters into the second inning after allowing a double to senior Kami Keiter and a run-scoring single to starting pitcher Nicole Denes. Reliever Mandy Hacker retired Vesely as well, but wasn't as lucky against Norrelle Dickson and Leslie, who both reached and scored.

The Sooners reached the run-rule minimum of eight in the third inning when Vesely hit into a bases loaded fielder's choice to score Christina Enea, who reached on the Sooners' fifth double of the game.

OU already has 80 doubles this season (average of two per game), which is two better than their 2004 total of 78. OU is also closing in on its 2004 totals in runs, home runs and RBI.

Denes remained perfect on the season with a one hit, one run effort. The junior from nearby Coppell, Texas, struck out eight batters in four innings of work. She is 8-0 on the season and stands as the only pitcher on the staff without a defeat. She was relieved by Kami Keiter, who allowed the Mean Green's second hit of the game.

While the game turned out to be a mismatch, it was certainly important to the Sooners' cause. With the win OU improved its Midwest Region record to 12-0, which is one of key factors in determining NCAA Regional and Super Regional sites.

OU is 6-0 all-time against North Texas. This marked the first time OU has visited Denton.