No. 5 Softball Slugs No. 7 Texas A&M

NORMAN, Okla. -- In a battle between the top two offenses in Division I softball, the No. 5 Oklahoma softball team (41-7, 9-1) lived up to its top billing by run-ruling No. 7 Texas A&M (38-4, 9-2) by a score of 15-7 in six innings at the OU Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon. The win gave the Sooners sole possession of first place in the Big 12 and knocked the Aggies into second place.

“We were excited about this game because you look at the stats and the teams were nearly identical in offense and pitching,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso. “This team wanted to create separation and prove their abilities.”

OU clinched the run rule with a walk-off three-run homer for the second consecutive home game. On April 27 Jessica Leslie hit the blast to finish Oklahoma State (9-0), today it was Kami Keiter, who put one over the exterior fence in left field to seal the rout in front of sellout crowd of 1,163.

Box Score: No. 5 OU 15, No. 7 Texas A&M 7

“The umpires were leaving the field and I didn't realize we had reached the run rule,” said Gasso. “When things are going that good you don't want it to end.”

It was Keiter second home run of the day, which tied a school record for most HR in a single game and made her the 24th player in OU history to do it. The 25th player in OU history was Heather Scaglione, who had a two-run bomb in the first inning and solo jack in the fifth inning. Keiter had a team-high and career best four RBI, while Scaglione had three. Scaglione has 13 RBI and 4 HR in the last four games.

USA Softball Player of the Year candidate Kristin Vesely hit her second HR of the season to lead off the third inning as OU tied a school record with five home runs in the contest. The only other time an OU team has done that was on April 11, 1996, against Tulsa.

OU's 15 runs is its second best output of the season, behind a 17-run effort against Illinois Chicago. OU has scored 10 or more runs on eight occasions, collected 10 or more hits 24 times and run-rule 14 opponents.

Freshman Tayl'r Hollis had two RBI on a 1-for-2 day. Vesely went 2-for-3 with two RBI to improve her Big 12 leading batting average to .506. Fellow POY candidate Jessica Leslie went 2-for-4 to extend her hitting streak to a career-best nine games. Sophomore slapper Norrelle Dickson also added an RBI on a 2-for-4 outing.

In the circle Keiter improved to 23-4 despite allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight Aggie hits. She had her unearned innings streak of 31 snapped in the first inning.

A&M did not start its ace, Amanda Scarborough, instead they chose to go with the hot hand of Megan Gibson (8-3). The rookie Gibson had the worst outing of her career, allowing seven earned runs on eight hits. Relievers Jill Weynand and Lisa Gorzycki provided little relief. The duo was touched up for eight runs on four hits.

Texas A&M's offense was bright spot in defeat. Scarborough had two-run homer, while Gibson had a RBI double. Lindsay Park went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Rocky Spencer also added one RBI.

The two squads will meet again on Sunday at Noon. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children. OU will also host No. 8 Baylor on Monday in a 5 p.m., doubleheader.

Game Notes: Oklahoma extended its home-winning streak to 31 games won ... Scaglione's two home runs puts her six short of the school record (46) for home runs held by Ashli Barrett (1998-2001) .... Scaglione is tied with Mizzou's Heather Kunkel for the Big 12 lead in HR with five in conference only action .... Scaglione has 10 HR on the season ... Dickson's RBI marked her 10th of the season and made her the last of OU's nine regulars hitters to reach 10 RBI ... As of April 12, only two other teams in the top 25 had nine players with at least 10 RBI ... The eight-run win ties the largest margin ever in a OU win over Texas A&M, OU also defeated A&M, 8-0, in 2001 ... OU leads the all-time series 31-21.

Next Event

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics