Big Frame Leads Softball Past Mizzou

COLUMBIA, Mo. For the second consecutive day a six-run inning propelled the No. 8 Oklahoma softball team (36-6, 4-0) to a defeat of No. 15 Missouri (27-6, 1-3) in Columbia. On Sunday at University Field the final score was 6-4 thanks in large part to a three-run home run by Missouri native and Sooner senior Jessica Leslie.

The outburst came in the second inning today. Freshman Tayl'r Hollis began the assault with her second RBI in as many days. Then the Big 12 leading hitter, Kristin Vesely, drove a two-run single into the right center gap.

Box Score

Two batters later it was Leslie's turn, despite the fact that she had a strike called on her before a pitch was thrown. The umpire sighted an obscure ruling, which disallows a batter to draw a line in the batters box, which Leslie did. On the first pitch she saw from MU starter Erin Kalka (1-3), the All-America candidate hit a mammoth three-run homer that hugged the left field line the entire way.

“Anytime we come and play here she is always on fire and a little more excited about playing,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso. “She was angry about the previous call and you could tell she was going to do something on the next pitch.”

Yesterday, OU used a six-run sixth inning to dispose of the Tigers by a score of 8-3.

It marks just the third time that OU has started the Big 12 season 4-0 since the conference's inception in 1996. The school record for a start to the Big 12 season is 9-0, which was accomplished by the 2000 and 2002 teams.

Freshman Stacey Braddock made her first start since March 10 but was ineffective. After allowing a pair of home runs and four runs, she was relieved by Keiter with no outs and two runners on in the bottom of the third inning. Other than a bases loaded walk (run credited to Braddock), Keiter worked out of the jam impressively by striking out two and forcing a pop out.

“Stacy learned some things today,” said Gasso. “Kami figured out the strike zone quickly and really threw outstanding. I thought that Kami and our defense really kept us in the game during the second half of the contest.”

Keiter faced two batters over the minimum in the final four innings to improve her record to 19-3 on the season. Totaled, she worked five innings, allowing two hits, two walks and striking out five batters. The lefty hurler also recorded the win in Saturday's opener.

The schedule does not lighten up for OU, which has Bedlam rival Oklahoma State (27-10, 2-1) on Wednesday at the OU Softball Complex before hitting the road to face No. 4 Texas (27-5, 2-1) and Texas Tech (21-11, 1-2).

“Beforehand we talked about how big it would be to come here and sweep them on their home field,” commented Gasso. “This team likes those challenges. The fact that we took down the No. 15 team twice on their home field is a great accomplishment. Oklahoma State is one of the hottest teams in the Big 12 and we are going to have to play at this level to defeat them on Wednesday.”

The Bedlam game will be broadcast in Oklahoma on Cox with Brian Brinkley on play-by-play and Kenny Mossman on color. The game will also hit the radio waves on KOKC with Tony Sellars pulling the one man show. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children. The first 250 fans will receive free OU pom-pons.

Game Notes: Missouri has lost three consecutive games since run-ruling Oklahoma State, 12-0, in five innings on Feb. 25 ... OU leads the all-time series 37-30 and has won 13 of the last 15 ... OU has won five straight games.

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