Leslie Named Player Of The Week, Again

NORMAN, Okla. For the second time in the last month Oklahoma softball player Jessica Leslie has been named Big 12 Player of the Week, as announced by the conference offices on Tuesday afternoon. Leslie also claimed the conference honor and Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week on March 16. It is the four such honor for the Sooners in the last five weeks.

The Sooners posted a 3-0 record behind Leslie's effort last week. The Raytown, Mo. native compiled a .500 batting average (5-for-10) with five RBI, one home run, one triple, one double and four runs scored.

Leslie's three-run home run that sealed the victory against No. 15 Missouri (6-4) highlighted her performance last week. In the North Texas win (9-1) Wednesday, Leslie also provided an offensive spark, recording a run scoring triple in that contest, and on Saturday a run-scoring single in the 8-3 series-opening victory over the Tigers.

On the week, she tallied a 1.000 slugging percentage, while maintaining a .545 on-base percentage.

After the sweep of Missouri, OU head coach Patty Gasso praised the Sooner left fielder, “Every time we come here she gets so excited and brings her best game. It's fun to watch a player excel in front of their family and friends. What is more exciting is how steady she has been for us this season. She has made herself into one of the best hitters around.”

Leslie currently leads the Big 12 in doubles with 17, the fourth best mark in OU history. She also leads the league in RBI (45), while also ranking in the top 10 in runs (32), hits (49), total bases (86) and home runs (6).

Fellow Sooner outfielder Kristin Vesely, who is the Big 12's leading hitter in terms of batting average (.522), has also won the Big 12 award twice. She has garnered the recognitions on March 15 and 29.

The No. 8 Oklahoma softball team (36-6, 4-0) begins the toughest two-week stretch of the regular season on Wednesday when Oklahoma State (27-11, 2-2) visits the OU Softball Complex. The opener of the Bedlam Series, presented by the Bank of Oklahoma and your Local Oklahoma Ford Dealers, is set to begin at 7 p.m.

The game will be broadcast within the state of Oklahoma by Cox (channel 7 in OKC/Metro area) with Brian Brinkley on play-by-play and Kenny Mossman on color. The game will also be carried on two radio stations. The OU radio broadcast will be aired on KOKC (1520 AM) with Tony Sellars on the one-man show. The OSU broadcast with Bill VanNess can be found on KSPI (93.7 FM).

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Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children. Fans that arrive early will receive free OU pom-pons and foam noodles.

The Sooners are likely to face the reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, Marjorie Johnson. Johnson threw two complete game shutouts against in-state rival Tulsa (7-0) and No. 10 Baylor (3-0) last week.

She averaged 9.3 strikeouts and extended her streak of not allowing an earned run or an extra base hit to 31 innings. The lone run Johnson surrended in that span was to then-No. 3 UCLA, and since that time the Tulsa, Okla., righty has thrown 27 shutout innings. In the conference win against Baylor she threw a no-hitter through 4.1 innings, and only allowed the Bears a single. Johnson and the Cowgirls posted a 3-1 mark on the week.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Leslie Named Player Of The Week, Again

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