Softball Lands Bedlam Knockout

NORMAN, Okla. The No. 6 Oklahoma softball team (37-6, 5-0) turned a tight game into a blowout with a seven-run sixth inning that clinched a 9-0 run-rule (six innings) victory over Oklahoma State (27-12, 2-3) in the opening round of Bedlam on Wednesday night.

The Sooners took over sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with the win, which was their 30th consecutive at home and the fifth straight against the Pokes.

“The score did not tell the story of this game,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso. “This team stayed patient (against Marjorie Johnson) and took advantage of the opportunity in the fifth inning. That first run opened things up and when they put (reliever Jessica) Hoppock in, we knew what to expect and you could see that in the results.”

Box Score

After getting just one hit and two runs off OSU freshman phenom Marjorie Johnson, the Sooners open the flood gates in the sixth inning. Sophomore Jamie Fox began the rally with a two-RBI double. Freshman Alison Horne put the advantage at 5-0 with her first career double.

USA Softball Player of the Year Finalist, Kristin Vesely, notched her first hit of the game in the sixth to plate the Sooners' sixth run. Then fellow POY Finalist Jessica Leslie sealed the run-rule victory with a three-run homer to left field. It gave Leslie the team lead in home runs (7) and improved her Big 12-leading RBI total to 48.

See how the Sooners stack up against OSU in the Bedlam Series presented by the Bank of Oklahoma and Your Oklahoma Ford Dealers!

All seven of the sixth-inning runs were credited to Hoppock, who worked 0.2 innings and allowed seven runs (two earned). Johnson was the hard luck loser after allowing two earned runs on one hit, while also striking out and walking four.

Oklahoma manufactured a pair of runs in the fifth inning. After a pair of walks and double steal off Johnson, Sooner freshman Tayl'r Hollis was able to drive in pinch runner Jade Prather with the game's initial run on a fielder's choice. The second run came on their first hit of the game. The run was manufactured by the speed of Norrelle Dickson, who beat out a bouncer to short that plated pinch-runner Amber Spaulding.

Senior Kami Keiter's eighth shutout of the season was overshadowed by the late offense. She improved to 20-3 on the year, which clinched her third consecutive 20-win season, with the complete game three-hitter.

OU claimed the top spot in the Big 12 when No. 7 Texas A&M (34-3, 5-1) lost to No. 4 Texas (29-5, 4-1) by a score of 3-0 in Austin Wednesday night.

The Sooners will get their shot at the Longhorns this weekend. The first game is set for noon on Saturday and the finale will be played at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Both games will be televised by CSTV and broadcast by OU radio.

Game Notes: The temperature was 50 degrees with 30 mph winds at the start of the game ... Nicole Denes stole her first career base on a double steal in the bottom of the fifth ... OU has won six straight games and is 17-0 at home this season ... Vesely has hit safely in 34 or her last 36 games, and in 36 of 43 games this season ... Wednesday's victory was OU's 12th run-rule win of the year ... Jamie Fox's sixth-inning double gave her 33 RBI on the year, one short of last year's freshman campaign (34) ... Oklahoma's win marked the fourth time in Bedlam history that they have defeated the Cowgirls by nine or more runs ... With the victory against OSU, Coach Gasso is now seven wins short of 700 victories for her career ... Wednesday marked Coach Gasso's 700th game at OU ... OU trails in the all-time series, 62-52, but has won 19 of the last 20 and is yet to surrender a season series to OSU since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996 ... Senior Heather Scaglione was also announced as a finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year award.

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