Softball Rebounds With Kansas Shutout

OKLAHOMA CITY The second-seeded Oklahoma softball team (46-14) rebounded from an opening round loss in the 2005 Big 12 Tournament by shutting out Kansas (30-22), 5-0, in an elimination game on Thursday afternoon at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

“As a team, if we are on early, we kind of force the action and we are tough to beat,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso. “We came out ready to go and it was a good way to get started. Our defense was really outstanding today. Offensively, we were much better than we were last night, but we still have a lot to improve on.”

The first inning was a bad omen for Kansas. OU strung together three hits and plated four runs. The Sooners improved to 28-1 when they score in the first inning and 14-0 when rally starters Norrelle Dickson and Kristin Vesely score in the opening frame.

Box Score | Big 12 Tournament Central

The first frame began with a Dickson bunt single. A Kansas error and sacrifice put runners at second and third for Heather Scaglione, who was then intentionally walked for the second time this season. Senior Jessica Leslie followed and drove a single up the middle to plate Dickson and Vesely. Two batters later it was Kami Keiter, who helped her own cause with a two out, two-run single to center.

OU's 4-0 advantage was pushed to five runs in the third inning when an Elle Pottorf passed ball allowed Christina Enea to trot home from third base.

Keiter was a different pitcher from the one that allowed seven earned runs when KU swept OU in the regular season series. On this afternoon she limited the Jayhawks to two singles and a double. Her only blemishes came in the first two frames when she struggled with the umpire's strike zone and issued four walks.

Keiter picked up her 12th shutout of the season, which ties her personal single season high from 2003. It was also the 34th shutout of her career, which moved the senior ace into a tie for fourth with Cheryl Jacobs (1981-84) on the all-time list.

“She (Keiter) is really starting to come back to form and we are excited about that,” said Gasso. “It is nice to see the defense come in and support her. She is still working on her offense, but she is showing that she has something to prove.”

The Sooners advance to play No. 1 seed and fourth-ranked Texas A&M (44-6) in an 11 a.m. elimination game. The Aggies have been without the services of Big 12 Player of the Year Amanda Scarfborough (concussion) and First Team Allig 12 centerfielder Sharonda McDonald (knee), who are both out with injuries and are not expected to play in the conference tourney.

OU and Texas A&M split the regular season series in Norman. OU run ruled A&M 15-7 in six inning in the opener. Scarborough stalled the OU offense in the finale to give her team the 4-1 win. Texas A&M and starting pitcher Megan Gibson were beat soundly, 11-4, by Baylor on Thursday evening.

STATS: OU vs. Texas A&M | OU in Big 12 Tourney

Game Notes: Keiter tied Jennifer Stewart (1998-2001) for the career appearances record with her 168th today ... Jessica Leslie is one RBI (55) short of reaching the OU single season top 10 ... Scaglione had a fifth inning double to improve her season total to 18, which is the fifth best single season mark in OU history ... As a team OU has 113 doubles this season and is one shy of tying the school and Big 12 record for doubles (114) ... For the second consecutive day the Sooners played on Field 4 where there was head wind of approximately 30 MPH.

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