Softball's Run Ends in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Despite making a three-run comeback and claiming a late three-run lead, the 14-seed Oklahoma softball team (50-17) was eliminated from the postseason play by No. 3-seed Arizona (44-10) in game two action at the Tucson Super Regional. The Wildcats defeated the Sooners, 7-6, and snapped OU's Women's College World Series appearance streak at five. UA will return to the national championship tourney for the 17th time in the last 18 years.

“We went out with a fight,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso. “I am extremely proud of that. We ran into a great team this weekend and unfortunately came out on the losing end, but that does not take away from the accomplishments of this team. They are still one of the best teams in OU history.”

Box Score | Final Stats | Super Regional Scoreboard

Arizona posted a run in the first inning and another two in the fourth inning and it appeared the wind had been taken out of the Sooners' sails by UA starter Alicia Hollowell, who carried a no hitter through the first three innings.

Then the Wildcat defense began to fall apart and the Sooner offense woke up from a game and a half slumber.

The first two hitters in the OU lineup, Norrelle Dickson and Kristin Vesely, reached on errors to lead off the fourth inning. In fact, the error on Vesely's sacrifice allowed Dickson to score from second. So the Sooners had a run before they had a hit.

The next batter, Christina Enea followed with OU's first single. Two batters later Jessica Leslie bounced a single over the third baseman to plate Dickson and cut the deficit to 3-2.

A Jamie Fox single loaded the bases and preceded the real dramatics by Alison Horne. Horne took a 2-2 offering from Hollowell and laced it into the left field bleachers for a grand slam and 6-3 OU lead.

The blast was her first career grand slam, second career home run and sixth career extra base knock of 11 career hits. It also marked the second consecutive weekend that she provided a crucial run-scoring extra base hit. Last weekend the Fayetteville, Ga., native had a two-run double that sealed the Sooners 6-3 win over Louisiana-Lafayette in the Norman Regional.

The bad news for Horne and the Sooners was that reliever Stacy Braddock (7-8) was unable to keep the lead.

UA answered with four runs in the sixth inning. The game winner was a three-run homer by pinch hitter Jennifer Martinez.

The blast ended a remarkable season for the Sooners, which included a .320 batting average, Big 12 and OU record 121 doubles and a program record 29-game winning streak. Five Sooners earned All-Big 12 First Team acclaim and five also landed on the Midwest All-Region teams.

Kristin Vesely and Heather Scaglione remain as USA Softball Player of the Year semifinalists, while senior Jessica Leslie was a quarterfinalist along with the other two.

The Sooners lose perhaps the greatest senior class in OU history. Leslie, Scaglione, Enea and Kami Keiter appear 31 times on the OU career record lists and have compiled three WCWS appearances, 191 wins and 40 regional or national awards.

“I hurt for the seniors, who have given so much and weren't able to end the season on their terms,” said Gasso. “They have taught this team how to win and that will be part of their legacy to this program and the remaining players on this team.”

OU will return 13 letterwinners in 2006 and has five athletes signed to letters of intent for next season.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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