Softball Sets Plans For Big 12 Tourney

NORMAN, Okla. -- The second seeded and 10th-ranked Oklahoma softball team (45-13, 12-6) will open the 2005 Big 12 Tournament against the winner of the play-in game between No. 7 seed Nebraska (33-19, 9-9) and No. 10 seed Iowa State (18-31, 3-15). The Sooners and the victorious play-in team will meet on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., on Field 4 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

A win for the Sooners in their opener would advance them to a 7 p.m., Thursday game with the winner between No. 3 seed Texas and No. 6 seed Kansas. The Longhorns and Jayhawks will square off on Thursday at 11 a.m. If OU loses their opener, it will play the loser between UT and KU on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

OU will be after its third Big 12 Tournament title and its first since 2001. OU won the inaugural Big 12 tourney in 1996, while also claiming the title with four straight wins in 2001.

Tournament Bracket | OU vs. Nebraska | OU vs. Iowa State

OU owns an all-time Big 12 tourney record of 26-13 and is 8-1 in openers. As the No. 2 seed, OU has a 13-5 record and one tourney championship (2001). The Sooners have won five of nine all-time tournament meetings with Nebraska, while also prevailing in the only meeting with Iowa State (2002).

Last season fifth-seeded OU knocked off No. 4 Baylor by a score of 5-2 in its tourney opener. The Sooners then lost to eventual champion Nebraska, when tourney MVP Peaches James dealed a perfect game. OU went on to defeat Kansas (1-0) before being eliminated by Missouri after a 3-2 loss in 13 innings.

The Sooners opener will be broadcast on KOKC (1520 AM) with the voice of OU softball, Brian Brinkley, on the one-man show. Additional games will likely be broadcast on KOKC based on the available time slots during the tournament schedule. As always, live stats will be available on at no cost on SoonerSports.com.

Fox Sports net is broadcasting two tournament games. In addition to the Championship game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., FSN will pick up Game 9 on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. OU has no chance of playing in Game 9 because it is on the other side of the bracket.

Scouting Nebraska
Two weekends ago, OU and Nebraska split two games in Norman (April 30, May 1). Nebraska won the opener by a score of 6-4 despite the heroics of Heather Scaglione, who had two HR in the game. OU rebounded behind a two-hit shutout from Kami Keiter to take the finale 4-0.

As a team OU hit .240 against Nebraska this season, while the Huskers hit .255 in the series. OU was led by Scaglione, who hit .667 with two HR and two RBI. Three other Sooners hit above .300 in the season series, including Norrelle Dickson, who hit .500 (3-for-6).

Offensively, Nebraska was led by leadoff slapper Anne Steffan, who went 4-for-7 with one run scored in the series. Trisha Tannahill and Cassie Kleinsmith led the Husker run producers with two RBI each.

In the circle, Ashley DeBuhr threw 12 of 13 innings in the two-game set. Debuhr allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 12 hits and was effective against OU, except for allowing three home runs.

Kami Keiter worked 10.1 innings of scoreless ball against the Huskers. She allowed six hits over the span and struck out 13, including 10 in the finale. Stacy Braddock started the opener and was touched up for four runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings of work.

OU trails the all-time series with Nebraska, 26-36. Nebraska has won four of the last five games and six of the last 10.

Scouting Iowa State
OU swept a doubleheader from Iowa State in its opening series of the Big 12 season on March 25. The Sooners took the opener 7-3 and the finale 2-0.

The Sooner pitching staff held the Cyclones to three runs on eight hits in the twin bill. ISU hit .167 in the doubleheader, which is only seven points worse than its combined batting average of .173 during Big 12 play. All of Iowa State's runs came on a base loaded triple by Kim Rodgers, who went 2-for-7 in the series.

On offense for OU, six starters hit above .300 in the two-game set. The top producer was Jamie Fox, who hit .429 with four RBI. Seniors Kami Keiter and Heather Scaglione both hit solo home runs and hit above .300.

The Sooners tagged ISU ace Alyssa Ranson (11-19) for five runs on 12 hits in four innings of work.

All-time OU leads the series with ISU, 49-24, and has won eight of the last 10 meetings.

Sooners In Good Seeding
Either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed has won each Big 12 Softball Tournament title. The No. 1 seed won the first three Big 12 tourneys 1996 (Oklahoma), 1997 (Missouri) and 1998 (Nebraska) while No. 2s won in 1999 (Texas), 2000 (Nebraska) and 2001 (Oklahoma). In 2002 and 2003, Texas became the first back-to-back Big 12 Softball Tournament champions. Both were as the No. 1 seed. Nebraska also won as a No. 1 in 2004. Only seed No. 9 has yet to win a play-in game. Also, in looking at the seed records, the 2002 event marked the third time in the history of the tournament that the champion won the event with one loss. Missouri won the 1997 title with a 4-1 record, Nebraska went 4-1 in 2000 and Texas went 4-1 in 2002.

2005 BIG 12 SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

May 11-14 ASA Hall of Fame Stadium Oklahoma City, Okla.

Wednesday, May 11
Game 1 - No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Texas Tech, 5 p.m.
Game 2 - No. 7 Nebraska vs. No. 10 Iowa State, 5 p.m. - Field 4
Game 3 - No. 1 Texas A&M vs. Game 1 Winner, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4 - No. 2 Oklahoma vs. Game 2 Winner, 7:30 p.m. - Field 4

Thursday, May 12
Game 5 - No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 5 Missouri, 11 a.m.
Game 6 - No. 3 Texas vs. No. 6 Kansas, 11 a.m. - Field 4
Game 7 - Game 3 Loser vs. Game 5 Loser, 2 p.m.
Game 8 - Game 4 Loser vs. Game 6 Loser, 2 p.m. - Field 4
Game 9 - Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 4:30 p.m. (FSN)
Game 10 -Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 13
Game 11 - Game 8 Winner vs. Game 9 Loser , 11 a.m.
Game 12 - Game 7 Winner vs. Game 10 Loser, 1:30 p.m.
Game 13 - Game 10 Winner vs. Game 11 Winner, 5 p.m.
Game 14 - Game 9 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 14
Game 15 - If necessary game, 11 a.m. - Field 4
Game 16 - If necessary game, 11 a.m.
Game 17 - Championship Game, 3:30 p.m. (FSN)
(Game 13/Game 15 Winner vs. Game 14/Game 16 Winner)

All times are Central and subject to change.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Softball Sets Plans For Big 12 Tourney

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