OU Run Rules FIU, Advances to Final

MIAMI Powered by Traci Dickenson's three-run blast in the bottom of the third, the No. 16 Oklahoma softball team remained perfect on the year (4-0) after run ruling host school Florida International, 9-1, in the night cap of the Diamond Fun and Sun Classic in Miami, Fla., on Saturday night.

The Sooners will meet Illinois State (3-1), whom they beat on Friday, in the championship game at 10 a.m. (CST) on Sunday morning, not 12 p.m. as previously noted.

The Golden Panthers were the first to score, but that would be their final run of the game. FIU's Kim Rodriguez hammered a two-out solo home run over the center field wall in the top of the first as FIU held the 1-0 advantage.

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The home run was one of only two hits that starter D.J. Mathis gave up in the game. The sophomore earned her first win of the season after striking out six batters and allowing only one run in her 4.1 innings of action. Jadyn Smith relieved Mathis in the final two-thirds of the fifth inning and retired the only two batters she faced.

Oklahoma trailed 1-0, but the Sooners blew it open in the bottom of the third as Amber Spaulding reached base after being hit by the pitch and Amber Flores reached base after a walk. First baseman Samantha Ricketts drove in Spaulding with her RBI single to center field to tie it up at 1-1. However, the Sooners weren't done.

Susan Ogden came in to pinch hit four batters later with the bases loaded. The junior pounded a two RBI single to left field as the Sooners took the 3-1 lead. Next, sophomore Traci Dickenson delivered a crushing shot over the left field fence as her three run homer marked the seventh of her career and the Sooners jumped ahead 6-1.

Dickenson has been on fire at the start of her sophomore season as she is leading the team with a .400 batting average that includes two doubles and a home run in the tournament. Additionally, Dickenson owns an impressive .900 slugging percentage through four games.

OU added an insurance run in the fourth as Jade Prather, pinch running for Amber Flores, added OU's seventh run after scoring on a wild pitch.

Subbing in left field, senior Mariee Mena added another run in the bottom of the fifth with her RBI single to center field that scored Iver McDonald, who reached on a walk. Ricketts put an end to the game by virtue of the eight-run run-rule as her RBI single to left field drove in Dickson and the Sooners took the game, 9-1, in five innings.

The Sooner offense combined for 10 hits in the five-inning game as Ricketts led the way with three and two RBI while Dickenson added three RBI and Ogden brought in two.

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