Softball Claims Tournament Title

MIAMI Led by junior Lauren Eckermann's pitching and freshman Amber Flores' home run, the No. 16 Oklahoma softball team claimed the Diamond Fun and Sun Classic Tournament title on Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over Illinois State in the championship game in Miami, Fla.

Eckermann, a junior transfer, was named the MVP of the tournament. She recorded a 4-0 record and produced a 0.60 ERA in her first weekend in the Sooner uniform.

Joining Eckermann on the all-tournament team were sophomores Samantha Ricketts and Traci Dickenson. Ricketts, last season's home run leader, is leading the team with a .462 batting average while Dickenson had an impressive weekend with two doubles and a home run to finish the tournament with a .333 clip.

Box Score

The 16th-ranked Sooners move to 5-0 on the season after the tournament victory.

“I thought this weekend was huge for us because we opened the season with a great come-from-behind victory against No. 20 Louisville and I believe that shows the kind of team we are going to be this season,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “Lauren Eckermann took great command in the circle this weekend and I was very impressed with Traci Dickenson, who had timely hits and played outstanding at the plate and in the field for us this weekend.”

Flores got the Sooners going in the bottom of the second as the rookie pounded the first home run of her Sooner career over the center field fence. Flores' two-run shot also brought in Norrelle Dickson, who reached on a single, and the Sooners took the quick 2-0 lead.

The Sooners added a run in the bottom of the fourth as the Sooners had runners at first and second and an error by the ISU shortstop on Savannah Long's hard hit ball scored pinch runner Iver McDonald and extended the Sooners lead to 3-0.

Illinois State jump started its offense in the top of the sixth with two back-to-back singles by Kara Nelson and Tiffany Prager and both advanced to second and third after a passed ball. However, Eckermann was able to retire the next two batters. Next, it looked as if the Redbirds were going to score some runs after Shannon Nicholson's towering shot to left field, but the ball sailed just foul. On the following play, Eckermann made a diving catch out of the circle to end the inning and the Sooners escaped.

Samantha Ricketts led off the sixth with a single to right field and was moved to second after a Susan Ogden sacrifice bunt. A Mariee Mena single advanced Ricketts to third and Jamie Fox's RBI single up the middle scored Ricketts and the Sooners were up 4-0.

The Redbirds closed the gap in the top of the seventh after ISU's Buker was hit by a pitch by hurler D.J. Mathis, who replaced Eckermann in the final inning. Buker advanced to second on a wild pitch and was moved over to third after another Redbird single. After a Mathis strikeout, ISU's Williams recorded an RBI single to end the Sooner shutout, but the Redbirds weren't done. The Redbirds added two more singles and another run to close the gap at 4-2.

Following ISU's rally, junior pitcher Jadyn Smith came in to relieve Mathis with the bases loaded and two outs. Smith retired the batter and earned the save as the Sooners won, 4-2.

The Sooners will return home next weekend (Feb. 16-18) as it hosts the OU/Nike Classic at the OU Softball Complex. Oklahoma will meet up with Minnesota at 2:30 p.m. on Friday in its home opener.

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