Softball Off to Best Start Ever

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. The No. 9 Oklahoma softball team is off to its best start in school history with a 13-0 record after adding two wins Friday at the Palm Springs Classic. Prior to 2007, the best start to a season was by the 2002 squad that went 12-0. Oklahoma opened the tournament with a 7-3 victory over Notre Dame and run ruled Loyola Marymount, 10-0, in its second game of the doubleheader.

“Offensively, we were outstanding today,” head coach Patty Gasso said. “Samantha Ricketts and Mariee Mena were very clutch at the plate and I thought our pitchers got the job done tonight. This is a nice springboard heading into Saturday as we play some tough teams in Cal and Oregon State.”

Samantha Ricketts highlighted the day with her two three-run homers on the day. The sophomore leads the team with five home runs on the season and recorded eight RBI in both games combined today.

The Sooners have recorded at least one home run in the last 11 straight games.

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Senior Norrelle Dickson also recorded a strong offensive outing at the plate as the third baseman went 3-for-5, but ended her 10-game hitting streak against Loyola. The speedy leadoff hitter also stole three bases in Friday's games and only needs one more stolen base to tie the career leader, Christy Ring, who stole 86 in her career.

Lauren Eckermann earned the win against Notre Dame and improved to 8-0 on the season after tying her season high with eight strikeouts and giving up only two earned runs and surrendering five hits.

Morgan Hudsonpillar improved to 2-0 after claiming the win over Loyola Marymount. The sophomore threw 3.2 innings of scoreless ball while giving up only four hits before being relieved by sophomore D.J. Mathis, who pitched the final 1.1 innings and gave up no hits or runs while striking out one.

The Sooners will face tough competition on Saturday as they meet up with No. 16 Cal at 10 a.m. and follow the doubleheader with a top-10 showdown against No. 6 Oregon State at approximately 12:30 p.m. Live stats are not available at the Palm Springs fields, but Chris Hughes will be calling the OU/Cal game. The radio broadcast can be found via SoonerSports.com.

Below are brief recaps of each game on Friday at the Palm Springs Classic:

OU 7, Notre Dame 3
Notre Dame opened the game with a strong first inning after ND's Stephanie Brown led off the first with an infield single and Erin Glasco reached first after a walk. Both runners were moved into scoring position after a Notre Dame sacrifice bunt. The Irish took their first and only lead as five-hole batter Katie Laing pounded a two RBI single to left center field and Notre Dame took the early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Eckermann settled in and ended the inning with another strikeout.

Ricketts answered the Irish in the bottom of the first and gave the Sooners their first lead of the game with a towering home run over the center field fence that scored three runs and gave OU the 3-2 lead.

Mariee Mena opened the second frame with a leadoff double to center field to spark the OU offense and moved to third on a sacrifice hit. Dickson followed with an infield slap single and stole second on the following pitch as the Sooners had runners at second and third. Two batters later, Amber Flores pounded a shot to center field, but the Notre Dame center fielder made a diving catch that the umpires ruled a catch to end the inning.

The Notre Dame offense bounced back in the fourth as a single, error and walk loaded the bases for the Fighting Irish with one out. A sacrifice fly tied the game up at 3-3.

Oklahoma responded in the bottom of the fourth as Traci Dickenson's single ignited the offense. Dickson's fielder's choice placed OU runners at first and second and Long's walk loaded the bases with Flores up to bat. The rookie's RBI infield single gave OU the 4-3 advantage and the Sooners added an additional run after Ricketts walked one batter later. The Sooners ended the fourth leading, 5-3.

Mena added a run in the bottom of the fifth as she pounded a high solo home run down the right field line with two outs to add to the Sooner lead. Dickenson kept the offense going as she reached first after being hit by a pitch and stole second while Dickson was up to bat. Dickson added an additional run with her RBI single through the middle of the infield to score Dickenson and extend the advantage to 7-3.

The Sooners totaled nine hits against Notre Dame and were led by Dickson's three singles. Mena recorded two extra-base hits with her double and home run.

OU 10, Loyola Marymount 0
The Sooners got on the board first as Ricketts led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Prather, pinch running for Ricketts, advanced to third on a passed ball and Jamie Fox walked as the Sooners had runners at the corners and not outs. A wild pitch scored Prather and advanced Fox to second as OU took the 1-0 lead.

However, the Sooners had no outs and continued to pour it on. After a Susan Ogden walk, senior Stacia Aleman pounded an RBI single down the right field line and Savannah Long followed that with a two RBI single. Trying to end the Sooner rally, LMU replaced starter Melissa Dykema with Tiffany Pagano.

The pitching change didn't stop the offense as Savannah Long was bunted over to third on Dickenson's sacrifice bunt, the first out of the inning. The Sooners had runners at the corners after a Dickson walk and OU followed that with a double steal that brought Long across the plate. Another walk and a single by Mena loaded the bases with Ricketts up to bat. A Ricketts walked scored another run and OU held the 6-0 lead in the top of the second.

In the fourth, Oklahoma placed runners at first and second after Dickson walked and Spaulding was hit by a pitch. With no outs and runners at first and second, LMU switched pitchers and brought in Tiffany Gonzales, who made her first collegiate appearance. Facing her first batter, Mena knocked a single down the right filed line to score Dickson and advance Spaulding to second. Samantha Ricketts stepped to the plate and hammered her second three-run homer of the day over the right field fence to push the lead to 10-0.

The offense was stellar against Loyola as it recorded seven hits with Mena and Ricketts leading the way with two a piece. In addition to Ricketts' four RBI against LMU, Long followed with two RBI.

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