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6:30 p.m.
Softball
vs Oklahoma Christian
University of Oklahoma Athletics
SB Begins Week on the Road at UNT
April 11, 2007 | Softball
NORMAN, Okla. - Following its two-week home stand, the second-ranked Sooners will hit the road for a trio of games. The Sooners will take a day trip to Denton, Texas where they will take on the North Texas Mean Green at 6 p.m. OU will continue its road stand as it heads to Columbia, Mo., this weekend for a crucial Big 12 series.
The Sooners will take on the Missouri Tigers in a weekend series. The Tigers remain ahead of the Sooners in the Big 12 standings with a perfect 5-0 record in conference play. Baylor and Missouri lead the standings with perfect Big 12 marks while Oklahoma sits at third in the standings with a 7-2 league record. The first game of the series will be at 6 p.m. Saturday night with the finale of the series being played at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
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LIVE STATS/O-ZONE
Live stats of Wednesday night's game will be available at SoonerSports.com as well as www.meangreensports.com.
SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS
The Mean Green enter Wednesday night's match up with a 16-26 overall record and are coming off a 3-2 win over Middle Tennessee this past Sunday. The meeting will mark the second contest between both schools this year as Oklahoma claimed the first meeting, 4-1, in Norman.
The Mean Green offense, which averages a .232 batting average and 3.43 runs per game, is led by third baseman Susan Waters who owns a .363 clip with a team-best 13 home runs and 32 RBI on the season. Leadoff batter Katya Miller is also an offensive force for UNT as she owns a .326 clip for the year.
The pitching staff has a combined ERA of 4.19 and is led by ace Ashley Lail who leads the team with a 2.76 ERA and a 10-10 record. The sophomore is holding opponents to a .246 batting average.
SERIES HISTORY
The Mean Green will be searching for their first win against the Sooners in the all-time series. OU leads 11-0 with the series dating back to 1987. The two squads have played nine times since 2004, including four times last season.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Sophomore Samantha Ricketts continues to be stellar in the cleanup spot for the Sooners. The first baseman is perfect 6-for-6 in her last six at bats while also reaching base her last eight plate appearances that included two walks. Ricketts is only 14 RBI shy of tying the single season school record (77) and is coming off an
impressive week at the plate. This past week, Ricketts led the Sooners to three straight wins as she hit .667 with 10 total bases, that included a home run and a single. Through three games, Ricketts recorded 10 total bases while recording a 1.111 slugging percentage.
SIMULATED RPI
Although not official, the NFCA came out with its first set of RPI ratings on April 6. The Sooners led all Big 12 schools as they came in at No. 5 on the list. Arizona, who OU beat twice this season, led the entire NCAA. Below is a look at the top 10 schools in RPI. Texas A&M came in at No. 6 as the Sooners and Aggies were the only Big 12 schools to make the top 10 in RPI on the list.
UPDATING THE SOONERS
Oklahoma added three more wins to its conference record this past week as the Sooners swept Iowa State and beat in-state rival Oklahoma State. Oklahoma opened the week with an 8-0 run rule of Oklahoma State last Wednesday night at the OU Softball Complex. Senior Jamie Fox's walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the fifth ended the game in a run rule.
The Sooners carried their momentum into the Iowa State series in a Friday doubleheader. Oklahoma blasted the Cyclones in an 8-0 run rule in game one and was led by Traci Dickenson's two home runs in the game. The second game was much closer as the two squads went 10 innings with Oklahoma getting the 3-2 win after Dickenson's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th scored the winning run.
Owning a 41-4 overall mark Oklahoma is second in the country and has a 7-2 record in conference play. The Sooners sit behind Baylor (6-0) and Missouri (5-0) in the Big 12 standings. The Sooners also notched their 40th win of the season on Friday in the first game against Iowa State as OU has recorded 14 straight 40-win seasons, including 13 under Gasso.
The Sooner offense continues to be steady in Big 12 play as it is hitting at a .333 clip in Big 12 action while the staff owns a 1.86 ERA in conference play which ranks fourth in the conference. Norrelle Dickson is highlighting the conference stats as the top hitter in conference play with a .636 clip.
UP NEXT
Following its trip to Denton, the Sooners will return to conference play on the road. OU will head to Columbia, Mo., for a weekend series against Missouri, who owns a perfect 5-0 record in Big 12 play. The Sooners will take on the Tigers at 6 p.m. on Saturday and round out the series with a 1 p.m. meeting on Sunday.
Oklahoma will return home next for week for more Big 12 action. The Sooners will host Baylor next Wednesday in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. at the OU Softball Complex. Oklahoma will continue its home schedule next weekend as it hosts Nebraska on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m.).
PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Samantha Ricketts and Norrelle Dickson were honored by USA Softball as one of 25 finalists around the country selected for the USA Softball National Player of the Year Award. Ricketts and Dickson were two of the seven Big 12 athletes selected by the committee. Dickson appeared on the preseason watch list for the third time in her career but is making her first appearance on the list of 25 while it marks Ricketts' first honor by USA Softball.
On May 9, just days before the start of post-season play, a list of 10 finalists will be named. On May 23 the list will be cut to three and those final three players will travel to Oklahoma City for the announcement of the winner at the 2007 NCAA Women's College World Series.
ANOTHER 40-WIN SEASON
For the 14th straight year, including the last 13 under head coach Patty Gasso, the Sooners have recorded a 40-win season. OU's win against Iowa State (4/6) marked the 40th win of the season and now owning a 41-4 record, the Sooners have already recorded more wins than the 2006 squad did all of last season (40-21-1).
CAREER HITS LEADER
Senior Norrelle Dickson made history against No. 10 Texas as she became the all-time hits leader at the University of Oklahoma. The third baseman did it in strong fashion as she went 5-for-5 against Texas (March 25) to pass Kristin Vesely's (2003-06) previous mark of 293. To the left is a look at the updated career chart.
MAKING HISTORY ... AGAIN
The opening of Big 12 was very historical for Norrelle Dickson. In addition to becoming the all-time hits leader, the senior also took the title of runs scored leader at Oklahoma. Dickson became the all-time leader in runs scored against Texas Tech (March 22) as she passed Christy Ring's (1999-2002) previous mark of 206.
DICKSON BREAKS STOLEN BASE RECORD
Senior Norrelle Dickson stole the 87th base of her career against Ohio State (Feb. 25) in Palm Springs. The theft broke the career stolen base record at OU that was previously held by Christy Ring (1999-2002) with 86. Dickson leads the Sooners with 27-of-31 stolen bases on the season, which ranks third among all Big 12 players.
DICKSON ALL OVER THE CHARTS
Two-time All-American and 2007 Player of the Year Watch List candidate Norrelle Dickson has left her mark on the OU program and nowhere is it more noticeable than the career record book at Oklahoma. The senior owns the top career marks in stolen bases, on-base percentage, batting average, hits, and runs. She has also moved to No. 5 in at bats and sixth in total bases.
RICKETTS SHOWING UP ON CAREER CHARTS
Despite only being a sophomore, first baseman Samantha Ricketts is beginning to climb up career charts. Ricketts is 10th on the all-time list with 24 home runs. Her career averages are also on pace to set records as she is second in career batting avg. (.388) and on-base percentage (.486) and leading the pack with a .67 slugging percentage.
300/200/100
Recording her 100th stolen base of her career against Iowa State (April 4), Norrelle Dickson became the first player in OU and Big 12 history to record at least 300 hits, 200 runs and 100 stolen bases in her career. Additionally, Dickson became only the 11th player in NCAA history to accomplish the feat. Below is a look at the players Dickson joined in the record books after recording her 100th steal:
Members of the 3-2-1 Club
(Compiled with help from the 2007 NCAA Softball Records Book)
Nicole Barber, Georgia (2001-04) 379 hits, 266 runs, 257 SB
Natasha Watley, UCLA (2000-03) 395 hits, 252 runs, 158 SB
Kelly Krestchman, Alabama (1998-01) 368 hits, 288 runs, 133 SB
Alison McCutcheon, Arizona (1995-98) 405 hits, 289 runs, 148 SB
Amy Chellevold, Arizona (1992-95) 371 hits, 252 runs, 113 SB
Lauren Bauer, Arizona (1998-01) 349 hits, 238 runs, 133 SB
Shamalene Wilson, Florida St. (1993-96) 310 hits, 223 runs, 161 SB
Tiff Tootle, South Carolina (1990-93) 351 hits, 207 runs, 114 SB
Lindsay Schutzler, Tennessee (2004-Present) 334 hits, 221 runs, 106 SB
Caitlin Lowe, Arizona (2004-Present) 311 hits, 222 runs, 137 SB
Norrelle Dickson, Oklahoma (2004-P) 309 hits, 219 runs, 100 SB
OFFENSE TO DEFENSE RATIO
OU has scored 339 runs in 45 games, compared to 76 for its opponents. OU averages 7.53 runs per game while holding opponents to 1.69. Additionally, 17 of OU's 45 games have been shortened to five or six innings by run rule.
SOME OF BIG 12'S BESTS ARE SOONERS
The Big 12 released its conference stats this past Monday for all games and OU claimed three of the top four hitters in the Big 12 in Norrelle Dickson, Samantha Ricketts and Susan Ogden. Dickson, last year's Big 12 batting leader, is leading the league again with a .511 batting average in all contests while Ricketts currently leads with 63 RBI. Below is a look at all of the individual categories that the Sooners are leading the Big 12 as of April 8.
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HOME RUN CENTRAL
Head coach Patty Gasso added more power to the lineup this season and it has been evident as OU leads the Big 12 with 52 home runs, which is five more than its entire total last season. Samantha Ricketts is leading the way with a league-best 15 home runs. Additionally, OU has also recorded six grand slams this season by Ricketts (three), Susan Ogden, Stacia Aleman and Traci Dickenson.
CLOSING IN ON BIG 12 RECORDS
The team as well as OU individuals are closing in on Big 12 single season records. Below is a look at the single season marks OU is chasing:
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EXTRA BASES
The Sooners had their streak of 18 straight games with an extra-base hit snapped against North Texas. The Sooners had recorded at least one extra-base hit in all 18 games prior to that. Oklahoma has notched an extra-base hit in 42 of its 45 games and has recorded more than one multiple-base hit on 34 different occasions this season.
LEADING THE PACK IN OFFENSE AND DEFENSE
A good recipe for a 41-4 record is strong defense and a potent offense. The Sooners are making a strong case as they currently lead all Big 12 teams in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging
percentage, hits, runs, home runs and RBI while also ranking last in strikeouts in overall games this season.
The pitching staff is also one of the best in the Big 12 with a 1.56 ERA (third in the league). However, the girls in the circle have depended heavily on the Sooner defense as the staff is only seventh in the conference in strikeouts. The defense ranks tops in the league with a .972 fielding percentage and shares a Big 12-low 34 errors with Texas A&M.
FIVE OR MORE = WIN
Oklahoma is the nation's leading team in runs scored as it averages 7.53 runs per game, but scoring five runs or more has been the answer for the Sooners. Oklahoma is 31- 0 this season when scoring five or more runs. On the flip side of that, the Sooners are 39-1 when the pitching staff holds the opponent to under five runs.
SECOND INNING MAGIC
Oklahoma's prolific offense is known for scoring runs early and often. OU has managed to spread out run production throughout all of the innings this season, but the second has been key for the offense and the defense. The Sooners have scored close to 18 percent (60-of-339) of its season total in the second inning while only giving up two runs of the opponents' 76 in the second frame.
RECORD PACE
OU's offense is off to a record pace. The Sooners are averaging 7.53 runs per game, which over an entire season would set the OU school record. The 2000 National Championship squad averaged 6.2 runs per game. The Sooners already have 339 runs in 42 games, while they scored 347 in 62 games in 2006. Below are the averages for the last six seasons:
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NINE-HOLE STRENGTH
Second baseman Traci Dickenson is making a case for the best
nine-hole hitter in the country. The sophomore is second on the team with 11 home runs and 40 RBI behind clean-up hitter Samantha Ricketts. Dickenson is also recording a .689 slugging percentage this season with a .301 batting average. Dickenson is also leading the conference with four home runs and 10 RBI in conference action.
OGDEN TAKING OVER DP ROLE
Last year's starting catcher, Susan Ogden, still remains an integral part of the Sooner lineup. The former catcher has taken over the designated player duties in the lineup and has done an impressive job. Ogden is third on the squad and fourth among all Big 12 players with a .411 average that includes 26
RBI and a .568 slugging percentage.
VANDEVER SETTLES IN
Freshman catcher Lindsey Vandever has often drawn comparisons to former All-American OU catcher Heather Scaglione. The rookie has taken over the starting role in the lineup. Vandever has shown her all-around talent since entering the starting lineup as she is hitting at a .305 clip and has thrown out 11 base runners in 20 attempts.
SWEET 600 & 800
Gasso won the 600th game of her OU coaching career on Feb. 25, 2007 in a 7-2 win over Ohio State in the Palm Springs Classic this past weekend. The winningest coach in Big 12 history now owns a 620-203-2 (.753) mark at OU since taking over the Sooner program in 1995. She is 13 wins away from her 800th career victory.
RICKETTS NEARING SINGLE SEASON BESTS
Clean-up hitter Samantha Ricketts is off to a record start in 2007 and is on pace to break a few single season records. Below is a look at where Ricketts stands currently and what the OU single season record is:
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