Sooners Split with 8-3 Win Over MU

COLUMBIA, Mo. The No. 2 Oklahoma softball team looked like a different team in game two of its series against Missouri as it won 8-3 to split the series with MU and hand the Tigers their first Big 12 loss of the season. The Sooners now own an 8-3 mark in Big 12 play and a 43-5 mark overall while the Tigers still sit in second place in league play with a 6-1 record and 30-18 mark overall.

The nation's top-scoring offense brought its bats to game two as Oklahoma scored eight runs on 10 hits with three different Sooners adding two-RBI games. The Sooner offense has recorded 10 or more hits in three of its last four games.

Samantha Ricketts, Lindsey Vandever and Susan Ogden led the way with two RBI a piece. Ricketts, the squad's RBI leader, is only eight RBI shy of tying the OU single season record of 77 held by Lisa Carey (2000). Ogden finished with a team-best three RBI in the two-games. In addition to Vandever and Ogden recording a multiple-hit game, Mariee Mena and Amber Flores also added two hits each.

The Missouri pitching staff went through four pitchers with starter Jen Bruck taking the loss after going the first 3.2 innings and giving up four runs on six hits.

OU 8, Missouri 3 | Missouri 5, OU 1

OU pitcher Lauren Eckermann came back strong in game two after giving up three home runs in OU's loss in the first game. The junior replaced starter D.J. Mathis and pitched the final 5.1 innings while allowing zero runs on only two hits. Eckermann, who is ranked second in the nation in wins, pushed her record to 27-2 on the season.

Eckermann replaced Mathis who went only 1.2 innins angd allowed three runs on two hits while walking two.

The Sooner offense came out on fire in game two as Norrelle Dickson reached first after being hit by a pitch and stole second with one out. Flores ripped a single to left field to place runners at first third. Ricketts got the Sooners on the board first with her sacrifice fly to center field that scored Dickson. Susan Ogden followed that with her second RBI of the day, a double to left center that scored Flores as OU led 2-0 after the top of the first.

Similar to the first game, Mizzou responded right back in the bottom of the first as Julie Silver was hit by a pitch with one out. Amanda Renth followed that with an RBI double off the left center wall that brought Silver all the way home as MU closed the gap, 2-1.

Missouri continued its offensive pace in the second as the Tigers loaded the bases with one out after two walks and a single. The Sooners got their second out on a force out at home as first baseman Ricketts threw home to record the second out. With two outs and the bases loaded again, junior Lauren Eckermann came in for relief of OU starter D.J. Mathis. Eckermann surrendered a two RBI single to left field as MU took the 3-2 lead. However, the Sooners ended the inning on the same play as Vandever's throw got the runner at third.

Oklahoma answered back in the top of the third as the Sooners strung together three straight hits to lead off the frame. Following Dickson and Mena's back-to-back singles, Flores hammered a double down the left field line that scored Dickson and advanced Mena to third. Cleanup hitter Ricketts followed that with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field that scored Mena and advanced Flores to third as OU took back the lead, 4-3.

The Sooners used the top of the fifth to add another run as Ogden led off the frame with a single to center field. Jamie Fox's sacrifice bunt moved Jade Prather over to second, who was pinch running for Ogden. Vandever followed that with a single to left as the Sooners had Prather and McDonald, who pinch ran for Vandever, at third and first, respectively. McDonald stole second on the ensuing play and a throwing error by the MU catcher advanced McDonald to third and scored Prather to push the OU lead to 5-3.

The Sooners loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with one after a Mariee Mena single and two straight walks. Ogden earned an RBI after walking with the bases loaded to push the Sooner advantage to 6-3. An out later and the bases still loaded, Vandever delivered a two RBI single to right field as OU led 8-3.

The Big 12 schedule doesn't get any easier for the Sooners as Oklahoma will host No. 9 Baylor this Wednesday in a doubleheader at the OU Softball Complex. The Big 12-leading Bears own a 9-0 record in Big 12 action. The first game of the twin bill is set to begin at 5 p.m. with the second game slated to start at approximately 7 p.m.

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