OU Drops Game One of Twin Bill, 5-1

COLUMBIA, Mo. The Missouri softball team scored all of its runs on three homers to beat the No. 2 Oklahoma softball team, 5-1, in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader in Columbia, Mo. The three homers marked the most the Sooners have given up in one contest all season.

The Sooners will aim for the split of Missouri in game two of the doubleheader set to begin at approximately 1 p.m.

The Tigers, who are receiving votes in the top-25, pushed their perfect Big 12 record to 6-0 and extended their overall mark to 30-17. Oklahoma suffered its third Big 12 loss of the season and fell to 7-3 in conference action and 42-5 overall.

OU 8, Missouri 3 | Missouri 5, OU 1

MU pitcher Jen Bruck held the OU offense, which entered the game leading the country in batting average and runs scored, to one run on five hits. Bruck struck out five Sooners while OU's Susan Ogden led the Sooners with the only RBI of the game and a 2-for-2 performance.

OU starter Lauren Eckermann dropped only her second loss of the season as she fell to 26-2 on the year after giving up three home runs, two of which were two-run homers. The junior scattered six hits and walked two while striking out three in six complete innings.

The Sooners struck first as Norrelle Dickson reached on an error by Bruck and advanced to second on the same play. Dickson advanced to third on Amber Flores' ground out to the pitcher as OU had Dickson on third with Samantha Ricketts up to bat. Following a Ricketts walk, designated player Ogden roped an RBI single to left field as OU took the initial 1-0 lead. Missouri's catcher, Kathy Masterson, made a diving catch for a foul ball on Jamie Fox's at bat to end the inning.

It didn't take long for the Tigers to answer back as MU's leadoff batter walked in the bottom of the first and Julie Silver followed that with a two-run homer over the left center field wall as Missouri took the 2-1 lead.

Missouri threabtened in the bottom of the second as pitcher Bruck walked with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs and Bruck on second, nine-hole hitter Leanne Bowers knocked a single to left field as Bruck advanced to third and tried to go home, but a throw by left fielder Flores gunned Bruck out at the plate to end the inning.

Another two-run homer by Missouri put the Tigers up 4-1 in the bottom of the third. Micaela Minner's two-run shot with two outs over left center field also scored Silver, who reached on a bunt single.

The Tigers continued their string of home runs as Eckermann gave up her third of the game, the most she has given up all year, in the bottom of the fourth. Bruck's solo home run over the left field fence with one out pushed the Mizzou lead to 5-1.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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