OU Hands Baylor First Big 12 Loss

NORMAN, Okla. OU's RBI leader, Samantha Ricketts, came through when the fourth-ranked softball team needed it the most as the sophomore's walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the eighth gave OU the 3-2 win over No. 7 Baylor. The loss was Baylor's first conference loss of the season as the league-leading Bears fell to 9-1 in Big 12 play and 39-10 overall. The Sooners improved their overall mark to 44-5 and extended their league record to 9-3.

The Bears and Sooners began game two of the doubleheader at approximately 7:15 p.m.

Ricketts and designated player Susan Ogden highlighted the first game with two hits and a RBI a piece while Traci Dickenson added OU's only other RBI. Ricketts is now only seven RBI away from tying the OU single season record of 77 set by Lisa Carey in 2000.

OU 3, Baylor 2 (8 Innings)

Sooner ace, Lauren Eckermann, was impressive against one of the best offensive squads in the conference. The junior only gave up four hits and one earned run while striking out eight Bears and not walking any. The Big 12 leader in wins improved to 28-2 on the season in her 23rd complete game of the year.

Baylor didn't waste any time in the top of the second as Ashley Monceaux led off the frame with solo home run over the right field wall as Baylor took the 1-0 lead.

The Sooners answered back in the bottom of the second as Ricketts led off with a double off the center field wall. Designated player Susan Ogden followed that with an RBI single up the middle that scored Jade Prather, who was pinch running for Ricketts. Two outs later the Sooners had runners at first and second as nine-hole hitter, Dickenson, notched an RBI single to left field as the Sooners led 2-1 after two complete frames.

The Bears got back on the board in the top of the sixth as Romero's two-out triple marked the first Baylor hit since the second frame. Brette Reagan stepped to the plate and had a 2-2 count when a passed ball scored Romero as the unearned run tied the game up at 2-2. Eckermann struck out Reagan to end the frame.

Eckermann retired the side in the seventh and the eighth to keep the Sooners in the extra-innings contest. Heading into the bottom of the eighth with the game tied, Dickenson was hit by a pitch to a get a Sooner runner on base and was moved over on Norrelle Dickson's sacrifice bunt. Another out later, Sooners had runners at the corners after Amber Flores' single to left field. Next, Ricketts belted her 70th RBI of the season to score Dickenson and end the game.

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