Long's Walk-Off Homer Beats Huskers

NORMAN, Okla. Savannah Long pounded a walk-off two-run homer, her second of the day, in the bottom of the seventh as the No. 4 Oklahoma softball team (46-5, 11-3) topped Nebraska (34-14, 7-5), 10-9, in a dramatic finish in front of 1,034 fans at the OU Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.

The Sooners trailed 9-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh but pulled out the victory as they improved their home record this season to 26-1 at Marita Hynes Field.

“I couldn't be more excited for Savannah after the way she has been fighting all year,” head coach Patty Gasso said.. “She was an obvious huge spark for us today and I'm so pleased that she was able to come through for us. This will be something for her to remember for the rest of her life.”

There were five home runs hit, including four by OU, in the contest that was expected to be a pitching dual between the league's top hitting team, Oklahoma, and the conference's best pitching staff, Nebraska. Oklahoma combined for 11 hits while Nebraska recorded nine hits in the contest. OU's 10 runs marked the most NU starter Ashley DeBuhr had given up in her career. DeBuhr entered Saturday's contest with a 1.25 ERA (fourth in the Big 12) as well as the National Player of the Week.

OU 10, Nebraska 9 | Long on homer | Long on celebration

Long headlined the offense with her two home runs and three RBI. The junior shortstop has three home runs in her last two games. Leadoff batter Norrelle Dickson also led the offense with her 3-for-4 outing while Samantha Ricketts recorded two hits, including a grand slam. Following the four RBI in today's game, Ricketts is only three shy of tying the OU single season record of 77 set by Lisa Carey in 2000. The grand slam marked Ricketts fourth of the season as well as her 16th home run of the year.

Designated player Susan Ogden also played a key part in the Sooner rally as the junior extended her career-long hit streak to nine with a 2-for-4 outing and had a key two RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to spark the OU rally.

Both teams struggled with their pitching staffs as the Sooners' nine earned runs were the most the staff has given up all season. OU starter Lauren Eckermann, the Big 12 leader in wins, gave up the most runs she's given up all season before being relieved by D.J. Mathis in the final 3.2 innings. Eckermann allowed seven runs, six earned, on six hits while striking out four and walking one in 3 1/3 innings.

Mathis earned the win and improved to 12-3 on the season after allowing only three hits and two runs. It marks the second straight game that Mathis has entered in relief and picked up the win.

“Our pitching staff didn't have a good outing today, but I'm excited to see how they will rise to the occasion tomorrow,” Gasso said.

Rookie Amber Flores continued her hitting groove on Saturday as she hit her second home run in as many games. Flores' solo homer over the center field wall in the bottom of the first gave the Sooners the early 1-0 lead. It marked her seventh homer of the year as the left fielder extended her season-long hit streak to seven.

The Huskers answered right back in the top of the second as NU's Crystle Carwile led off with a double down the right field line. Jamie Waldecker was hit by a pitch on the following play. Carwile followed that with a stolen base as the Huskers had runners at first and third with no outs. Eckermann struck out the next batter, but walked the next as NU loaded the bases. An out later, nine-hole hitter Carmen Kier roped a two RBI single up the middle as the Huskers took the lead back, 2-1.

OU's RBI leader, Ricketts, came through again for the Sooners in the bottom of the third as she pounded her fourth grand slam of the year. With two outs, the sophomore first baseman pounded a bases-loaded home run over the right field wall to push the OU advantage to 5-2.

However, the lead would shift again as the Huskers put five runs on the board in the top of the fourth. NU led off the frame with a single and a hit by pitch. Nebraska followed that with back-to-back RBI hits to close the gap, 5-4. With runners at second and third and one out, NU attempted a squeeze play at home and scored a run on it after Eckermann was charged with an error after mishandling the ball. Eckermann was replaced by Mathis with the game tied and two runners on. Despite the switch, Nebraska continued its rally as Mathis gave up a two-RBI double on the next play as Nebraska took the 7-5 lead. Mathis settled and retired the final two batters to end the inning.

Long tried to spark the offense in the bottom of the fourth as her solo homer to center field closed the gap, 7-6, but the Sooners couldn't produce any more runs in the frame.

Staying with the theme of the game, Nebraska answered right back with a two-run homer by Alex Hupp to left field as the Huskers took the 9-6 advantage after the top of the fifth.

Mathis kept the Sooners in the game as she held the Huskers in the sixth and the seventh, only giving up one hit.

Oklahoma had its final chance in the bottom of the seventh as Flores led off with her third walk of the day. Ricketts followed that with a double as OU had runners at second and third. Ogden kept the Sooners in striking distance as she ripped a two-RBI single to left field and then advanced to second on the throw to close the gap, 9-8. Amber Spaulding entered as a pinch runner for Ogden, but was thrown out at third on Jamie Fox's fielder's choice. Following an OU strikeout, Long stepped to the plate with two outs and delivered the crushing two-run shot over right field to end the game in OU's favor, 10-9.

The Sooners will aim for the sweep of the Huskers on Sunday in the series finale at 12 p.m. at the OU Softball Complex. The first 500 fans will receive free OU mini bats.

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