Completed Event: Softball at #12/14 Texas A&M on May 1, 2026 , Loss , 5, to, 8
Final
Softball
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at #12/14 Texas A&M
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Bedlam Part Two Set for Wednesday
April 25, 2007 | Softball
NORMAN, Okla. - The third-ranked Oklahoma softball team (47-5, 12-3) is heading into its final week of Big 12 regular season play as it hits the road for its final three league contests. The Sooners won't have to travel far on Wednesday as they will head north to take on in-state rival Oklahoma State (25-27, 3-10) in Bedlam part two. First pitch between the Cowgirls and Sooners is set for 7 p.m. at Cowgirl Stadium.
Oklahoma won the first meeting between the two squads earlier this year in Norman with an 8-0 victory. The Sooners are aiming for the 11th straight victory in the series.
The Sooners will finish out their Big 12 regular season this weekend as they head to Lawrence, Kan., for their final conference series. OU will meet up with the Jayhawks at 2 p.m. on Saturday and close out the Big 12 slate with a 1 p.m. contest.
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MEDIA COVERAGE
The Bedlam game will be carried on two radio stations. The OU radio broadcast will be aired on KOKC (1520 AM) with Brian Brinkley calling the game. The OSU broadcast with Bill VanNess can be found on KGFY (105.5 FM) in Stillwater.
Live stats of the game will be available on SoonerSports.com.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE
The Cowgirls have played a tough schedule since falling to the Sooners earlier this month. OSU's last six games have all come against teams in the top 15. Oklahoma dropped series to then-No. 9 Baylor and No. 5 Texas A&M, but played close one-run games against both. The Cowgirls gained momentum this past weekend after splitting with No. 15 Texas.
Offensively, the Cowgirls are fourth in Big 12 action with a .236 team batting average. OSU still boasts two of the top players in the Big 12 in Courtney Totte and Shanell Scott. Totte owns a .389 clip in league play with 16 RBI, four home runs and a .750 slugging percentage.
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While Totte brings power to the lineup, Scott continues to bring the speed. The leadoff batter is leading the conference with 46-of-50 stolen bases on the year. Additionally, the senior outfielder is recording a .378 clip in Big 12 play. Scott recorded a hit and a stolen base against the Sooners in the earlier meeting this season.
Defensively, the Cowgirls rank eighth in Big 12 play with a 4.20 ERA behind Jessica Hoppock (2.43 ERA in Big 12). Hoppock didn't start against the Sooners in the first contest, but came in for relief in the final 4.1 innings and only gave up three hits while striking out five. Hoppock is 2-5 in Big 12 play with 41 strikeouts in 46 complete innings, including one shutout in 10 appearances.
SERIES HISTORY
In the all-time series between both schools, Oklahoma State leads with a 63-57 advantage, but the Sooners have owned the rivalry since the beginning of Big 12 play. OU has swept the series from OSU in nine of the 11 seasons of conference play, and has done no worse than split during those 11 years. Additionally, Oklahoma has claimed 10 straight wins in the rivalry and 24 of the last 25. The Sooners last loss in Stillwater to OSU dates back to April 24, 2003 as OU dropped a 4-0 contest to the Cowgirls.
LAST TIME THEY MET
Oklahoma run ruled the Cowgirls, 8-0, in game one as Jamie Fox hit a home run in the bottom of the fifth to end the game. OU starter Lauren Eckermann only allowed three hits and no runs while striking out 10 Cowgirls.
UPDATING THE SOONERS & BIG 12
Oklahoma recorded much-needed sweeps of Nebraska and Baylor this past week to remain in the hunt for a Big 12 Championship. The Sooners have three games remaining on their Big 12 schedule and trail Baylor (11-2) and Missouri (9-2), who play each other this weekend.
OU's remaining schedule includes Oklahoma State and two games against Kansas while Baylor has single games against Texas A&M and Texas, in addition to Missouri. The Tigers still have to also face Iowa State and Nebraska. Texas A&M is still hanging around at the top with a 10-4 record.
OU's offense remains the best in the Big 12 with batting average leader, Norrelle Dickson, leading the way with a .519 clip in league play while RBI leader Samantha Ricketts owns 74 RBI on the season. Ricketts had the winning RBI in OU's extra-innings win over Baylor .
With the offense clicking, OU's go-to girl in the circle has been the Big 12 leader in wins, Lauren Eckermann (29-2, 1.71 ERA). However, sophomore D.J. Mathis (12-3, 2.31 ERA) showed promise against Baylor and Nebraska this past week as the lefty came in for relief of Eckermann to earn two wins.
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UP NEXT
Following the Oklahoma State game, the Sooners will head to Lawrence, Kan., for their final Big 12 series of the season. Oklahoma will match up against Kansas at 2 p.m. on Saturday and round out the series and Big 12 regular season on Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Jayhawks.
The Sooners will wrap up their entire regular season on Thursday, May 3 against OCU at 7 p.m. The six-member senior class will also be recognized for Senior Night.
SOONERS MOVE TO NO. 3
The Sooners moved up a spot in this week's ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. Following its sweeps of Baylor and Nebraska, OU is No. 3. The Sooners remain at No. 4 in the NFCA poll as the new poll does not come out until Wednesday.
The Sooners have been ranked in the top 25 of every NFCA poll since its inception, which spans 167 weeks long. OU and Arizona are the only programs to be ranked in the NFCA Top-25 every week of its existence.
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 OU now owns more wins than the 2006 squad did all of last season.
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 31-of-36 stolen bases on the season, which ranks second among all Big 12 players.
DICKSON ALL OVER THE CHARTS
Two-time All-American and 2007 Player of the Year finalist 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. 4 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 25 home runs and ninth with 125 career RBI. Her career averages are also on pace to set records as she is second in career batting avg. (.391) and on-base percentage (.484) and leading the pack with a .700 slugging percentage.
THREE AWAY
Sophomore Samantha Ricketts continues her torrid pace in the cleanup spot for the Sooners as she is now only three RBI shy of tying the OU and Big 12 single season record held by former Sooner Lisa Carey in 2000. Averaging 1.42 RBI per game, Ricketts is leading the country.
BIG 12 STRENGTH
The Big 12 is making a strong case for one of the top softball leagues in the country as OU (No. 3) , Texas A&M (No. 6) and Baylor (No.8) headline the top 10. Missouri (No. 21) and Texas (No. 23) round out the top 25 while Kansas and Nebraska are receiving votes in the top-25.
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. Amber Jackson of Maryland joined the club after Dickson.
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-P)* 343 hits, 230 runs, 114 SB
Caitlin Lowe, Arizona (2004-Present)* 324 hits, 231 runs, 148 SB
Norrelle Dickson, Oklahoma (2004-P) 317 hits, 227 runs, 104 SB
Amber Jackson, Maryland (2004-P)*^ 332 hits, 250 runs, 103 SB
* Stats as of April 22
^ Close to joining list
OFFENSE TO DEFENSE RATIO
OU has scored 382 runs in 52 games, compared to 102 for its opponents. OU averages 7.35 runs per game while holding opponents to 1.96. Additionally, 17 of OU's 52 games have been shortened to five or six innings by run rule.
PROLIFIC OFFENSE
The Sooners own one of the top offenses in the country and it became evident as the NCAA stats were released on April 17. Oklahoma is second in the country in runs scored per game and third in batting average while Norrelle Dickson ranks third in batting average and fourth in runs scored and Samantha Ricketts is leading the country in RBI. A complete list of where the Sooners rank as a team and individually in every category is located on page seven.
SOME OF BIG 12'S BESTS ARE SOONERS
The Big 12 released its conference stats this past Monday for all games and OU claimed the top three hitters in the Big 12 in Norrelle Dickson, Susan Ogden and Samantha Ricketts. Dickson, last year's Big 12 batting leader, is leading the league again with a .490 batting average in all contests while Ricketts currently leads with 74 RBI. Below is a look at all of the individual categories that the Sooners are leading the Big 12 as of April 23.
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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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Sunday, May 24
Saturday, May 23
Saturday, May 23
Friday, May 22
