Mathis Blanks No. 10 UCLA, 7-0

Feb. 10, 2008

LOS ANGELES - The No. 5 Oklahoma softball team (3-2) ended its weekend tournament on a strong note as the Sooners topped No. 10 UCLA (4-1), 7-0, Sunday morning in Los Angeles. It marked OU's first-ever win against UCLA on the Bruins home field, Easton Stadium.

The Sooners avenged an earlier loss to the Bruins in the Freeway Series Tournament as UCLA knocked off OU, 6-1, in Oklahoma's season opener. Oklahoma went 3-2 in its season-opening tournament with wins against Nevada, UC Santa Barbara and UCLA while dropping a loss to UCLA and Cal State Fullerton.

"I was really impressed with how our team responded today," head coach Patty Gasso said. "The squad came out with a great attitude and really worked hard today. D.J. Mathis was great for us in the circle this weekend and our team really fed off of her today."

Junior pitcher D.J. Mathis recorded her second shutout of the weekend after only surrendering three hits while striking out eight in the seven-inning contest against the Bruins. The lefty owned a 0.39 ERA this weekend and a 3-0 record after allowing only eight hits in 18 innings while striking out 21. Mathis held the opponents to a .129 batting average in her three appearances this weekend.

Against the Bruins on Sunday, the Oklahoma offense tallied eight hits and was led by Amber Flores, who went 2-for-3 while Lindsey Vandever recorded a game-high two RBI. Senior Savannah Long continued her stellar play at the plate as she recorded another double.

Long tallied four doubles on the weekend and is hitting .500 while Flores is also hitting .500 and tallied seven RBI through five games.

The Sooners, the designated home team, took the early momentum in the bottom of the first as leadoff batter Krystle Huey struck out, but reached first after the third strike was dropped. followed that with a double to left field to place two runners in scoring position with no outs. Next, Amber Flores was hit by a pitch as the Sooners loaded the bases for clean-up hitter Samantha Ricketts.

The junior first baseman grounded out to the second baseman, but earned the RBI as Huey scored OU's first run of the game. UCLA's pitcher Anjelica Selden struck out the next two batters as the Sooners left two runners stranded at second and third, but still led 1-0 after the first.

The Bruins threatened with a two-out rally in the top of the second. UCLA's GiOnna DiSalvatore walked with two outs and Amanda Kamekona followed that with a double down the left field line as the Bruins placed runners at second and third. The next UCLA batter, Jennifer Schroeder, was hit by a pitch as the Bruins had the bases loaded with nine-hole hitter Kaila Shull up to bat. However, Mathis remained steady as she struck out Shull and the Sooners escaped the top of the second and still owned a 1-0 advantage.

Oklahoma got it going again in the bottom of the third as Long reached first on a fielding error by the pitcher. Next, Flores' infield single brought Long all the way to third, but a throwing error by UCLA's first baseman allowed Long to score while Flores advanced all the way to third on the play. Following a Ricketts' pop out, Susan Ogden hammered a two-out double to center field that scored Flores as OU took the 3-0 lead heading into the fourth frame.

OU loaded the bases again in the fifth as Long led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. An out later, Ricketts recorded her first hit of the season with a fly ball to centerfield that landed between UCLA's left fielder and center fielder due to sun. Following an Ogden strikeout, Traci Dickenson was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Vandever with two outs.

The sophomore catcher did not disappoint as her single up the middle, her first hit of the season, scored two runs and extended OU's lead to 5-0.

The Sooners added insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as Huey reached on a single to shallow left and Flores knocked a two-out double to the left field corner as Huey scored all the way from first and Flores advanced to third on the throw home. The Sooners added another run on the next play as Flores scored on a wild pitch and OU led 7-0 after six full frames.

The Sooners will return to action this Tuesday as they host St. Gregory's in their home opener at 3:30 p.m. inside the OU Softball Complex.

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