Late Homer Beats Softball, 3-2

Feb. 22, 2008

No. 12 Stanford 3, No. 6 Oklahoma 2

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Oklahoma	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	6	2
Stanford	2	0	0	0	0	1	x	3	6	1

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Penna (10-0)	7	6	2	1	2	10
L - Mathis (6-1)	6	6	3	2	2	5

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	TB
OU - Ricketts	2	0	2	0	1	2
OU - Long	4	1	1	1	0	4

Sooner Softball Central

2008 OU Softball Media Guide

PALM SPRINGS - The No. 6 Oklahoma softball team fell to No. 12 Stanford, 3-2, Friday afternoon as the Cardinal hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to win the game.

It marked the first game of the Palm Springs Classic for the Sooners as OU fell to 9-3 and Stanford improved its perfect record to 13-0.

The Sooners return to Palm Springs Classic action on Friday when they take on Pacific at approximately 7:30 p.m. (CT).

Oklahoma rallied in the top of the sixth to even up the game and tie it up at 2-2, but Stanford's Michelle Smith pounded a solo home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the sixth that proved to be the game winner.

OU pitcher D.J. Mathis notched her first loss of the year as she fell to 6-1 after giving up six hits and two earned runs in the complete game. The junior lefty struck out five and walked two in the game.

Offensively, the Sooners matched Stanford with six total hits as Savannah Long recorded the team's only RBI with a solo home run in the top of the first. Samantha Ricketts and Lindsey Vandever led the way at the plate with two hits apiece while Susan Ogden recorded the only other hit for the Sooners.

Long got the Sooners on the board in the first with her solo home run over the centerfield wall that gave OU the quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first. It marked Long's second home run of the season.

Stanford took advantage of OU's errors in the bottom of the first as Alissa Haber reached first after being hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. The next batter, Tricia Aggabao used a sac bunt to move Haber over as first baseman Ricketts tried to get the out at second but a throwing error advanced Haber all the way to third as the Cardinal had runners at the corners with no outs. Aggabao stole second on the next play but OU catcher Lindsey Vandever's overthrew the play as the ball went into the outfield and Haber scored Stanford's first run of the game. Following a Mathis strikeout, Michelle Smith singled to center field to bring Aggabao across the plate. Third baseman Jessica Legendre turned a double play to end the inning as Stanford took the 2-1 lead heading into the second.

The Sooners threatened in the fourth with Ogden and Ricketts recording back-to-back singles as OU had runners at first and second with one out. However, Oklahoma wasn't able to bring anyone across the plate as Traci Dickenson and Wendy Trott both struck out to end the top of the fourth.

Oklahoma had opportunities in the fifth as Vandever led off with a single up the middle, but was picked off at first on the following play. With two outs, leadoff batter Chana'e Jones walked and was replaced by pinch runner Krystle Huey as the pinch runner stole second on the next play. Long ripped a ball to centerfield but the Stanford centerfielder made a shoestring catch to end the top of the fifth.

OU evened it up in the sixth as Amber Flores struck out to lead off the frame, but a dropped ball by the Stanford catcher allowed Flores to reach base safely. Next, Flores was moved over to second on Ogden's sacrifice bunt. Ricketts followed that with a single to right field, but a fielding error by the right fielder allowed Flores to score and even it up 2-2. The Sooners couldn't get any more runs across the board as the score was tied up heading into the bottom of the sixth.

Stanford wasted no time taking the lead back as the Cardinal's Smith led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run over the left field fence. The Cardinal owned the 3-2 lead heading into the seventh as the Sooners had one last chance in the top of the seventh.

Vandever opened the seventh with an infield single and was replaced by pinch runner Haley Anderson. The freshman was moved over to second on Jessica Legendre's sacrifice bunt. Jones grounded out to the pitcher on the next play, but Anderson moved to third with two outs and Long up to bat. The senior struck out to the end the game as Stanford won 3-2

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