OU Drops Heartbreaker to Oregon

Feb. 23, 2008

Oregon 1, Oklahoma 0

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

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Cook (3-5)	7	6	0	0	3	2
L - Smith (1-1)	4.1	3	1	1	0	1

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	TB
OU - Vandever	3	0	2	0	0	2
Oregon - Fuiava	3	1	1	1	0	4

Sooner Softball Central

2008 OU Softball Media Guide

PALM SPRINGS - The No. 6 Oklahoma softball team lost another heartbreaker in the Palm Springs Classic as the Sooners fell to Oregon, 1-0, Saturday afternoon in Palm Springs, Calif.

Oregon's Monique Fuiava hit a game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the fourth that proved to be the game winner.

Oklahoma fell to 10-4 on the season and 1-2 in the Palm Springs Classic while Oregon pushed its record to 7-7.

The Sooners return to tournament action on Saturday with a game against No. 25 San Diego State which is set to begin at approximately 5 p.m. (CT).

The Sooners had plenty of opportunities in the game as they had at least one runner on base every inning, but couldn't ever take advantage. Oklahoma stranded 11 runners on base in the contest and out hit Oregon, 6-3. OU's Lindsey Vandever led the Sooner offense with a 2-for-3 outing.

Senior pitcher Jadyn Smith fell to 1-1 on the season. Smith didn't allow the Ducks many opportunities as she only surrendered three hits, but gave up the home run in the fourth. Smith struck out one and didn't walk a batter in her 4.1 innings of work.

Reliever D.J. Mathis kept the Sooners in the game as she retired all five batters she faced in the final 1.2 innings.

In the first inning, Amber Flores walked with two outs and the Sooners had runners at the corners after a Samantha Ricketts single to center field. Next, Traci Dickenson ripped a ball, but the Oregon shortstop caught the line drive to end the inning.

In the third, Savannah Long led off with bunt single and stole second on the next play. Next, the senior advanced to third on a passed ball as the Sooners had a runner at third with no outs. Chana'e Jones popped out for the first out of the inning and Flores followed that with a grounder to the Oregon shortstop. The shortstop bobbled the ball and Long tried to score from third, but the Oregon shortstop recovered and threw Long out at home.

The Sooners had more chances in the fourth as Dickenson led off with an infield single, but was thrown out at second on Susan Ogden's fielder's choice. With two outs, Jessica Legendre reached on an error by the first baseman as the Sooners had runners at first and third with two outs. Freshman Haley Anderson ripped a ball to third, but the Oregon third baseman made a strong play and got the out at first to end the inning.

The Ducks were the first to get on the board as Fuiava pounded a one-out solo home run over the right center field wall in the bottom of the fourth to give Oregon the 1-0 lead. With two outs, it looked as if Oregon was going to add another run to the board as Joanna Gail pounded a ball to left field but freshman left fielder Haley Anderson caught the ball over the fence to end the inning and save a run.

Mathis came in for relief of Smith with one out in the fifth and a runner on first. The lefty was solid as she retired the next two batters to end the frame.

It looked like the Sooners were going to even it up in the sixth as Dickenson led off and hammered a ball to right center field. However, the Oregon center fielder made a leaping catch over the wall to get the first out of the inning as Oregon held on to the 1-0 lead. Another out later, the Sooners strung together back-to-back singles by Vandever and Legendre. Anderson stepped to plate and ripped a ball, but lined out to the right fielder as Oregon still led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

Mathis retired all three batters she faced in the sixth as the Sooners had one last chance in the top of the seventh to win the game.

Long grounded out to third base for the first out of the inning and Jones followed that with a fouled pop up to the third baseman as the Sooners had two outs. However, Flores gave the Sooners life as she walked and Ricketts reached base after being hit by a pitch. The Sooners had runners at first and second with two outs and

Next Event

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics