Mathis Blanks Tulsa in Run Rule

Final: Oklahoma 8, Tulsa 0 | Box Score |

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Tulsa	0	0	0	0	0	0	x	0	3	0
Oklahoma	3	0	0	0	1	6	x	8	4	0

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Mathis (9-1)	6	3	0	0	2	9
L - Kinard (1-2)	0.2	0	3	3	5	0

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	TB
OU - Long	2	2	1	3	1	4
OU - Ricketts	3	0	2	1	0	2

Sooner Softball Central

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2008 OU Softball Media Guide

NORMAN, Okla. -- Junior pitcher D.J. Mathis threw her fifth shutout of the season as the No. 9 Oklahoma softball team run ruled Tulsa, 8-0, in six innings on Wednesday afternoon at the OU Softball Complex.

The Sooners pushed their record to 13-4 while Tulsa fell to 6-7 on the year.

Mathis recorded her eighth complete game of the season as she only allowed three hits and zero runs while striking out nine Tulsa batters.

Mathis' nine strikeouts matched her career high at Oklahoma. The lefty improved to 9-1 on the season.

"It has really been exciting to see our pitching staff perform so well, particularly D.J. (Mathis) as she has been such a spark on the field for us this year," head coach Patty Gasso. "Right now our pitching has been exceptional, but our hitting still has a lot of work to do. I know the hitters will come around and it is going to be exciting when they do and we can put a solid pitching and hitting performance together."

Oklahoma took the early 3-0 lead in the first, but did not record a hit until the fifth inning as Tulsa walked five batters in the bottom of the first to give OU the early advantage. Junior Samantha Ricketts sparked the offense with her hit in the fifth and finished with a 2-for-3 outing and an RBI while senior Savannah Long ripped a three-run homer in the sixth that led to the OU run rule.

Long is leading the team this season with five home runs and 14 RBI.

OU opened the bottom of the first with three straight walks to load the bases with no outs. Cleanup batter Ricketts came through with an RBI sacrifice to right field to give OU the early 1-0 lead. An out and a walk later, the Sooners loaded the bases again with Susan Ogden up to bat. Ogden earned the RBI as she walked and gave OU the 2-0 lead. Wendy Trott followed that with another bases-loaded walk as the Sooners took the 3-0 lead and Tulsa starter Jordan Kinard was replaced by Katie Lee. The Sooners weren't able to put another run on the board as Legendre fouled out to the TU first baseman, who caught the foul ball over the fence.

Tulsa threatened in the top of the third as Mathis struck out the first batter, but Kelly Chapman walked and Lauren Lindsay followed that with a single to center field. Following another Mathis strikeout, Sara Dyer walked to load the bases. However, Mathis stayed calm and retired the next batter to escape without giving up a run.

Ricketts again sparked the Sooners in the bottom of the fifth as she recorded OU's first hit of the game, a single up the middle with one out. The single advanced Flores, who had been hit by a pitch, to third as Ricketts advanced to second on the throw and Oklahoma had two runners in scoring position with one out. Traci Dickenson followed that with a walk to load the bases. Next, Lindsey Vandever notched a sacrifice fly to right field to score Flores and push the OU lead to 4-0.

Tulsa replaced Lee with Lauren Menke in the circle to start the bottom of the sixth. However, it didn't stop the Sooners as Oklahoma's bats got going. Jessica Legendre ripped a single to center field with one out and Krystle Huey followed that with a walk. Long stepped to the plate and delivered her team-leading fifth home run of the year, a three-run shot over left center field that gave OU the 7-0 advantage. Following the home run, the Sooners loaded the bases with two walks and another single up the middle by Ricketts. Pinch hitter Chana'e Jones stepped to the plate and earned the walk to score a run as the Sooners took the 8-0 lead, which ended the game in a run rule.

Tulsa's Jordan Kinard took the loss after throwing 0.2 innings and giving up three earned runs on six walks.

The Sooners continue their five-game home stand this weekend as they host North Texas and Memphis in the OU Residence Inn Invitational this weekend. Oklahoma will open tournament action on Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. meeting against North Texas and follow that with a 4:45 p.m. contest with Memphis. Rounding out tourney action on Sunday, Oklahoma will play Memphis at 12:15 p.m. and North Texas at 2:30 p.m. All games will be played at the OU Softball Complex.

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