Offense Takes Off in 13-4 Run Rule

March 14, 2008

Oklahoma 13, Colorado State 4

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Oklahoma	3	0	2	0	4	4	x	13	15	0
Colorado St.	1	0	3	0	0	0	x	4	6	0

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Eckermann (5-2)	3.1	1	0	0	0	1
L - Klabough	4.1	10	8	8	1	0

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	TB
OU - Flores	3	3	3	2	0	9
OU - Dickenson	3	3	2	3	1	5

Sooner Softball Central

2008 OU Softball Media Guide

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sooner offense recorded a season-high 15 hits in OU's 13-4 run rule of Colorado State on Friday afternoon in the Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif.

The Sooners improved to 23-6 overall and 2-0 in tournament action after run ruling the Rams in six innings. Colorado State fell to 14-4 on the season.

Led by Amber Flores' two home runs, the Sooner offense tallied four home runs against the Rams. Flores finished the game with a perfect 3-for-3 outing and two RBI while Susan Ogden added a three-run homer and Traci Dickenson also notched a three-run homer. OU catcher Lindsey Vandever also had a solid outing at the plate with a 3-for-4 outing and two RBI.

Senior Lauren Eckermann earned the win in the circle as the Sooners used a platoon of pitchers in the game. Starter D.J. Mathis threw two complete innings and gave up one run on two hits while Jadyn Smith recorded 0.2 innings of work and surrendered three runs on three hits. Eckermann came in for the final 3.1 innings of action and was solid as she only gave up one hit and didn't give up a run. Eckermann pushed her record to 5-2 in the circle.

Dickenson picked up where she left off in the earlier game today as she pounded a three-run homer in the top of the first with two outs to give OU the early 3-0 lead after the first frame. It marked Dickenson's second homer of the day as she hit a key two-run homer in the earlier game against Cal Poly.

The Rams answered back in the bottom of the first as Caitlan Stem ripped a one-out solo home run over the right field fence to close the gap, 3-1.

The Sooners responded in the top of the third as Flores led off with a solo home run to left field on the first pitch of the inning as OU extended its lead to 4-1. Samantha Ricketts followed that with a single to right field and was pinch ran for by Krsytle Huey, who advanced to second on Dickenson's ground out. Huey stole third with Vandever up to bat and one out. Vandever ripped an RBI single through the right side of the infield as OU pushed its lead to 5-1. OU couldn't plate any more runs as Susan Ogden lined into a double play to end the frame.

OU's Smith replaced Mathis in the circle to start the bottom of the third. Smiths' stay in the circle didn't last long as the Rams notched a third-inning rally. With one out, Stem pounded her second home run of the game, a solo shot to left field. CSU's Ashley Munoz followed that with a single to left, but was out at second on the next play on Julia Kloppe's fielder's choice. CSU's Allison Majam stepped to the plate and pounded a two-run homer to centerfield that ended Smith's stay in the circle as the gap was cut to 5-4.

Eckermann came in to replace Smith with two outs and no runners on base. Eckermann retired the first batter she faced to end the inning as OU headed into the top of the fourth.

It was Flores again in the top of the fifth as she led off with a solo home run over left field, marking her second home run in consecutive at bats. The homer pushed the OU lead to 6-4. The OU momentum continued as Dickenson and Vandever strung together back-to-back singles to left field after a Ricketts fly out. The consecutive singles knocked Colorado State starter Kim Klabough out of the game as she was relieved by Rebecca Penland.

However, the replacement didn't stop the Sooners as Ogden pounded a three-run homer over left field to extend the OU lead to 9-4. Wendy Trott followed the home run with a single to right field and was pinch ran for by Haley Anderson. However, Anderson was caught stealing on the next play for the second out of the frame. Jessica Legendre struck out to end the top of the fifth, but OU owned the 9-4 lead.

The Rams put two runners on base to lead off the bottom of the fifth after the first batter was hit by a pitch and the second recorded a single to left. However, the OU defense stepped up as the next player grounded out into a double play and Flores made a diving catch in left field to end the inning.

The Sooners continued their offensive momentum in the sixth as Long led off with a walk and pinch hitter Chana'e Jones notched a single through the left side. Jones' single knocked CSU reliever Penland out of the game as Cayte Billman came in for relief.

However, it didn't stop the OU offense as Flores blooped a single to centerfield to load the bases with no outs. Ricketts delivered a RBI sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Long and push the OU advantage to 10-4. Dickenson followed that with a walk to load the bases for Vandever. The sophomore catcher tallied an RBI fielder's choice that scored a run and took Flores out at third for the second out A walk by Ogden loaded the bases again for the Sooners with Trott stepping to the plate. The freshman designated player ripped a two-RBI single to centerfield to push the OU lead to 13-4. Legendre struck out to end the rally as OU headed into the bottom of the sixth.

Eckermann was solid in the bottom of the sixth as she retired all three batters she faced as the game ended in a run rule.

The Sooners resume Capital Classic action on Saturday as they play Sacramento State at 12 p.m. (CT) and follow that with a 2:30 contest against Cal.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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