Softball Falls to Tulsa, 5-3

Final: Tulsa 5, Oklahoma 3 | Box Score

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

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Lawrence (5-4)	7	8	3	3	5	6
L - Mathis (13-2)	4.1	4	2	2	1	3

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

Sooner Softball Central

2008 OU Softball Media Guide

TULSA, Okla. - The No. 9 Oklahoma softball team couldn't overcome a three-run fifth inning by Tulsa as the Sooners fell to Tulsa, 5-3, Wednesday night at the Donna J. Hardesty Complex in Tulsa. The Sooners fell to 17-5 while Tulsa improved to 9-10. The loss snapped OU's seven-game win streak.

The Sooners out hit the Golden Hurricane, 8-6, but couldn't get any timely hits as they stranded eight runners on base. Tulsa recorded six hits with two key home runs that made the difference in the game.

D.J. Mathis fell to 13-2 after giving up four hits and three earned runs in 4.1 innings of work. Mathis gave up a home run in the second inning that ended her streak of 37 consecutive innings without giving up a run. Reliever Jadyn Smith came in for Mathis in the final 1.2 innings and gave up two hits and two unearned runs.

Offensively, Samantha Ricketts highlighted the night with a home run while Krystle Huey added two RBI with her first career triple. Savannah Long and Lindsey Vandever each had 2-for-3 outings.

Ricketts put the Sooners on the board first with her leadoff home run in the top of the second that soared over the right field fence and gave OU the 1-0 lead. It marked Ricketts' fourth home run of the year and her fourth in the last five games.

The home run sparked the Sooners as Susan Ogden followed Ricketts with a walk and Vandever followed that with a single to left field. However, the next three Sooners were retired as Oklahoma wasn't able to plate any more runs, but OU still led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the second.

However, Tulsa answered back in the bottom of the second as TU's Kelly Chapman pounded a two-run homer over right center field with one out to give the Golden Hurricane the 2-1 advantage after two frames.

Long notched a one-out double in the third, but the inning ended on a double play as Amber Flores ripped a line drive to the TU centerfielder, who threw out Long at second to get the double play.

Ricketts led off the fourth with a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Iver McDonald. Ogden followed that with a bunt single as the Sooners had runners at first and second with no outs. Next, Vandever grounded out to the first baseman as OU had two runners in scoring position. However, Oklahoma couldn't take advantage as Jones struck out and Jessica Legendre flew out to center to end the frame.

In the top of the fifth, Dickenson and Long recorded back-to-back walks as OU had runners at first and second with one out. Flores followed that with a fly out to right field that advanced Dickenson to third. The Sooners couldn't take advantage as Ricketts flew out to left field to end the top of the fifth.

The Golden Hurricane added more runs in the fifth as Lauren Lindsay pounded a one-out solo home run over the right field fence to extend the TU lead to 3-1. Following the home run, Mathis was replaced by OU reliever Jadyn Smith. The OU reliever struck out the next batter for the second out, but gave up a double to the next batter. The next batter walked as Tulsa had runners at first and second with two outs. Next, TU's Brooke Smart recorded a single, but a throwing error by OU third baseman Jessica Legendre advanced both runners home as Tulsa led 5-1. Smith struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Vandever sparked the Sooners in the sixth with her one-out double to left field as pinch hitter Wendy Trott followed that with a single to center as OU had runners at the corners. Next, pinch hitter Haley Anderson grounded out to the TU third baseman for the second out of the frame. However, Krystle Huey followed that with a two-RBI triple to center field as OU cut the TU lead to 5-3. The Sooners couldn't plate another run as Dickenson popped up to the second baseman to end the frame.

Smith kept the Sooners in the game as she retired all three batters she faced in the bottom of the sixth. The Sooners headed to the top of the seventh with one last chance and trailing, 5-3.

Long led off the seventh, but grounded out to the shortstop for the first out. Next, Flores popped up to the shortstop for the second straight out. Ricketts gave the Sooners a base runner as she followed with her second walk of the night. However, Ogden struck out looking to end the game.

The Sooners will return to the OU Softball Complex this weekend as they host the OU Worth Invitational (March 8-9). Oklahoma will open play on Saturday against McNeese State at 2:30 p.m. followed by a 4:45 p.m. contest against Drake. In Sunday's action, the Sooners will face Drake at 1:15 p.m. and McNeese State at 3:30 p.m.

Next Event

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics