Legendre's Hit Wins it In Extras

April 10, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. - The Sooners used 10 innings to do it, but topped the Red Raiders, 3-2, on Thursday night in the first game of the doubleheader. Junior Jessica Legendre recorded the game-winning RBI single with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the 10th to lead the Sooners to victory.

Oklahoma (34-9, 7-0 Big 12) and Texas Tech (13-28, 3-5) began the second game of the doubleheader at approximately 8:35 p.m.

Texas Tech took the early 2-0 lead in the first and OU scored a run in the bottom of the fourth and the bottom of the sixth before scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th.

Junior pitcher D.J. Mathis pushed her record to 22-4 after throwing a single-game career-high 10 innings. The lefty allowed two earned runs on six hits while striking out nine and walking two. The Sooner offense registered nine hits and was led by Lindsey Vandever's 2-for-4 outing and Legendre's two RBI.

Texas Tech took the early momentum with one out after back-to-back singles and a walk by Mathis. Next, a Mathis wild pitch scored Tech's first run of the game as the Red Raiders had runners at second and third with one out. Megan Shupp ripped an RBI single to right field to push the lead to 2-0. The next batter was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. However, Mathis settled and struck out the next two batters but Tech led 2-0 heading into the bottom of the first.

The Sooners closed the gap in the fourth as Traci Dickenson led off with a walk and Vandever followed that with a single. Next, Wendy Trott flew out to centerfield, but Dickenson advanced to third on the play. Jessica Legendre's fielder's choice to second base scored Dickenson on a play at the plate. However, the Sooners couldn't plate any more runs as Haley Anderson lined out to third base and Amber Flores ended the inning with a pop up to shortstop.

Oklahoma evened it up in the bottom of the sixth as Vandever led off with a single and was sacrifice bunted over to second by Trott. Next, Legendre walked but Anderson flew out to left field for the second out of the frame. Flores stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single, but she tried to turn it into a double and was thrown out at second to end the frame but the score was now tied 2-2.

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

Long led off the bottom of the seventh, but grounded out to third base for the first out of the frame. Next, Ogden popped up to second for the second out and Dickenson popped up to second for the final out, which sent the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, TTU's Montana Patin led off with a walk and Jennifer Corkin put down a fielder's choice bunt. Vandever tried to get the out at second, but the runner was safe as Tech had runners at first and second and no outs. However, the Sooner defense stepped up as the next batter flew out to center and Legendre converted a double play at third to send the game into the bottom of the eighth with the score still tied.

The Sooners weren't able to plate any runs in the eighth as the game was sent to the ninth inning. In the top of the ninth, Tech's Jennifer Bowers grounded out to third base. Next, Whitney Riley doubled off the centerfield wall, but was thrown out at third for the second out. The next batter was retired to send it into the bottom of the ninth.

Oklahoma couldn't convert in the ninth as the game headed into the 10th with the international tie-breaker rule that places a runner on second at the start of each frame.

Starting the 10th, Tech opened the frame with Eimen at second base. Legler went to bunt her over to third, but the Sooners tried to get the out at third. However, Eimen was safe at third and Legler moved to second on fielder's choice as the Red Raiders had two runners in scoring position and no outs.

However, Mathis escaped without giving up a run as she retired the next three batters to end the top of the 10th. The Sooners opened the 10th with Dickenson on second and Vandever up to the plate. The Red Raiders tried to pick Dickenson off at second, but a throwing error on the catcher advanced her to third. On a 1-2 count, Tech decided to intentionally walk Vandever and followed that with an intentional walk to Trott to load the bases with no outs. Legendre stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and delivered the game-winning hit.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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