Softball Advances to Super Regional

May 22, 2011

Oklahoma 5, Tulsa 0
Box Score: PDF | HTML | Photos

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

Pitching	IP	H	R	E	BB	SO
W-Gascoigne (9-3)	7.0	6	0	0	4	9
L-Middlebrooks (11-5)	2.2	3	3	3	3	0

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	EB
OU - Ricketts	0	1	0	0	4	0
OU - Jones	3	1	2	1	1	0

Tulsa 4, Oklahoma 3 (9 innings)
Box Score: PDF | HTML

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Tulsa	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	4	5	2
Oklahoma	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	7	2

Pitching	IP	H	R	E	BB	SO
W - Kinard (11-7)	5.1	3	1	1	2	2
L - Ricketts (27-13)	8.2	5	4	4	5	8

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	EB
OU - Ricketts	3	1	2	2	1	1
OU - Dobbs	3	0	2	0	1	1

NORMAN, Okla. - The ninth-seeded University of Oklahoma softball team rebounded from its earlier loss to Tulsa on Sunday afternoon to win the program's 10th NCAA Regional title as the Sooners (41-17) blanked the Golden Hurricane 5-0 at the OU Softball Complex. The Sooners advance to play the No. 8 seed Arizona in a best-of-three Super Regional beginning Friday in Tucson.

The Sooners scored all five runs in the third inning and got a spectacular pitching performance from Michelle Gascoigne to move forward in the NCAA Championship. Gascoigne threw a complete game allowing just six hits and four walks. She struck out nine en route to throwing her second shutout of the year.

Javen Henson drew a leadoff walk in the third and advanced to second on a wild pitch before coming into score on a single to right center by Haley Nix. After Nix advanced on a wild pitch and Keilani Ricketts drew her second walk of the game, the Golden Hurricane made a pitching change. Reliever Aimee Creger's first pitch attempt was ruled an illegal pitch and Nix and Ricketts each advanced 60 feet. Brittany Williams then single to center field to scored Nix and Chana'e Jones singled to left to plate Ricketts. Dani Dobbs then reached on an error that would have been the final out of the inning as OU plated two more runs to lead 5-0 after three.

Gascoigne walked the bases loaded in the fourth but got out of the jam with a groundout to end the threat. Gascoigne allowed just two base hits following the fourth as the Sooners went on to win 5-0.

Ricketts set an Oklahoma NCAA Regional record with four walks drawn in the game. Ricketts did not register an official at-bat. Turang continued her hot streak, finishing the game 2-for-4. Jones also went 2-for-3 with a run scored and one driven in.

Caitlin Everett was the only Tulsa hitter to record multiple hits, finishing the game 2-for-4. Tulsa starter Lacey Middlebrooks pitched 2.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits and three walks. Creger pitch one-third of an inning and senior Jordan Kinard closed out the game for the Golden Hurricane, throwing the last 4.0 innings.

Oklahoma's best-of-three series with Arizona begins Friday in Tucson. The first game airs on ESPNU and is set to begin at 10:30 p.m. CT. Saturday's second game is set for 4 p.m. CT on ESPN and the deciding if necessary game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Game 6: Tulsa 4, Oklahoma 3 (9 innings)
Tulsa used extra innings to mount a comeback and take down the University of Oklahoma Sooners, 4-2, in game six of the Norman Regional.

In the bottom of the first, Ricketts put the Sooners on top 2-0 with a home run. Ricketts batted in Nix who reached on a fielder's choice. It was Ricketts' 11th home run of the season and Nix's 57th run scored.

Tulsa's first hit of the game came on a double in the top of the fourth inning when Everett knocked a jumper to short left field and the Sooners picked up a throwing error on a miss at first as Everett took two bases on the play.

Everett reached third on a wild pitch and Kelly Chapman walked on a full count to put two on with two outs. Nix saved the threat with an easy pop fly catch past first base that ended the inning.

Tulsa tied the game in the top of the fifth inning when pinch runner Emma Horton scored and Jill Barrett came home after Chapman was hit by a pitch. The game ended regulation tied 2-2 as the Sooners went to extra innings for the fifth this year.

Destinee Martinez continued her 10-game hitting streak in the bottom of the eighth with a single and Williams had a chance to close out the game for Sooners in the eighth, but her potential home run fell short of the right field wall.

Tulsa took the lead in the top of the ninth on wild pitch by Ricketts that allowed Lauren Menke to score from third. The second walk of the inning was issued to Barrett as the Hurricane put two runners aboard. Samantha Cobb then doubled a shot to left center, scoring Barrett to give the Golden Hurricane a 4-2 lead after the top half of the inning.

Oklahoma rallied its comeback in the bottom half after Jones reached on a single and moved to second on a wild pitch before advancing to third on a single from Dobbs. The Sooners pulled within one when Katie Norris reached on a fielder's choice that scored Jones to cut the lead to 4-3. Pinch hitter Haley McGregor had a base hit taken away in the next at-bat on a spectacular backhanded diving catch by Cobb. Martinez grounded out to end the game as the Hurricane forced the deciding game seven.

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