Softball Begins Final Homestand

May 4, 2011

North Texas (21-29) at No. 15 Oklahoma (35-16)
Game Info	Thursday, May 5, 2011
Location	OU Softball Complex \| Norman, Okla.
Tickets	Available: $10 reserved \| $8 general admission
Radio	KREF 1400 AM
Promotions	Sit with the Stars \| 50-cent hot dogs and Cokes
Online	Webcast \| Game Notes \| Twitter

A LOOK AT THURSDAY
The 15th-ranked University of Oklahoma softball closes out the home portion of the 2011 season this week, beginning with a single game against North Texas on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT. A webcast of the game is available via Oklahoma All-Access on SoonerSports.com. The game airs locally on KREF 1400 AM with Brian Brinkley on the call. Live stats are also available at SoonerSports.com.

A LOOK AT OKLAHOMA AS A TEAM
• Oklahoma's last 10 games have been against ranked opponents. OU has played 23 games (11-12) against ranked opponents this season.
• OU hasn't faced this many ranked opponents since facing 25 in the 2003 season (16-9).
• Oklahoma has hit 62 home runs this year; seven of those are grand slams.
• Oklahoma is 4-4 against teams ranked in the NFCA top 10 at the time of the contest.
• The Sooners are 18-15 against the April 27 RPI top 50. OU is 4-5 against the top 10 and 10-12 against the top 25.
• OU has played 17 games against non-conference teams ranked in the April 27 RPI top 50, including five against teams in the top 10 (3-2 against those teams).

A LOOK AT OKLAHOMA INDIVIDUALLY
• Keilani Ricketts (367) became the Oklahoma single season strikeout leader this past weekend. The previous record was 356 by Jill Most in 1996.
• Ricketts' 713 career strikeouts is third all-time at OU and 20 from second place. Ricketts averages 11.49 K's per game.
• In her 32 starts in the circle, she has registered double-digit strikeouts 22 times.
• Ricketts leads the Big 12 in strikeouts (367), innings pitched (223.2), appearances (3840 games started (32) and complete games (27).
• Ricketts has 22 career shutouts, eighth on the career all-time list. She struck out a career-high 17 batters against DePaul on March 17.
• Senior Dani Dobbs set a single game best in the second game against Kansas on April 6. Dobbs went 5-for-5 at the plate.
• She's the first Sooner to have five or more hits in a game since Amber Flores had five against Iowa State in 2009. It's also an OU single game record.
• Freshman Destinee Martinez leads OU and the Big 12 with 67 hits. She leads OU with a .358 batting average.
• After playing outfield all of last season and the majority of this year, Brianna Turang made the move to second base this year.
• Senior Chana'e Jones continues to have a breakthrough season. Jones has set single season highs in the majority of offensive categories.
• She's also playing a new defensive position - first base. Jones is errorless in conference games and been responsible for several highlight-reel plays.
• Jessica Shults and Brittany Williams have provided the OU offense power this year.
• Shults leads OU with 19 home runs, 58 runs batted in and a .764 slugging percentage.
• Shults' 19 home runs are a single-season best for the sophomore. The OU single season record is 20 (Lisa Carey, 2000 and Lynette Velazquez, 1999).
• Shults has two grand slams this year. Nix has the other two. Ricketts, Williams and Dobbs have the others.
• Williams leads the Sooners and Big 12 with 43 walks drawn this season. She also leads the team with a .509 on-base percentage.
• The only other Sooner to have more walks in a single season was Flores (2008-10).
• Head coach Patty Gasso won her 800th Division I game on March 19 against No. 4 Washington. Gasso is 809-266-2 (.751) in 17 years at OU.
• Gasso is the 20th active coach to reach the mark and 30th all-time at the NCAA Division I level.
• Gasso is 971-325-2 (.748) in 21 seasons as a head coach. She needs 29 wins for career win No. 1,000.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES HISTORY
• Oklahoma leads the all-time series with North Texas 20-0 and holds a 14-0 mark in games played in Norman.
• Complete series history information begins on page 140 of the 2011 Oklahoma softball virtual guide.

A LOOK AT WHAT'S NEXT
• The Sooners close out conference play this weekend against Iowa State - Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors