Upcoming Event: Softball versus Battle Series - 1 on October 3, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
Softball
vs Battle Series - 1
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Friday, May 4
Norman
7:00 PM
University of Oklahoma
5
vs
2
Texas
Casey Walk Off Three-Run Homer Downs Texas
May 04, 2012 | Softball
May 4, 2012
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NORMAN, Okla. -- Entering Friday night's game, Keilani Ricketts had just seven wild pitches on the season for No. 3/4 Oklahoma before throwing three against No. 8/10 Texas to put OU in a 2-0 hole. It was her bat, however, that provided the first of three Oklahoma home runs, including a walk-off three-run home run from freshman Georgia Casey, as the Sooners rebounded for a 5-2, eight-inning win.
Ricketts and Casey were joined in the home run stat column by freshman Erica Sampson, who followed Ricketts' leadoff home run in the sixth with a solo shot of her own as OU advanced one step closer to the Big 12 title, moving to 41-7 on the year and 15-4 in the Big 12. Texas, who sits in second in the conference, fell to 40-9 and 14-7 on the year.
Facing an 0-2 count in the bottom of the eighth, Casey sent her seventh home run of the season into the left center field bleachers beyond the fence of Marita Hynes Field. The walk off shot was Casey's second walk off hit this year after hitting a walk off single in the 10th inning of OU's 2-1 win over Missouri on April 20.
“We had this game circled on our calendars and our team was ready for tonight. They had a lot of anticipation built up and sometimes that's not so great when facing a good pitcher,” said OU Head Coach Patty Gasso. “We started to be hesitant and walked away from our game plan a bit. We were able to readjust and get some things done. The emotion shown by Keilani Ricketts as she circled the bases got me fired up and really got our team going. Our freshmen were amazing and for Georgia Casey to have an 0-2 count, readjust and hit a walk off home run is just huge.”
Ricketts got the start for the Sooners in the circle and picked up her 18th double-digit strikeout game of the season and 55th of her career as she finished the night with 13 strikeouts. Ricketts allowed three hits without giving up a walk to move to 26-6 on the year. Blaire Luna took the loss for Texas to fall to 17-4 as she gave up eight Oklahoma hits while walking three and striking out 10.
Texas got on the board first in the fourth when Taylor Hoagland got the first Longhorn hit of the night with a single through the left side of the Oklahoma defense. Hoagland later advanced on a ground out to second from Brejae Washington before advancing to third on a passed ball and narrowly scoring under a tag from Ricketts on a wild pitch.
The Longhorns added their second run in the sixth inning as Taylor Thom reached on a fielder's choice before advancing to second on a wild pitch. After Thom stole third, Washington struck out swinging in what looked like the third out except for the pitch was Ricketts' third wild pitch of the night and escaped the reach of catcher Jessica Shults allowing Washington to reach first and Thom sprint home.
Ricketts immediately helped out her own cause in the sixth as she stepped to the plate in the first OU at bat in the sixth and sent her 13th home run of the season over the center field fence at the OU Softball Complex to cut the Texas lead in half. After back-to-back Oklahoma outs, freshman Erica Sampson tied the game up at two runs apiece with her fourth career home run, a solo shot into the left field stands at the OU Softball Complex.
The two teams return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. before closing out the series Sunday at 12 p.m. The first 500 fans at Saturday's match up will receive free OU softball hats designed by Gasso.
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