OU Drops Texas Finale, Controls Big 12 Destiny

May 6, 2012

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Texas	0	1	2	1	0	8	0	12	15	2
Oklahoma	0	0	1	0	4	0	0	5	5	1

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Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W- Fox (13-1)	3.0	3	1	1	1	2
L - Ricketts	3.0	6	8	5	0	4
S - N/A	-	-	-	-	-	-

Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
OU- Shults	2	1	1	2	2	1
UT- Ogle	4	0	3	2	0	0

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NORMAN, Okla. -- No. 3/4 Oklahoma dropped its final game of a three-game series with No. 8/10 Texas on Sunday, 12-5, but remained in the driver's seat in its quest for the program's ninth Big 12 title. The loss, OU's most lopsided this season, dropped OU to 42-8 on the year and 16-5 in the Big 12 while Texas improved to 41-10 and 15-8.

Oklahoma entered Sunday with the series win, its seventh Big 12 series win, having won Friday night's game 5-2 and Saturday's game 9-3 and remained in first in the Big 12 with Sunday's result. The Sooners enter next weekend's series at Iowa State with a two-game lead over second-place Missouri (14-7), who ends their season with a three-game series at home against Oklahoma State.

The Sooners fell behind for the third straight game of the series, dropping in a 4-1 hole, before capturing a 5-4 lead after five innings. After an eight-run explosion from Texas in the sixth, OU dropped to 27-2 on the year when leading after five.

“I don't feel too frustrated,” said OU Head Coach Patty Gasso. “This is a team that loves to win and wants to win. This was a big day for our seniors and I changed my lineup a bit for them, but that doesn't change our attack and our attitude. Today's game also says a lot about Texas, it's not a team that wants to get swept and they lead the Big 12 in hitting for a reason.”

Senior Kirsten Allen got the start Sunday as she pitched two and two-thirds innings, striking out one batter while walking another and giving up seven hits and three runs. Michelle Gascoigne replaced Allen in the circle for one and one-third innings, giving up two hits and one run. Keilani Ricketts entered the game in relief for the second straight game and finished with three innings of action, striking out four while giving up six hits and eight runs, five of which were earned.

Ricketts took the loss to Oklahoma to fall to 26-7 on the year. Rachel Fox got the win for Texas to move to 13-1 after replacing Blaire Luna in the fifth inning.

For the third straight game, Texas got on the board first as Courtney Craig led off the second with a double before she was moved to third on a Taylor Thom grounder to short. A short infield chopper from Torie Schmidt allowed Craig to scoot home for the game's first run.

The Longhorns added two more runs in the third after Taylor Hoagland led off with a walk before Lexy Bennett singled to put two UT runners on. A double from Nadia Taylor sent both Hoagland and Bennett home to give the UT a 3-0 lead.

Jessica Shults cut into the Texas lead in the bottom of the third as she hit a home run against the Longhorns for the second straight day. The solo shot over the center field fence. The home run was Shults' 49th of her career to move the junior to second on both the OU and Big 12 career charts for the stat.

Texas answered on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth as Thom doubled to lead off the inning before she was moved to third on a Schmidt sacrifice bunt. A single from Mandy Ogle down the left foul line sent Thom home for UT's fourth run of the game.

Oklahoma took the lead in the fifth when it scored four runs off three hits and one Texas' error. Destinee Martinez singled up the middle to lead off the inning before Luna issued three consecutive walks to load the bases and score Martinez. After Fox entered the game, Georgia Casey greeted her with a two-run double to right center that saw Shults tagged out at the plate.

After Erica Sampson walked to put two Oklahoma runners on, Brianna Turang reached first on a throwing error from Fox to load the bases again for the Sooners and for Katie Norris to slap a single through the left side of the Texas' defense to bring home Casey for OU's fourth run of the inning.

Texas got its redemption in the sixth inning as it exploded for eight runs off five hits and one error. An Ogle one-out single got the Longhorns started as she was the first of 10 straight Texas batters to reach safely. A fielder's choice play resulted in Ogle beating a throw to second and Kim Bruins reaching first. That was followed by a three-run home run from Hoagland before UT went back-to-back off a Bennett solo shot to right.

After Ricketts hit back-to-back batters, Karina Scott singled to center to load the bases for UT before Thom singled to right to score one run. With the bases still loaded, Schmidt laid down a bunt but an overthrow from Chamberlain at third to the plate allowed Scott and Craig to score and leave runners at second and third. After Allen reentered the game in the circle, Ogle hit an RBI grounder to third for Texas' eighth and final run of the inning.

Oklahoma closes out its 2012 regular season this weekend as they travel to Ames, Iowa for a three-game series against Iowa State.