Hot Start Fuels Sooners in Fall Win

NORMAN – The Oklahoma softball team scored in each of the first four innings en route to a 15-2 win over North Texas in the Sooners' final home game of the fall season Thursday night. Prior to the game, the teams agreed to play a full 10 innings.

Now a perfect 6-0 in the fall, Oklahoma was led offensively by junior Erin Miller, who had a team-high four runs batted in, including a three-run homer. Freshman Paige Parker added three runs driven in, while fellow freshmen Nicole Pendley and Kelsey Arnold each collected three hits.

All five pitchers on the OU roster saw action in the circle with Parker getting the starting nod. She threw 4.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk. She gave way to Shelby Pendley who struck out two and allowed one hit in 2.2 innings of work.

Juniors Taylor Dewbery, Kelsey Stevens and Leslie Miller covered the final 3.1 innings. Dewbery and Leslie Miller each retired the single batter they faced, while Stevens had a game-high six strikeouts and allowed one run on three hits.

Oklahoma jumped on North Texas early, posting three runs in the bottom of the first. With the bases loaded, Erin Miller was hit by a pitch, and two batters later, Parker dropped a single into shallow left field to plate two more runs.

In the second inning, the lead grew to 5-0 as Shelby Pendley drove in her sister, Nicole, on a two-run homer to the bleachers in left center.

Parker picked up her third RBI of the night in the third when she pulled a single into right field to score a run and make it 6-0.

After North Texas got on the board with a solo homer in the fourth, Oklahoma answered right back as Nicole Pendley launched a long home run to right center to put the score at 7-1. The lead grew to 8-1 later in the frame when senior Lauren Chamberlain scored on an RBI single by fellow senior Georgia Casey.

After a scoreless sixth inning, Erin Miller brought her RBI count to four with a three-run, line drive homer to the bleachers in right field to make the score 11-1.

North Texas scored another run in the eighth, but the Sooners answered an inning later with four more runs. Senior Callie Parsons hit an RBI single before freshman Lea Wodach and Leslie Miller each drew bases-loaded walks. A run-scoring groundout from junior Paris Townsend closed out the scoring in the game.

Oklahoma closes out the fall season on Saturday, Nov. 1 with a doubleheader at Arkansas starting at 2 p.m.

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Arnold

Kelsey Arnold

Georgia Casey

Lauren Chamberlain

Erin Miller

Erin Miller

Leslie Miller

Paige Parker

Paige Parker

Callie Parsons

Nicole Pendley

Nicole Pendley

Shelby Pendley

Shelby Pendley

Kelsey Stevens

Kelsey Stevens

Paris Townsend

Lea Wodach

Lea Wodach

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