All-American Duel Doesn't Go OU's Way

^14/13Minnesota

^9/8 Oklahoma

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
OU	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
MINN	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	4	0

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Groenewegen (1-0)	7.0	2	0	0	1	14
L - Parker (0-1)	6.1	4	1	1	2	9
S - N/A	-	-	-	-	-	-

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
OU - Miller	3	0	1	0	0	0
MINN - Dwyer	3	1	1	1	0	1

Game Notes
Oklahoma now trails the all-time series against Minnesota, 3-7 ... Oklahoma's record is 32-14 all-time in season openers ... senior Erin Miller hit the ninth triple of her career, breaking a four-way tie for 10th place in Oklahoma history ... Fale Aviu (RF), Shay Knighten (2B) and Sydney Romero (3B) made their Sooners debut and appeared in the starting lineup ... senior Kady Self made her first career start at first base, as did sophomore Kelsey Arnold at shortstop and Lea Wodach in left field

Game Notes

Oklahoma now trails the all-time series against Minnesota, 3-7 ... Oklahoma's record is 32-14 all-time in season openers ... senior Erin Miller hit the ninth triple of her career, breaking a four-way tie for 10th place in Oklahoma history ... Fale Aviu (RF), Shay Knighten (2B) and Sydney Romero (3B) made their Sooners debut and appeared in the starting lineup ... senior Kady Self made her first career start at first base, as did sophomore Kelsey Arnold at shortstop and Lea Wodach in left field

LAS VEGAS – With Oklahoma's Paige Parker and Minnesota's Sara Groenewegen both earning Second-Team All-American honors from the NFCA last year, a pitchers' duel in the Sooners' season opener was not unexpected.

Unfortunately for the No. 9/8 Sooners (0-1), the No. 14/13 Golden Gophers (2-0) walked away with a 1-0 win in OU's season opener Friday afternoon at the Sportco Kickoff Classic in Las Vegas.

Neither pitcher disappointed in her season debut.

Parker struck out nine and allowed four hits and two walks in 6.1 innings. Of her 101 pitches, 72 were strikes. During one stretch, she retired nine straight batters between the third and sixth innings, including four straight strikeouts at one point.

Groenewegen was just as strong in the circle for the Gophers. She limited the Sooners to just two hits and struck out 14 with just one walk allowed. She threw 79 strikes on her 107 pitches.

Parker's lone mistake came with one out in the seventh as Sydney Dwyer, who hit .125 a year ago with one home run, drilled a walkoff solo home run to dead centerfield.

Minnesota threatened in the first inning with runners on the corners and no one out, but sophomore Kelsey Arnold fielded a chopper at shortstop and fired home to senior Whitney Montgomery to get the lead runner. Taylor LeMay then lifted a fly ball to centerfield. Sophomore Nicole Pendley made the catch and was able to double-off Danielle Parlich at second base after she strayed too far from the base.

Oklahoma's best scoring chances came in the second and seventh innings.

In the second, senior Erin Miller hit a two-out triple to right field. It was her ninth career three-bagger, breaking a four-way tie for 10th place in Oklahoma history. Unfortunately for the Sooners, a strikeout left Miller stranded at third.

In the seventh, Arnold entered as a pinch hitter for Parker and drew a walk with two outs. She then stole second, but couldn't advance any further due to a strikeout.

Oklahoma put out a new-look lineup after graduating five seniors a year ago.

Three freshmen made their Sooners debut as Fale Aviu started in right field, Shay Knighten started at second base and Sydney Romero got the start at third base. In addition, Kady Self made her first career start at first base, while Kelsey Arnold and Lea Wodach did the same at shortstop and in left field, respectively.

This won't be the only time the Sooners see the Gophers this year. A second game between the schools is scheduled for March 16 in Norman.

Oklahoma returns to action later Friday night against No. 20/19 Washington. It's the first time in program history that OU opens a season with consecutive games against ranked teams.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Arnold

Shay Knighten

Erin Miller

Whitney Montgomery

Paige Parker

Nicole Pendley

Sydney Romero

Kady Self

Lea Wodach

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics