Sooners Salvage Split in Palm Springs

Thursday, February 25

Palm Springs, Calif.

5:00 PM

University of Oklahoma

Utah

February 25, 2016 | Softball

By: Karl Anderson

Utah

^12/11 Oklahoma

Box Score

Audio Highlights

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
OU	1	0	1	2	0	1	1	6	14	0
UTAH	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	4	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Stevens (4-1)	7.0	4	2	2	2	4
L - Viramontes (4-1)	3.2	8	4	4	0	3
S - N/A	-	-	-	-	-	-

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	2B
OU - Romero	4	1	3	0	0	1
UTAH - Urtez	3	0	2	2	0	1

Game Notes
Oklahoma now leads the all-time series against Utah, 9-3 ... the Sooners have won nine straight against the Utes, the fourth longest active win streak for OU against a major conference team, and 13 of the past 14 matchups ... the team's 14 hits tied a season high, which they had done twice entering the game ... freshmen Sydney Romero and Shay Knighten both went 3-4 with a double and run scored; each tied a career high with three hits ... Romero hit her team leading sixth double of the season; no other Sooner has more than three doubles ... seniors Paris Townsend and Tori Nirschl each had pinch-hit, run-scoring singles ... senior Kelsey Stevens picked up hear team-best fourth win of the year ... senior Erin Miller tied a career high with two stolen bases

Game Notes

Oklahoma now leads the all-time series against Utah, 9-3 ... the Sooners have won nine straight against the Utes, the fourth longest active win streak for OU against a major conference team, and 13 of the past 14 matchups ... the team's 14 hits tied a season high, which they had done twice entering the game ... freshmen Sydney Romero and Shay Knighten both went 3-4 with a double and run scored; each tied a career high with three hits ... Romero hit her team leading sixth double of the season; no other Sooner has more than three doubles ... seniors Paris Townsend and Tori Nirschl each had pinch-hit, run-scoring singles ... senior Kelsey Stevens picked up hear team-best fourth win of the year ... senior Erin Miller tied a career high with two stolen bases

PALM SPRINGS, Calif -- After dropping its opener via walk-off home run earlier in the day, the No. 12/11 Oklahoma softball team (8-3) bounced back with a 6-2 win over Utah (8-4) Thursday afternoon at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.

Freshmen Sydney Romero and Shay Knighten led the offense as each went 3-4 with a double and run scored. Both players equaled career highs for hits, while the team had 14 hits to tie a season high.

Senior Kelsey Stevens earned the win for her team-leading fourth victory of the season. Now 4-1 on the year, she struck out four and walked two while giving up two runs on four hits. After giving up two runs in the third, she retired seven straight batters and 13 of the final 14 batters she faced.

For the seventh time in 11 games this year, the Sooners scored in the first inning. OU is now 6-1 when scoring in the first inning and 8-2 when scoring being the first team to score.

Romero led off the game with her team-leading sixth double of the season and took third when sophomore Kelsey Arnold reached safely on a bunt single. Senior Erin Miller then fought through a 10-pitch at-bat and finished by pulling a single through the right side, driving home Romero.

The lead doubled in the third with Miller involved once again.

Miller was on third after doubling and sophomore Lea Wodach stood on first base with two outs. As senior Kady Self batted, Wodach started walking toward second base before taking off in a sprint. Wodach's steal attempt prompted a throw from Utah catcher Shelby Pacheco. That enabled Miller to score from third with the game's opening run.

Utah countered with two runs in the third to tie the game when Anissa Urtez doubled to right field with the bases loaded.

OU took the lead back for good in the fourth, though.

With two outs and runners on first and second, Romero reached on an infield single to fill the bases. Senior Paris Townsend was then called upon as a pinch hitter. She quickly fell behind 0-2 but came through with what turned out to be the game-winning hit as she singled up the middle to score senior Whitney Montgomery and sophomore Nicole Pendley.

Oklahoma then added on insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

In the sixth, Knighten led off with a double down the left field line and took third thanks to Montgomery's sacrifice bunt. Pendley followed with a single through the right side to push OU's lead to 5-2.

In the seventh, Wodach hit a ground rule double to center field with one out. After moving up to third on a groundout, senior Tori Nirschl came up as a pinch hitter and singled up the middle for the game's final run.

Oklahoma continues play at the Mary Nutter Classic Friday with two more games. The Sooners face No. 2/2 Michigan at 12 a.m. CT and then No. 20/20 Fresno State at 3 p.m. CT.