University of Oklahoma Athletics

Trio of Homers Lead to Bedlam Run-Rule Win
March 30, 2016 | Softball


Inning-by-Inning | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
OSU | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | x | x | 2 | 4 | 1 | |
OU | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | x | x | 10 | 10 | 0 |
Pitching | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
W - Parker (11-3) | 5.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
L - Needham (5-7) | 4.0 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
S - N/A | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Individual Leaders | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AB | R | H | RBI | BB | HR | |
OU - Miller | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
OSU - Faulkner | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Game Notes |
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Oklahoma now leads the all-time series against Oklahoma State, 81-70, including a 17-16 mark at neutral sites ... OU has won 11 straight in the series and 14 of the past 15 matchups ... OU is 16-5 in Big 12 openers, including five straight wins (outscored opponents 39-6 in those five games) ,,, OU's 81 wins over OSU are its most against another opponent ... the Sooners have won eight straight regular season games at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium and are 14-4 this year at neutral sites ... Oklahoma has won 10 games this year via run-rule ... freshman Shay Knighten hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season and has tied a career high with a six-game hitting streak ... sophomore Nicole Pendley brought her hitting streak to four games, matching a season long ... senior Kady Self's three-run homer gave her a season-high three RBI ... senior Erin Miller went 2-4 with two RBI and leads the team this year in both multi-hit games (15) and multi-RBI games (10) |
OKLAHOMA CITY – A tight Bedlam contest turned into a run-rule win for No. 13/14 Oklahoma (24-6, 1-0) as the Sooners beat Oklahoma State (17-13, 0-1) in five innings, 10-2, Wednesday night at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
With Oklahoma leading 3-2 after four innings, the Sooners hit three home runs in a seven-run fifth to notch their 11th straight win in the series. Freshman Shay Knighten hit a two-run homer, while senior Kady Self added a three-run shot later in the inning and fellow senior Erin Miller hit a walk-off, two-run blast to right field to end it. It was OU's 10th run-rule win of the season.
The victory continued OU's recent dominance in the Bedlam series. The team has won 11 straight in the series and 14 of the past 15 matchups. No current player on the Oklahoma roster has ever lost to Oklahoma State. The Sooners have played the Cowgirls more than any other opponent (151 games) and have more wins over OSU (81) than any other foe.
Oklahoma is also now 16-5 all-time in Big 12 openers. In fact, OU has won five straight such games, outscoring opponents 39-6 during the streak.
Miller was 2-4 in the game with two runs scored and two RBI, while sophomore Kelsey Arnold also had a multi-hit game as she was 2-3 with two runs scored. Knighten and Self each drove in three runs.
Sophomore Paige Parker earned the win to improve to 11-3 on the season. She struck out five and allowed two runs on two walks and four hits.
After a scoreless first inning, Oklahoma State opened the scoring when Berkley Faulkner pulled a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left field for her second homer of the season. It was the Cowgirls' first lead in the series since the first game of the 2013 season. OU ultimately won that game in run-rule fashion also, 10-1, in five innings.
The Cowgirls added a second run in the third inning.
Vanessa Shippy led off with a double down the right field line. Taylor Lynch followed with an infield single to third base, putting runners on the corners with no one out. A sacrifice fly to right field by Tiffany Mikkelson then put the Cowgirls on top 2-0.
The lead would not last long, though, as Oklahoma used four hits to score three runs in the bottom of the frame.
Sophomore Nicole Pendley hit a chopper to shortstop to lead off and beat the throw down the line. Fellow sophomore Kelsey Arnold slapped a single through the left side, while senior Erin Miller dropped down a bunt single to load the bases with no one out.
Freshman Sydney Romero brought in Pendley with a groundout to second base, while Shay Knighten tied the game when she also grounded out to second. With two out and Miller on third, sophomore Lea Wodach pulled the first pitch she saw into left field to put the Sooners on top 3-2.
Oklahoma State threatened to tie the game in the top of the fifth, but solid infield defense kept OU in front.
Shippy led off with a triple to left field, but Lynch grounded out to freshman Caleigh Clifton at second keeping Shippy at third. Mikkelson also grounded out, this time to Arnold at short and, once again, Shippy couldn't advance. OSU's last hope came down to Red Reasnor, but Parker struck her out to keep the tying run at third.
OU then ended the game in the fifth with a barrage of homers.
Romero led off with a bunt single and came in to score when Knighten homered to left center. It was Knighten's team-leading seventh home run of the year.
Two batters and one pitching change later, Clifton walked before freshman Fale Aviu was hit by a pitch. After a double steal, Self bombed a three-run homer to right for her second long ball of the year.
Arnold kept the inning alive two batters later when she reached on an infield single, and Miller ended the game with a walk-off, two-run homer to right field. It was her sixth of the year, tying for second on the team.
Oklahoma continues conference play this weekend as it plays host to Kansas at Marita Hynes Field. Friday's game starts at 6:30 p.m.