Run-Rule Wins Round Out Weekend

Sunday, February 24

Palm Springs, Calif.

11:00 AM

University of Oklahoma

Cal State Fullerton

February 24, 2019 | Softball

By: Athletics Communications

Cal State Fullerton

^4/4Oklahoma

Box Score

Highlights

UC Santa Barbara

^4/4Oklahoma

Box Score

Highlights

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
CSUF	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	2
OU	0	3	0	3	3	9	10	0

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Lopez (6-1)	3.2	2	1	1	1	6
L - Dockins (2-1)	1.1	0	0	0	0	4

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
CSUF - Rodriguez	1	0	1	1	1	0
OU - Clifton	4	1	3	5	0	1

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The No. 4/4 Oklahoma softball team closed out its weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a pair of run-rule wins, taking down Cal State Fullerton 9-1 in five innings and UC Santa Barbara 8-0 in six on Sunday.

The Sooners (13-2) have now won seven run-rule games this season and have shut out six opponents.

On the day, Oklahoma totaled 10 extra-base hits: four home runs and six doubles.

In game one, senior Caleigh Clifton had a monster performance at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a career-high-matching 5 RBIs. All three of her hits were for extra bases, including one home run.

Classmate Shay Knighten went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, registering a double and a home run in the contest.

The Sooners took the lead in the bottom of the second. Knighten led off the frame with a home run to left center, good for her second of the season and the 34th of her career.

With two outs in the inning, Lynnsie Elam and Grace Lyons both got on base with singles. Clifton plated them both with a double off the wall in center field.

In the fourth, Nicole Mendes took advantage of two throwing errors to score from first base. With a runner on third, Clifton launched a home run to left field to add a pair of runs for OU.

Oklahoma claimed the run-rule win in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the fifth. Knighten doubled to right to drive in Grace Green from first, good for Knighten's second extra-base hit of the game.

Freshman Kinsey Koeltzow then registered her first collegiate hit, a single on the left side that plated pinch runner Audrie LaValley.

Clifton ended the game by doubling to center again, bringing Koeltzow home for the Sooners' ninth run.

Juniors Mariah Lopez and Giselle Juarez combined in the circle for OU. Lopez moved to 6-1 on the year, allowing one run on two hits while striking out six over 3.2 innings of work.

Juarez faced four batters over 1.1 frames, striking out all of them. She finished the weekend with 28 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
UCSB	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2
OU	5	1	0	1	0	1	8	9	0

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Saile (2-1)	4.0	2	0	0	0	9
L - Schuttish (1-4)	0.2	4	5	5	1	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
UCSB - Thies	2	0	1	0	0	0
OU - Romero	3	4	3	1	0	1

In the weekend finale against UCSB, Sydney Romero went 3-for-3 while scoring a career-high four runs. Knighten had her second multi-RBI performance of the day, driving in two runs again.

Oklahoma got off to a hot start in game two, scoring five runs on four hits in the first inning. OU's first three batters loaded the bases before cleanup hitter Knighten singled through the right side to plate Clifton and Sydney Romero.

Falepolima Aviu scored thanks to a sacrifice fly from Jocelyn Alo.

Nicole Mendes then hit her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field. It was the eighth homer of her career and her first since 2017.

In the second, Sydney Romero raced home after a throwing error by the UCSB first baseman to extend the Sooner lead to six.

Romero further extended the Sooner advantage in the fourth, leading of the bottom of the inning with a homer to left. It was her fifth home run of the season and second of the weekend.

The Sooners sealed their second run-rule win of the day in the sixth. Aviu singled to move Romero to third, and LaValley drove a single through the right side to plate Romero.

In the circle, junior Shannon Saile improved to 2-1 on the year, striking out nine and scattering two hits over 4.0 innings. Parker Conrad made her second appearance of the weekend, closing the final 2.0 frames and allowing two hits.

Up next, the Sooners open their home slate March 1-3 as they host Oregon State and Louisiana in the Courtyard Marriott Tournament at Marita Hynes Field. Tickets for Saturday's game have sold out; tickets for Friday and Sunday can be purchased online or by phone at (800) 456-GoOU.