Run-Rule Win Seals 5-0 Weekend

Saturday, March 16

Los Angeles, Calif.

11:00 AM

University of Oklahoma

Illinois

March 16, 2019 | Softball

By: Athletics Communications

^2/2Oklahoma

Illinois

Box Score

Highlights

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
OU	0	3	0	3	0	5	11	13	0
ILL	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	3	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Juarez (11-0)	6.0	3	1	1	1	12
L - Edwards (1-1)	3.0	4	3	2	1	1

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
OU - Aviu	3	1	2	3	1	1
ILL - Demers	2	1	1	1	0	1

LOS ANGELES – In its final regular season tournament game, the No. 2/2 Oklahoma softball team earned an 11-1, run-rule victory over Illinois in six innings on Saturday at the LMU/CSUN Tournament.

With the win, the Sooners improved to 25-2 on the year, including a 5-0 record in the event. OU scored at least 10 runs in all five of its games this weekend. Five straight games with double-digit runs is the longest for OU since doing so in March 2015.

Additionally, with 13 hits against the Illini (14-5), the Sooners have now registered at least 10 hits in their last six games.

"It was fun to watch," OU head coach Patty Gasso said of her team's performance over the weekend. "They played really well today against an Illinois team that's got some great wins... This whole weekend was about the team – whether it's pitchers, hitters, defense – everything about it was on point."

Junior pitcher Giselle Juarez tossed a complete game on Saturday, striking out a dozen batters for her fourth game this season with double-digit strikeouts. She surrendered one run on three hits over 6.0 innings.

The Sooner offense was powered by home runs from Caleigh Clifton, Falepolima Aviu and Jocelyn Alo. All three finished 2-for-3 on the day; Aviu tallied three RBIs and both Clifton and Alo finished with two.

Also registering two hits on Saturday were junior Nicole Mendes and sophomore Lynnsie Elam.

The Sooners struck first with three runs on the second, sparked by a lead-off home run from Clifton. She smoked a line drive over the left-field wall for her sixth homer of the season.

With two runners in scoring position later in the inning, Mendes drove a single to right field to drive in Grace Green. Pinch runner Audrie LaValley then took advantage of a fielding error to reach home.

Aviu doubled OU's advantage in the fourth, crushing a three-run homer to right field. It marked her fifth bomb of the season and the 23rd of her career.

The Illini cut into OU's lead in the fifth with a solo home run to left center from Maddison Demers.

Mendes and Alo responded with extra-base hits to lead off the top of the sixth. Mendes drilled a double to right center before Alo crushed a homer to left center, marking her fourth home run of the year.

Romero and Aviu strung together a pair of singles before Eliyah Flores drew a walk to load the bases. Clifton then drew a full-count walk to bring Romero home.

With the bases still loaded, a grounder from Raegan Rogers brought Flores home. Elam then singled to left to bring Clifton home.

"I'm really pleased as we walk out of here," Gasso said. "I feel like we're ready to start Big 12 play."

Up next, the Sooners return to Marita Hynes Field on Wednesday for a midweek matchup with North Texas. OU then begins conference play next weekend at Texas Tech.