Sooners Split Two with Mean Green Saturday

Saturday, February 29

Norman

12:30 PM

University of Oklahoma

13-3

North Texas

15-3

North Texas

Oklahoma

Sooners Split Two with Mean Green Saturday

February 29, 2020 | Softball

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NORMAN – The No. 5/5 Oklahoma softball team split two games with North Texas on Saturday at the Courtyard Marriott Tournament at Marita Hynes Field.

Following a 4-3 loss in the day's first game, the Sooners (14-4) bounced back to top the Mean Green 15-8 in game two and advance to the tournament championship game.

"We've been in these positions before in the past," said Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso. "Good teams know how to answer, and one thing we need to learn is just continue to find ways to win games where we're not getting beat by one run. I think that really made them fired up.

"This game (Saturday's game two) was who's going to play in the championship of our tournament, so I think everybody just got on board and did their best and that's what I need this early in the season is just a good response."

Oklahoma dropped its fourth game of the season and first at home in the day's early game against the Mean Green (15-4). After OU went up 2-0 in the first inning, UNT reeled off a combined three runs in the second and third innings to go on top by one. Each team added a run a piece in the fourth and sixth innings for a final of 4-3. Out of OU's four losses in 2020, three have come by one run.

Junior Lynnsie Elam and sophomore Grace Green paced OU at the plate in the first game. Elam finished 2-for-3 with one RBI while Green went 2-for-4 with one run batted in. Senior Shannon Saile took the loss with an outing of 4.0 innings pitched, one run on four hits and five strikeouts. Freshman Olivia Rains was responsible for the Mean Green's first three runs in addition to five hits.

Thirty minutes later, the two teams turned around to play a game two that entailed a combined 23 runs on 28 hits and nine home runs.

After UNT started the game on a tear with four first-inning runs on three homers, Oklahoma responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the third. Junior Jocelyn Alo opened things up for OU with a two-run shot to center field before freshman Kinzie Hansen drilled her first home run of the day on a solo blast to center.

The Mean Green added a run in the top of the fourth to go up 5-3 before OU unleashed a six-run, eight-hit frame in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Sooners batted through the lineup with RBI-hits coming from freshman Raylee Pogue, sophomore Grace Lyons, Alo, Green and freshman Alycia Flores. Flores registered two doubles in the inning, plating two runs.

Following another added run from UNT in the top of the fifth, Hansen stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and sent a ball deep for the first grand slam of her career and second home run of the game. The blast put OU on top 13-6 and after pairs of runs from each squad in the sixth, the Sooners won by a final of 15-8.

Hansen finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with an impressive five RBIs and two home runs. It marked the first time a Sooner has batted in five-plus runs this season and the freshman's second game with three-plus hits. Alo also did her part in the box, finishing 4-for-5 with four RBIs and one homer. It was the first time in the junior's career to record four hits in a game and her eighth contest with four-plus runs batted in.

Saile bounced back from the day's first game to earn the win in the second matchup, finishing with a line of 5.0 innings pitched, four runs on five hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.

Oklahoma returns to action for the Courtyard Marriott Tournament championship game tomorrow at noon CT. OU will face Northwestern for the second time on the weekend, topping the Wildcats 8-3 on Friday.

Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Soonersports.com/tickets or by phone at (800) 456-GoOU.

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