Sooners Open Weekend with Two Wins

Friday, March 6

Norman

2:30 PM

University of Oklahoma

17-4

Mercer

9-14

Mercer

Oklahoma

March 06, 2020 | Softball

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NORMAN – The No. 6/6 OU softball team opened up its second-straight home weekend with two victories on Friday.

The Sooners topped Mercer 10-5 before posting a run-rule victory over RV/#25 Utah by a score of 10-2 (5 innings).

Oklahoma's bats continued to roll on Friday with a combined five home runs in the two games, highlighted by senior captain Nicole Mendes' first blast of 2020 and sophomore Kinsey Koeltzow's first career roundtripper.

Mercer (9-14) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the day's first contest, plating two runs on two hits in the top of the first inning before adding another on a solo home run to left center from Kenlie Harvey in the second.

OU responded quickly in the third courtesy of sophomore Grace Lyons and junior Jocelyn Alo. Following the first Sooner hit of the game from Koeltzow and a walk to freshman Mackenzie Donihoo, Lyons laced a double to left to bring in one. Alo followed with a sacrifice fly to left to plate Donihoo. Lyons proceeded to reach home on an error to tie the game 3-3.

After the Bears put two runs on the board in the top of the fifth to regain the lead, senior captain Lynnsie Elam drilled her team-leading ninth home run of the season on a two-run shot to left field.

The Sooners pulled away in the bottom of the sixth with five runs on four hits. Mendes broke the tie on a two-run home run to right center for her first knock of 2020 and the 14th of her career. Alo plated another on a double to left, while sophomore Grace Green brought in two more runners on a single to right to bring the final to 10-5.

Elam led OU at the dish with a 2-for-4, two RBI performance, including one home run. It marked her seventh game of 2020 with two hits.

Freshman Olivia Rains registered her second win of the season in the circle. The Pryor, Okla., native entered in the third for starter Macy McAdoo and finished the game for OU with two runs (one earned) on two hits and four strikeouts to go with no walks. McAdoo went 2.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with three K's and two walks.

Oklahoma turned around to play the Utes (13-3) approximately 30 minutes following its victory over the Bears.

The Sooners went to work early and often in the second game of the day, recording four runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to a 4-0 lead.

Following a Green double to center field that plated two Sooners, Mendes stepped to the plate and launched her second homer of the day to left. It marked the second time in the Houston product's career that she homered twice in the same day (3/25/17 vs. Louisiana Tech and UAB).

Junior Eliyah Flores took her turn to go deep in the second inning to add to the OU lead. Flores laced a solo shot over the wall in left center for her second home run of the season and third of her career.

The Utes got their first run of the game in the top of the fourth on a RBI-double from BreOnna Castaneda. OU responded with five runs in the bottom frame of the inning.

Following a leadoff walk, Koeltzow stepped to the box and hit the first home run of her career on a two-run shot to right center. Lyons registered her first RBI of game two on a single to center field prior to a sac fly from freshman Kinzie Hansen that brought in another OU run.

Elam lined a ball to short that plated Lyons to make it 10-1, OU, after the fourth. The Utes brought one runner across in the top of the fifth but it wasn't enough to prevent the run-rule victory for the Sooners. It was OU's fourth run-rule win of the season and first at Marita Hynes Field.

Green led OU at the plate in game two with a 2-for-3, two RBI outing, while Mendes and Koetlzow also brought in a pair on respective 1-for-1 and 1-for-2 performances. Additionally, Alo extended her hit streak to 12 games to tie her career long.

Senior RHP Shannon Saile went the whole way for OU, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits to go with three strikeouts and one walk.

Oklahoma returns to action Saturday with a pair of games. The Sooners face Murray State (2:30 p.m. CT) and Missouri State (5 p.m.) to cap the home weekend.

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

For updates and more information on Oklahoma softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.

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Next Event

Murray State

W, 6-1

Mar 7 (Sat)

2:30 PM

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Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Saile, Shannon (7-3)

L: Feldman, Mary Beth (2-1)

Utah

Batting:

2B: Castaenda, BreOnna 2

RBI: Bonstrom, Ellessa 1 ; Castaenda, BreOnna 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Denning, Haley 1 ; Barrera, Alyssa 1

Oklahoma

Batting:

2B: Green, Grace 1

HR: Mendes, Nicole 1 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Flores, Eliyah 1

RBI: Lyons, Grace 1 ; Hansen, Kinzie 1 ; Elam, Lynnsie 1 ; Green, Grace 2 ; Mendes, Nicole 2 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 2 ; Flores, Eliyah 1

SF: Hansen, Kinzie 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Lyons, Grace 1 ; Hansen, Kinzie 1 ; Elam, Lynnsie 1 ; Green, Grace 1 ; Mendes, Nicole 1 ; Pogue, Raylee 1 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Flores, Eliyah 2 ; Donihoo, Mackenzie 1