Sooners Fall at Tulsa, 5-4, in Nine Innings
TULSA, Okla. – The 12th-ranked University of Oklahoma softball team led early but was unable to maintain the advantage as the Sooners (25-7) fell to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 5-4, in nine innings Tuesday evening. Freshman Keilani Ricketts (15-6) picked up the loss in relief against TU (14-10).
Oklahoma got up early in the first. Haley Nix led off with a single up the middle and Amber Flores followed with a double to right center. Both runners scored on Jessica Shults’ 10th home run of the season to put OU up 3-0 after the half inning.
The Golden Hurricane answered in the bottom half when Lauren Lindsey scored on a single by Cassidy Bowen and Samantha Cobb crossed the plate on a single up the middle by Vanessa Vice to trim the lead to 3-2 after a full inning of play.
Tulsa added the tying run in the bottom of the third when Lindsey scored her second run of the game on an infield single by Vice.
Oklahoma regained the lead in the top of the sixth on a solo home run by Lindsey Vandever. The shot was the senior’s sixth of the season. Tulsa rallied right back to tie the game again in the bottom frame when Caitlin Everett scored on a base hit by Lindsey.
The Sooners went down in order in the seventh and TU stranded a runner at first to end regulation. The Sooners had a prime opportunity to take the lead in the top of the eighth. Brianna Turang reached on an infield single and Amber Flores walked before Turang moved to third on a fielder’s choice. With runners at the corners and two outs, OU was unable to plate the go-ahead run. The Golden Hurricane went down in order in the bottom half.
A two-out single by Nix was Oklahoma’s only hit in the ninth. In the bottom, back-to-back doubles by Cobb and Bowen put runners at second and third with no outs. After an intentional walk, Christian Timmons delivered an single down the right field line to bring across Cobb and the game-winning run.
Ricketts went 5.0 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs. She struck out six. Starter Michelle Gascoigne went just 3.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits.
Kalynn Schrock (6-3) got the win in relief, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing just two hits and two walks. Schrock struck out six.
The Sooners continue the brief road swing Wednesday afternoon taking on Arkansas in Fayetteville at 4 p.m. CT.
Updated 03-24-2010
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