NCAA Division 1 SoftballApr 17, 2016 by Chez Sievers
Oklahoma Completes Sweep Over Texas
Oklahoma Completes Sweep Over Texas
NORMAN – No. 12/9 Oklahoma (34-7, 9-1 Big 12) finished a three-game sweep of Texas (27-13, 2-6) Saturday with a 5-3 win at Marita Hynes Field.The Sooners ha
NORMAN – No. 12/9 Oklahoma (34-7, 9-1 Big 12) finished a three-game sweep of Texas (27-13, 2-6) Saturday with a 5-3 win at Marita Hynes Field.
The Sooners have now won seven in a row over the Longhorns, their longest winning streak in the history of the series. In addition, Oklahoma swept Texas in consecutive series for just the second time ever, also doing so in 2000 and 2001.
Oklahoma has also won nine games in a row overall, matching its longest winning streak of the season. OU also won nine games from Feb. 26 to March 13.
In its quest for a fifth straight Big 12 title, Oklahoma owns a 2.5 game lead over Baylor (34-12, 7-4) in the Big 12 standings and holds the tiebreaker over the Lady Bears having swept them in Waco last weekend. The Sooners’ final league games are against Iowa State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. Those teams are a combined 8-16 in conference play.
Bragging Rights: The Romero Sisters Premieres April 20,2016
Senior Erin Miller and freshman Sydney Romero sparked the Oklahoma offense Saturday from the top of the order. Miller was 2-2 with two runs scored, two walks and an RBI, while Romero went 2-4 with two runs scored and a run batted in.
In the circle, senior Kelsey Stevens and sophomore Paige Parker combined on the win for OU.
Stevens got the start and finished with four strikeouts, three walks and one hit allowed in 3.0 innings. Parker entered in the fourth and got the win to see her record go to 20-3 overall and 8-0 in Big 12 play. She struck out seven, but gave up three runs on three hits and two walks.
Both teams had scoring chances early on, but neither could cross the plate.
After a strikeout in the first, Celina Felix was hit by a pitch and Holly Kern reached on an infield single. Stevens battled back though and struck out the next two batters to keep the Longhorns off the board.
Oklahoma loaded the bases with just one out in the second, but also failed to score.
Senior Kady Self led off with a single and took second two batters later when freshman Fale Aviu also singled. Sophomore Nicole Pendley grabbed the third OU hit of the inning when she singled to center, filling the bases.
A ground ball to second from sophomore Lea Wodach resulted in an out at the plate as Stephanie Ceo came home to get the force. A foul out to third kept the game scoreless after two innings.
OU loaded the bases again in the third inning, but this time the Sooners didn’t miss their chance.
Miller walked to lead it off and advanced to second thanks to a bunt single by Romero. Freshman Shay Knighten walked to load the bases, but Texas got two quick outs when Kelli Hanzel caught a line drive and stepped on first for an unassisted double play.
It looked like the Sooners may squander a bases loaded opportunity for the second straight inning, but freshman Caleigh Clifton came through with a two-run single to right field, putting OU on top.
The lead grew to 5-0 thanks to another two-out rally in a three-run fourth inning.
In her first plate appearance of the game, sophomore Kelsey Arnold walked on a full-count pitch with two outs. Miller also worked the count full in her at-bat, but instead of walking like Arnold she drilled a double off the wall in center field to drive in a run.
Romero followed with a run-scoring hit of her own. She singled up the middle and Miller was just able to touch the plate before she was tagged, doubling OU’s lead to 4-0. Romero took second on the throw home, which paid off when Knighten dropped a single into shallow left-center, allowing Romero to score OU’s fifth run of the day.
Texas mounted a late comeback as Kelli Hanzel hit a three-run homer with one out in the top of the seventh. In fact, Texas had the tying run up in Holly Kern, but Parker closed the game out with a strikeout.
Up next, the Sooners play five non-conference games in the coming week. Tuesday they’re at Tulsa, before heading to Arkansas Wednesday to meet the Razorbacks. The team then travels to Knoxville, Tenn., this weekend for the Tennessee Classic. OU faces Lipscomb and No. 15/17 Tennessee on Saturday before closing the week against ULM on Sunday.
Information provided courtesy of University Oklahoma Softball.
The Sooners have now won seven in a row over the Longhorns, their longest winning streak in the history of the series. In addition, Oklahoma swept Texas in consecutive series for just the second time ever, also doing so in 2000 and 2001.
Oklahoma has also won nine games in a row overall, matching its longest winning streak of the season. OU also won nine games from Feb. 26 to March 13.
In its quest for a fifth straight Big 12 title, Oklahoma owns a 2.5 game lead over Baylor (34-12, 7-4) in the Big 12 standings and holds the tiebreaker over the Lady Bears having swept them in Waco last weekend. The Sooners’ final league games are against Iowa State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. Those teams are a combined 8-16 in conference play.
Bragging Rights: The Romero Sisters Premieres April 20,2016
Senior Erin Miller and freshman Sydney Romero sparked the Oklahoma offense Saturday from the top of the order. Miller was 2-2 with two runs scored, two walks and an RBI, while Romero went 2-4 with two runs scored and a run batted in.
In the circle, senior Kelsey Stevens and sophomore Paige Parker combined on the win for OU.
Stevens got the start and finished with four strikeouts, three walks and one hit allowed in 3.0 innings. Parker entered in the fourth and got the win to see her record go to 20-3 overall and 8-0 in Big 12 play. She struck out seven, but gave up three runs on three hits and two walks.
Both teams had scoring chances early on, but neither could cross the plate.
After a strikeout in the first, Celina Felix was hit by a pitch and Holly Kern reached on an infield single. Stevens battled back though and struck out the next two batters to keep the Longhorns off the board.
Oklahoma loaded the bases with just one out in the second, but also failed to score.
Senior Kady Self led off with a single and took second two batters later when freshman Fale Aviu also singled. Sophomore Nicole Pendley grabbed the third OU hit of the inning when she singled to center, filling the bases.
A ground ball to second from sophomore Lea Wodach resulted in an out at the plate as Stephanie Ceo came home to get the force. A foul out to third kept the game scoreless after two innings.
OU loaded the bases again in the third inning, but this time the Sooners didn’t miss their chance.
Miller walked to lead it off and advanced to second thanks to a bunt single by Romero. Freshman Shay Knighten walked to load the bases, but Texas got two quick outs when Kelli Hanzel caught a line drive and stepped on first for an unassisted double play.
It looked like the Sooners may squander a bases loaded opportunity for the second straight inning, but freshman Caleigh Clifton came through with a two-run single to right field, putting OU on top.
The lead grew to 5-0 thanks to another two-out rally in a three-run fourth inning.
In her first plate appearance of the game, sophomore Kelsey Arnold walked on a full-count pitch with two outs. Miller also worked the count full in her at-bat, but instead of walking like Arnold she drilled a double off the wall in center field to drive in a run.
Romero followed with a run-scoring hit of her own. She singled up the middle and Miller was just able to touch the plate before she was tagged, doubling OU’s lead to 4-0. Romero took second on the throw home, which paid off when Knighten dropped a single into shallow left-center, allowing Romero to score OU’s fifth run of the day.
Texas mounted a late comeback as Kelli Hanzel hit a three-run homer with one out in the top of the seventh. In fact, Texas had the tying run up in Holly Kern, but Parker closed the game out with a strikeout.
Up next, the Sooners play five non-conference games in the coming week. Tuesday they’re at Tulsa, before heading to Arkansas Wednesday to meet the Razorbacks. The team then travels to Knoxville, Tenn., this weekend for the Tennessee Classic. OU faces Lipscomb and No. 15/17 Tennessee on Saturday before closing the week against ULM on Sunday.
Information provided courtesy of University Oklahoma Softball.