Sooners Handle Missouri

By Tobi Neidy

Three home runs lifted the No. 12 Sooners to a 9-0 run rule victory in six innings over No. 3 Missouri on Sunday afternoon in Norman.

The Sooners had no errors for the game while freshman pitcher Keilani Ricketts finished her fourteenth complete game for the season. Ricketts moved to 17-7 for the season with the shut out win.

The Sooners came into Sunday’s game fighting to split the two-game series after falling to Missouri 11-5 on Saturday afternoon. Momentum stayed with OU on Sunday as the Sooners posted nine runs on thirteen hits.

“We didn’t take yesterday’s game and think we were just horrible because we swung the bat hard yesterday,” head coach Patty Gasso said about the series split. “Overall I am pleased to see their response and how they answered, and pleased to see them do it against such a tough team this time of year. I think it could be a turning point for this group.”

Offense for the Sooners started in the bottom of the third inning after junior center fielder Krystle Huey reached second base by a bunt and a Missouri fielding error. Huey’s bunt was quickly followed by freshman first baseman Jessica Shults’ RBI home run over the left field fence to put the Sooners up 2-0.

The Sooners would continue to put runs on the board in the fourth inning. Sophomore designated player Katie Norris walked to start the inning, followed by a single from sophomore short stop Karolyne Long and an RBI single by senior second baseman Amber Flores.

Flores continues to lead the Sooners with a .380 batting average. Freshman pinch runner Brianna Turang scored off of the single by Flores after coming in to run for Norris.

Huey followed the RBI single by Flores with her second bunt of the game to move the runners. Huey’s speed on the bases and textbook bunt up the first base line allowed her to reach first to load the bases.

Senior catcher Lindsey Vandever popped up to left field before Shults delivered a two-RBI single past Missouri second baseman Abby Vock to score Long and Flores.

Junior right fielder Chana’e Jones popped up to left field for the second out of the inning for the Sooners With two outs, junior left fielder Haley Nix hit a line drive hard enough to score Huey from third off of Missouri first baseman Catherine Lee’s fielding error.

The error allowed the Sooners to score their fourth run of the inning, putting the Sooners up 6-0 through four innings.

Freshman pitcher Keilani Ricketts continued to deliver on the mound for the Sooners. The freshman pitcher worked to mix up her speeds against the Missouri line up.

The change was effective as Ricketts finished the day with one hit, eight strikeouts, and allowing only three walks.

“Coach Lombardi did a good job of meeting with Keilani and talking about what happened in that game,” Gasso said. “To throw a one hitter with eight strikeouts, and to do it against a team like Missouri is big time. You could see the team fighting to get this done.”

The Sooners topped of the game in the bottom of the sixth with home runs by Shults and junior third baseman Dani Dobbs. Shults lead off the inning with a solo home run to right field, her second home run of the day and her 12th of the season.

A walk by Jones put a runner on first base for the Sooners. After a line out by Nix, Dobbs hit her second home run for the season over the left field fence to score the runs needed to end the game. Dobbs, a native from Moore, continues to be a crowd favorite on the team.

“It was a new day and we put that loss behind us,” Shults said. “We knew what we could do. I felt like everyone was tuned in pretty well. I felt like this was a very big moment game for us to get us ready for the rest of the Big 12.”

The Sooners will continue Big 12 action on Friday, April 2 as they take on the Iowa State in Ames, Iowa. After a two game series between the Cyclones, the Sooners will return to take on Bedlam rivals in Oklahoma State on Wednesday, April 7 in Stillwater.