The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma
No. 6 Oklahoma shuts out fourth-ranked Softball, 4-0
04.10.2005 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Oklahoma's Jessica Leslie and Heather Scaglione both went 2-for-4 and combined for three RBI as the sixth-ranked Sooners' softball team took game two of a weekend series against fourth-ranked Texas, 4-0, at McCombs Field on Sunday afternoon. The two teams split the two-game set as Texas (30-6, 5-2) took Saturday's game against OU (38-7, 6-1), 4-2.
OU's Kami Keiter threw a three-hitter against Texas, but no-hit the Longhorns through five innings before Alexis Garcia (Covina, Calif.) broke up the bid with a single through the right side with one out in the sixth. Chez Sievers (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Megan Willis (Chandler, Ariz.) also collected hits for Texas as Keiter earned just her third-ever win against Texas.
Texas welcomed its second-largest crowd of the season as 1,352 fans came through the gates on Sunday, marking the third-straight sell-out at McCombs Field.
Oklahoma opened up the scoring in the third when a single from Leslie skidded past Texas' centerfielder, allowing Norrelle Dickson, who was hit by a Meagan Denny (Crowley, Texas) pitch, to score from first. With a runner on third and no outs, Scaglione added another two runs with a home run to left center to put OU up, 3-0.
The Sooners then capped off the scoring in the top of the fourth as Leslie doubled in Kristin Vesely from second.
Texas mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Sievers singled up the middle and then with two outs, Willis singled down the left-field line to put runners at second and third. However, Keiter finished off her ninth shutout of the season with a strikeout of Christina Gwyn (Keller, Texas) to end the game.
Denny (5-1) suffered her first loss of the season after her 3.1 inning outing. She allowed four runs (all earned) on six hits while striking out two, walking three and hitting two Sooners. Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) entered in relief in the fourth, finishing out the final 3.2 innings with a one-hit, seven strikeout outing.
With her seven K's, Osterman moved into fourth place on the NCAA Division 1 career strikeout list, passing Britni Sneed (LSU '02 and current Baylor assistant coach). Osterman now has 1,375 career strikeouts and is 398 K's away from first place, held by Courtney Blades (1,773).
Also on Sunday, UT welcomed back its final field player who was injured in the dugout accident of March 26. Tina Boutelle (Katy, Texas) pinch hit in the sixth inning to mark the final Longhorn fielder back from injury. On Saturday, Garcia made her first appearance, stepping in as a defensive replacement at first base in the second inning.
The Longhorns take the field again on Wednesday when they welcome No. 8 Baylor to McCombs Field for a 6:30 p.m. Big 12 contest.
