Saturday Softball Roundup

Oklahoma split a double-header, while the Cowgirls and Golden Hurricane earned lopsided wins in Saturday's college softball action.

Saturday, March 1st 2014, 10:24 pm

By: News 9


Sooners Split Against Huskers

NORMAN, Okla. – Saturday wasn't the first time that junior Callie Parsons had been in a high-pressure situation before. Go back to June of last year and it was Parsons who delivered the game-tying double to cap the Sooners' three-run comeback in the 11th inning of game one of the Championship Series Women's College World Series against Tennessee.

While Saturday's scenario paled in comparison to that night in Oklahoma City, Parsons delivered once again in a clutch spot for the Sooners (13-5) in a 5-4 win in game one of a doubleheader against No. 16/15 Nebraska (11-6).

The Sooners lost to the Huskers 7-2 in the second game of the double-header.

In game one, Oklahoma found itself down 4-3 to the Cornhuskers going into the bottom of the seventh but junior Georgia Casey gave OU life with a one-out double. Sophomore Whitney Ellis knotted the game up 4-4 when she followed with a double over the head of left fielder Austen Urness. The throw from Urness came all the way into home, enabling Ellis to take third.

A comebacker back to the pitcher put the Sooners down to their final out. Parsons stepped in and fell behind 1-2 in the count, but she went the opposite way and singled through the left side to score Ellis and give the Sooners their first win over ranked team in five attempts this season.

The win, No. 1500 in OU's illustrious history, also extended the Sooners winning streak to 16 games dating back to last season, the fifth-longest streak in program history.

It wasn't an easy win by any means as the Sooners had to rally twice to overcome the Huskers.

Nebraska jumped out in the first inning and took a 3-0 lead behind RBI singles from Tatum Edwards and Dawna Tyson and a bases-loaded walk to Kat Woolman.

After surrendering the three runs on three hits and walks, OU starter Kelsey Stevens settled in and did well to keep the Huskers in check in over the next three innings. Between the second and fourth innings, Stevens gave up just two hits and enabled the Sooners to get back into it in the bottom of the fourth.

With one out, Parsons dropped a double into right center. A single from senior Brittany Williams then moved Parsons to third. Sophomore Kady Self replaced Williams at first base and promptly stole second base. OU then got on the board as Edwards, the Nebraska starter, threw a wild pitch to move both runners up.

Sophomore Erin Miller brought the deficit to just one run when she doubled to left center. Edwards, who kept the Sooners in check for the first three innings, lost her control after Miller's double and walked the next three batters, including a bases-loaded walk to Casey.

Two scoreless innings passed before Nebraska took a brief lead in the top of the seventh as Edwards singled to drive in her second run of the game. All that did though was set the stage for Parsons' heroics.

Stevens got the win for Oklahoma, improving to 8-3 on the year. She allowed four runs on seven hits and six walks while striking out three.

 

Long Ball Powers Cowgirls Past Arkansas-Pine Bluff

STILLWATER, Okla. –The Oklahoma State softball team swept Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a double header today at Cowgirl Stadium.The Cowgirls won the first game 9-0 in five innings and took game two 10-0 in five innings.

The Cowgirls (12-7) didn't waste any time getting on the board, and in the bottom of the first Shelby Davis led the inning off with a bunt single and then stole second and scored on an Ari Morrison double to left field. Later in the inning, Tiffany Mikkelson (2) hit a two run home run to left center to put OSU up 3-0.

OSU took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third on Tarah Ettinger's third home run of the season, a solo shot to left. An inning later two more Cowgirls crossed the plate. Miranda Cavin scored on an RBI single by Davis and the next batter, Morrison, singled home Shannon Kaufman from second base to extend the OSU lead to 6-0.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, with two runners on base, Dre McKee (1) hit the first home run of her career, a three run blast to left field, to give the Cowgirls the 9-0 run-rule victory.

Simone Freeman (9-3) started the game in the circle for OSU. In four innings, she allowed one hit and struck out 10 to get her ninth victory of the season. Meagan Lively (0-1) entered the game in relief in the fifth inning and pitched one inning. She didn't give up a hit and she struck out one.

At the plate, the Cowgirls had 10 hits. Morrison went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and a double, while Davis went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Mikkelson was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs scored, a double and a home run. Ettinger was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a home run and McKee went 1-3 with three RBIs and a home run. Gessenia DeLaCruz had a double and Cavin also record a base hit for OSU.

In the second game of the double header, OSU jumped on board in the bottom of the first inning. Davis scored on a groundout by Mikkelson and Morrison scored when Madison Ellis reached first on a fielding error to put the Cowgirls up 2-0.

In the bottom of the second, the Cowgirls got two runs when Davis and Morrison scored on Mikkelson's two-run base hit to put OSU up 2-0. The Cowgirls made it 6-0 in the bottom of the third when Davis and Kaufman scored on a fielding error.

The Cowgirls plated four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Michaela Patton singled up the middle, her first hit of the season, scoring Madisyn Long from third. Patton would later score when Davis singled down the left field line. Morrison would reach base on a fielding error which allowed Kaufman to score from second. The final Cowgirl run would come when Mikkelson was issued a bases loaded walk, scoring Davis, extending the OSU lead to 10-0, which would be the final.

For the second straight game, the Cowgirls recorded 10 hits. Davis went 3-for-3 with an RBI and four runs scored. Mikkelson went 1-for-2 with four RBIs and Patton went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Morrison, Riddle, Long, Ellis and Kaufman all record base hits.

The Cowgirls also stole nine bases, setting a new Cowgirl team record on stolen bases in a game. The previous mark of six was set against Ohio on March 19, 1999.

In the circle, Whitney Whitehorn (3-3) pitched four innings, giving up two runs and striking out five. Peyton Walker came in the fifth inning and in her one inning of relief she faced three batters, she struck out two and didn't allow a hit.

The Cowgirls return to action Wednesday when they take on No. 21 Tulsa at 7 p.m. at Cowgirl Stadium.

 

Erwin Throws One-Hitter In Rout For TU

TULSA, Okla. - Bailey Erwin's one-hitter and Jill Barrett's 3-for-3 performance at the plate led No. 21 Tulsa to a 9-0 (5 inn.) win over Northwestern State Saturday afternoon at the Collins Softball Complex.

The Golden Hurricane totaled 11 hits, including five extra base hits, and recorded its third shutout of the weekend to improve to 16-2. Barrett singled, doubled, tripled and scored twice. Jill Roye, Emma Horton and Haley Henshaw each tallied two RBI for TU. Erwin improved to 5-0 on the season, striking out five batters with no walks.

The Hurricane pitching staff allowed zero runs in 18.0 innings over three games in the Tulsa Invitational, while the TU offense totaled 20 runs on 29 hits. TU defeated Creighton 3-0 and 8-0 on Friday. Barrett's 3-for-3 day capped a weekend in which she went 8-for-10 at the plate, including hits in each of her last eight at bats.

The Golden Hurricane jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Roye's double to left field brought home second baseman Shelby Blanton.

Tulsa added three more runs in the bottom of the third inning to extend its lead to 4-0. Barrett led off the frame with a triple to right center field and scored on a throwing error from Northwestern State's shortstop. Left fielder Erica Sampson reached on a hit-by-pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Roye's single to left. Center fielder Cierra Hughes hit an infield single to second to bring in pinch runner Emma Horton to make the score 4-0.

The Golden Hurricane scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to capture a 9-0 lead.

Right Fielder Haley Henshaw launched a two-run home run to right, extending the lead to 6-0. It was her first homer of the season. Third baseman Maggie Withee, who was 2-for-2 in the game, led off the inning with a single and scored on the home run.

Barrett, who also singled in the first, recorded her third hit of the game with a hustle double, legging out a grounder through the right side to reach second. Blanton singled to right and Sampson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs.

Horton then singled to left field, driving home Barrett and Sampson to extend the lead to 8-0. It was the first career hit and first career RBI for the senior Horton.

After a passed ball to put runners on second and third with no outs, first baseman Julie Kernen hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Sampson for a 9-0 lead.

Skylar Cagle (3-4) picked up the loss as she pitched 3.0 innings, giving up six runs on eight hits, while Cassandra Barefield recorded the only Lady Demons hit in fourth inning.

The Golden Hurricane travels to Stillwater Wednesday to take on in-state rival Oklahoma State at 7 p.m.

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