College Softball: OU Run-Rules Arkansas, Tulsa Shuts Out OSU

Sooners Crush Arkansas on the Road

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- A six-run first inning set the tone as No. 12 Oklahoma (40-10) overwhelmed Arkansas (27-25) in five innings, 10-2, Wednesday afternoon.

The run-rule win was the 20th of the season for the Sooners, and the win over the Razorbacks marked their 11th consecutive win against a non-conference opponent.

The six-run first inning was highlighted by a three-run homer from junior Georgia Casey. It was her 10th of the year, tying a personal best for homers in a season set as a freshman in 2012. Casey finished the game 2-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBI and a walk.

The six runs tied for the second most scored in the first inning by OU this season, trailing only a nine-run output in game two of a doubleheader against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 28.

Senior Javen Henson also had a multi-RBI game as she finished 2-for-2 with a bases-loaded walk and run-scoring single.

Sophomore Kelsey Stevens had a no-hitter through the first 3.1 innings to earn the win and improve her record to 29-7. She finished with two hits and two runs allowed to go with six strikeouts and no walks in 4.0 innings of work.

No. 16 Tulsa Shuts Out Oklahoma State, 1-0 

TULSA, Okla. – Julie Kernen hit an RBI double in the first inning, and Aimee Creger struck out nine in a two-hitter to lead 16th-ranked Tulsa to a 1-0 win over Oklahoma State Wednesday evening at the Collins Family Softball Complex.

The senior Creger (24-1) allowed just one of the three OSU baserunners to reach second base. Kernen doubled home senior shortstop Jill Barrett with two outs in the first for the only run of the game. The junior first baseman has hits in eight of her last 10 at bats, including five doubles, with 10 RBI in that span.

The Golden Hurricane (46-5) won its ninth straight game, and finished its regular season home schedule with a 21-1 record. Simone Freeman (20-14) struck out seven and allowed four hits in the loss for the Cowgirls (25-24).

Barrett led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior second baseman Shelby Blanton, and scored on Kernen's hit into the left center field gap.

The Hurricane had runners on first and second with one out in the second frame after back-to-back base hits by sophomore catcher Catherine Horner and freshman third baseman Maggie Withee, but was unable to score. Kernen walked twice in her second two at bats, representing the only two TU baserunners after the second inning.

OSU first baseman Tarah Ettinger had both singles for the Cowgirls, one in the second and one in the fifth inning. Freeman drew a two-out walk in the fourth, and pinch runner Michaela Patton reached second base on a wild pitch. Creger struck out the next batter to end the stanza.

After Ettinger's leadoff base hit in the fifth, Creger recorded nine outs in a row. The TU defense erased that fifth-inning single with a slick 5-4-3 double play off a hard grounder to Withee at third, ending the frame.

The Golden Hurricane travels to North Texas this weekend for the final Conference USA series of the season. The Hurricane and Mean Green play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, and a single game at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The Cowgirls (25-24) return to action this weekend when they travel to College Station, Texas, for the final non-conference game of the year. In a game added to the schedule, OSU will face Texas Southern on Friday at 4:30 p.m., followed by the regularly scheduled game vs Texas A&M at 7 p.m. The Cowgirls and Aggies will also play Saturday at 4 p.m.