Saturday College Softball Roundup: OSU Rolls, OU Splits, Tulsa Falls

Oklahoma State

The Oklahoma State softball team wrapped a perfect weekend in New Mexico by run ruling Siena 12-0 in five innings here Saturday afternoon.

Just as they had done all weekend, the Cowgirls got on board first. OSU scored seven runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Shelby Davis scored first when senior Samantha Chrisman reached base on an error by the second baseman. The next batter, Tiffany Mikkelson tripled over the centerfielder's head, scoring Chrisman and Tarah Ettinger. Mikkelson scored on a base hit by Amy Graham. Finally, Gessenia DeLaCruz hit a three-run home run to left field to put OSU up 7-0.

OSU added one in the bottom of the third when DeLaCruz doubled to left center, scoring Graham from second.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Graham's bases-loaded double cleared the bases. Graham later scored on a single up the middle by Ettinger to give OSU the 12-0 run-rule victory.

Offensively for the Cowgirls, Graham went 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs. DeLaCruz was also 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and four RBIs, while freshman Shianne Hughes went 2-for-3.

Simone Freeman (10-7) picked up her 10th win of the season. She allowed just one hit in five innings, striking out five.

The Cowgirls return to Stillwater to open Big 12 Conference play when they take on Texas Tech March 28-30 at Cowgirl Stadium.

Oklahoma

The No. 1 Oklahoma softball team split a pair of games against No. 11 Louisville Saturday afternoon in Norman, snapping the Sooners' 10-game winning streak and seven-game shutout streak.

The Sooners dropped a 5-1 decision in the first game, with Keilani Ricketts taking her first loss of the season. The Cardinals scored all five of their runs in the fourth inning on five hits.

Ricketts' home run in the bottom of the seventh inning accounted for lone OU run.

In the second game, the Sooners bounced back with a 9-1 run-rule win over the Cardinals with Michelle Gascoigne picking up her 12th win of the season.

The Sooners scored six runs in the fifth inning, the final three coming on a double from Brianna Turang that clinched a run-rule victory for the Sooners.

Oklahoma was helped by the Cardinals, who committed four errors in the field.

Tulsa

Haley Henshaw went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Samantha Cobb and Shelby Blanton each scored twice, but the 18th-ranked Tulsa softball team fell at UNLV, 10-6, in the Rebel Classic Saturday afternoon at Eller Media Stadium.

The defeat ended a 12-game winning streak for the Golden Hurricane (25-6). TU fell behind and came back to reduce the deficit twice, but it ultimately could not provide enough offense to make up the difference.

Tulsa closes the Rebel Classic Sunday with a pair of contests against Boise State, at 11 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. CT.

The Hurricane scored six runs on 10 hits, with a pair of errors, and picked up five of its runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Rebels (14-18) scored 10 runs on 11 hits and committed two errors.

Tulsa scored in the top of the first, but UNLV took a 5-1 lead after three innings with two runs in the first and three in the second. The Golden Hurricane moved within a run with three scores in the fifth, but the Rebels pulled away again to 8-5 with three runs in the bottom of the frame. The teams each scored two runs in the sixth to make the 10-6 final.

Amanda Oliveto (12-9) allowed two earned runs in the complete-game win for UNLV. TU freshman starter Caitlin Sill (2-3) absorbed the loss after pitching four innings and allowing five runs on seven hits. Lacey Middlebrooks relieved Sill to start the fifth inning, and allowed two earned runs on four hits in 2.0 innings.

Tulsa got on the board in the top of the first when designated player Lacey Middlebrooks doubled to right field, scoring shortstop Samantha Cobb, who reached on an error.

The Rebels put up two runs in the bottom of the first inning on four hits. Center fielder Stefany Valentino, who led off with a single, came around to score on a base hit by shortstop Taylor Aleman. Aleman later crossed the plate on an RBI single by left fielder Pauline Monreal.

UNLV went up 5-1 with three runs in the third inning on a three-run home run by Monreal, who finished the game with four RBI.

After three scoreless visiting frames, Tulsa got three runs back in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4. Second baseman Shelby Blanton led off by reaching on an error, center fielder Caitlin Everett singled, and the two runners advanced on a ground out. Cobb walked on a wild pitch, allowing Blanton to score and Everett to move up to third, putting runners at the corners. Cobb then stole second, and right fielder Haley Henshaw hit a two-out single up the middle, scoring both Everett and Cobb.

The Rebels scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth on a bases-loaded single up the middle by second baseman Alyssa Cordova that scored two runs, and a throwing error from center field that allowed the third baserunner to score, giving UNLV an 8-4 lead.

Catcher Cassidy Bowen hit her second homer of the season, putting a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence in the top of the sixth, to make the score 8-5. Blanton followed with a single and moved around to score on a two-out base hit to right by Cobb that cut the deficit to 8-6.

UNLV plated two more runs in the sixth to make the score 10-6. Right fielder Emilie Valadez, led off with a single, moved to second on a fielder's choice grounder to third with a throwing error, and scored on the play. Valentino, who hit the grounder, came around to score on the sac fly by Van Acker.

Tulsa loaded the bases in the seventh on a pair of walks and a hit batter, but was unable to push any runs across the plate.