Sophomore Amber Flores highlights night with grand slam.
Feb. 8, 2008
Box Score
LOS ANGELES - The No. 5 Oklahoma softball team (1-1) connected on 11 hits and recorded 12 runs while junior pitcher D.J. Mathis only surrendered two hits as the Sooners run ruled UC Santa Barbara, 12-1, Friday night in five innings at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles.
The offense was spread throughout the lineup as Amber Flores highlighted the night with a grand slam while Savannah Long went 2-for-3 with two doubles. In addition, freshman Wendy Trott recorded a game-high three hits and Susan Ogden went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
While the Sooner offense was on fire, Mathis was equally impressive in her first appearance in the circle this season. The junior lefty earned the win after striking out six and only allowing one run on two hits in four complete innings.
The Sooners return to tournament action on Saturday in Fullerton, Calif. Oklahoma will open the day with a 12 p.m. contest (CST) against Nevada and follow that with a 5 p.m. game against No. 21 Cal State Fullerton.
Oklahoma wasted no time getting on the board as Flores led off the game with a walk and was moved over to second on freshman Krystle Huey’s sacrifice slap. Ogden followed that with an RBI double off the outfield wall as the Sooners took the quick 1-0 lead. The Sooners loaded the bases with two outs after Samantha Ricketts and Traci Dickenson walked.
Long took advantage as she pounded her second double of the day, a two-RBI shot off the right center wall that extended OU’s lead to 3-0. Trott continued the momentum with another two RBI double to left field as OU took the 5-0 advantage in the top of the first. Oklahoma continued its offensive momentum in the second as Flores led off with a bunt single and an out later, Ogden’s RBI single up the middle brought her across the plate to stretch OU’s lead to 6-0.
The Gauchos got on the board in the bottom of the second as Tisha Duran ripped a solo homer over the left center wall with one out.
Long continued her strong play at the plate as she ripped a leadoff double down the left field line to open the third frame. That hit was the last pitch for UCSB pitcher MeLinda Matsumoto as she was replaced by Tami Watson in the third.
Freshman Krystle Huey notched her first hit in the Crimson and Cream as her bases-loaded single to left extended OU’s score to 7-1 in the third. Ogden followed that with an RBI fielder’s choice to put another run on the board. The Sooners loaded the bases for the second time in the inning after Ricketts walked. Lindsey Vandever followed that with a shot to left field, but it was caught as it ended the top of the third with the Sooners leading 8-1.
Flores provided the offense in the top of the fourth as the bases were loaded when the sophomore came to the plate and pounded a towering home run over the left field fence on the first pitch. The grand slam extended the Sooner advantage to 12-1 after the top of the fourth.
The Sooners owned the 12-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth as senior Jadyn Smith relieved Mathis to start the frame. Smith was solid as she only allowed one hit in three batters faced as the Sooners earned the run rule win.
Source: Softball Run Rules UCSB, 12-1