Junior pitcher D.J. Mathis throws two-hitter.
Feb. 16, 2008
Box Score
LAS VEGAS – The No. 9 Oklahoma softball team added another win on Saturday as it downed Illinois, 3-1, in its second game of the day at the UNLV Louisville Slugger Desert Classic. Oklahoma edged South Carolina, 2-1, in its first game of the day.
The Sooners are now 8-2 overall and 5-0 in this weekend’s tournament. Oklahoma will close out tournament action on Sunday with a 1:15 p.m. contest against Cal Poly on Sunday.
OU pitcher D.J. Mathis kept her perfect record as she improved to 5-0 on the year after only giving up one run on two hits and striking out nine batters. Mathis was solid as she retired the final 18 batters of the game after giving up a solo home run in the top of the second.
Offensively, OU put together eight hits as Traci Dickenson and Lindsey Vandever each had 2-for-3 outings with an RIB. Oklahoma got on the board first as Susan Ogden led off with a walk and was moved over on Samantha Ricketts’ sacrifice bunt. Dickenson followed that with an RBI double to left field that scored Ogden and gave OU the early 1-0 lead. With two outs, Vandever reached on an error by the Illinois second baseman as Dickenson scored on the play and OU took the 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
Illinois responded in the bottom of the second as Lana Armstrong led off with a solo home run over the left field fence to cut the gap to 2-1.
The Sooners answered back in the fourth as Ricketts and Dickenson ripped back-to-back singles. With two outs, Vandever pounded an RBI single to right to score another run for the Sooners as OU led 3-1 after the top of the fourth.
Oklahoma threatened in the top of the seventh as Vandever and Legendre recorded back-to-back singles and Long reached on an error to load the bases with two outs. However, Amber Flores’ bloop in front of the plate allowed a force at home to end the frame as OU headed into the bottom of the seventh with the 3-1 lead.
Mathis ended the game with a strikeout as OU took the 3-1 victory.
Source: Softball Downs Illinois, 3-1
