NORMAN, Okla. – The Oklahoma softball team closed out its opening weekend of fall competition with a pair of wins in contrasting styles. After shutting out Independence C.C., 9-0 in five innings, the Sooners had to hold off Seminole State in an 8-7 thriller.
Oklahoma 9, Independence C.C. 0 (5 innings)
In Oklahoma’s first game of the day, the Sooners used a five-run third inning and a four-run fourth inning to record a run-rule victory over Independence C.C.
After two scoreless innings, junior Lauren Chamberlain opened the scoring with a one-out, solo home run to left field. Senior Destinee Martinez and junior Georgia Casey followed with back-to-back singles to put two on.
Junior Shelby Pendley singled to right field to drive in Martinez, while senior Brittany Williams made it 3-0 when she put down a squeeze bunt to enable Casey to score. Sophomore Leslie Miller then cleared the bases with a double to right field.
In the fourth, sophomore Erin Miller hit a one-out single to get the offense going. Chamberlain followed with a sharp single to center field that got under the center fielder’s glove, allowing her to reach third base. Martinez then hit an RBI single, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error, then came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Casey.
With no on and two out, Pendley kept the inning alive with a single and then took third on a single by Williams. Batting with runners in scoring position, Leslie Miller lined a single off the third baseman to bring home Pendley as the game’s final run.
Sophomore Taylor Dewbery got the start and allowed just two hits with two strikeouts through the first 2.1 innings. Casey came on in relief and struck out three in 1.2 hitless innings of work. Leslie Miller closed out the game by picking up two strikeouts in the fifth.
Oklahoma 8, Seminole State 7
The scoring in Sunday’s finale started in the second inning when Williams hit a solo home run to right center.
Seminole State became the first team to score on OU in the fall when it posted a three-run third inning, but Oklahoma countered with a seven-run frame of its own.
With one out and one on, Chamberlain hit her second home run of the day to tie the game up at 3-3. After a ground out, Pendley gave the Sooners the lead with a solo home run to left field.
Williams walked and was pinch run for by sophomore Kady Self. Leslie Miller followed her with a single before freshman Tyler Lucas came on to pinch run. Martinez and senior Javen Henson then followed with back-to-back RBI singles to make it 6-3.
Sophomore Whitney Ellis added to the scoring with another RBI single while junior Jessica Vest reached on an error to enable Henson to cross the plate with the Sooners’ eighth and final run.
The Lady Trojans trimmed the Oklahoma lead to 8-7 in the fifth with a grand slam and threatened again in the seventh. With the tying run on third and go-ahead run on second, Self made a diving catch in left field with one out. The runner on third broke for home under the impression the ball was not caught, allowing Ellis to take the relay throw at the plate and throw back to third to record the game-ending double play.
Courtesy of Oklahoma Sports Information
