Claremore Daily Progress

Sports

March 2, 2013

SOFTBALL: Ricketts K's 14, No. 1 OU blanks Houston

CORBIN HOSLER CNHI News Services

NORMAN — It took a little while for Brittany Williams and the top-ranked Sooners to warm up on a cool and windy day but when they finally did, Williams provided the big shot they needed to pull away in front of the first home crowd of the season.



After striking out with the bases loaded earlier in the game, Williams didn’t make the same mistake when she stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and the bases again loaded. Instead, after fighting back from a 1-2 count, she took a 3-2 pitch to right field that brought in two runners and put Oklahoma on the board.



That spurred the Sooners, who added two more runs in the inning and one more in the fifth and sixth to pull away for the 6-0 victory over Houston in the home opener.



“I’m proud of Brittany Williams,” coach Patty Gasso said. “Being in the same situation after that first at-bat, she came up big-time clutch. That’s the thing about this team. If you give them second chances they’ll make you pay.”



Walking back to the dugout after the first at-bat, Williams said she was already planning for her next chance.



“I was not going to let it get to me,” she said. “I tried to stay confident and not get my head down.”



Keilani Ricketts took to the circle at Marita Hynes Field for the first time in her senior season and delivered 14 strikeouts to earn her eighth win of the season. She gave up five hits in the outing and worked out of trouble several times.



Ricketts also helped her own cause at the plate, sending a solo shot into a driving wind and deep over the right field wall to extend OU’s lead to 6-0.



“The first few days back home were cold and windy, but it was nice to finally be at home,” she said. “The fans were excited to see us play. We weren’t traveling and we came out relaxed.”



It was a pitcher’s duel early, with no hits coming until the bottom of the third despite OU loading the bases on three walks in the second. That changed when OU’s Georgia Casey lined a single into left field to start the two-out rally. Ricketts followed that up with a single and Shelby Pendley then walked to load the bases and set the stage for Williams’ big hit.



The next two runs in the inning came after an errant throw down the third-base line by catcher Haley Outon and a Destinee Martinez single.



The shutout victory, Ricketts’ seventh of the year, moved OU to 16-0. Next up for Oklahoma is a doubleheader against No. 25 Nebraska (11-4) beginning at 1:30 today before closing out the weekend with a rematch against Houston (8-6) at noon Sunday.



“This was a good start for us,” Ricketts said. “We have to stay focused and take it game by game.”

 

Text Only
Sports
  • DSC_0047web.jpg Verdigris’ Hanslovan commits to ORU

    One of the biggest decisions of her upcoming senior year is finally behind Verdigris High School soccer standout Caitlyn Hanslovan.
    The four-year letterwinner and three-time Class 4A state champion forward announced Tuesday that she will commit to playing NCAA Division I soccer at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa.

    May 22, 2013 2 Photos

  • DSC_0209web.jpg RSU's Loy earns third-straight Academic All American honor

    Rogers State senior outfielder Katrina Loy was named to the Capital One Academic All-America College Division Softball Third Team as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

    May 22, 2013 1 Photo

  • DSC_0202web.jpg Area players earn All-Region baseball awards

    The awards keep piling up for Verdigris High School graduate Blake Battenfield.
    After being named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State Large East team earlier this week, Battenfield and numerous other players from Rogers County earned OCA All-Region accolades.
    Battenfield was joined by his teammate, Ryan Hurd, who was a senior outfielder/shortstop for the three-time Class 3A state champion Verdigris Cardinals.

    May 22, 2013 1 Photo

  • RSU's Reyes, Apolinar compete in NAIA Track/Field National Championships

    Rogers State student-athletes Oscar Reyes and Maria Apolinar will compete in the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships which are set to take place in Marion, Ind., from May 23–25.

    May 23, 2013

  • Wal-Mart FLW anglers head to Grand Lake

    The Walmart FLW Tour on Grand Lake presented by Castrol will visit the Grove, Okla., area June 6-9 for the fifth event of its 18th season. Hosted by the Grand Lake Association, the tournament will feature a full field of the world’s best bass pros and co-anglers casting for top awards of up to $125,000 cash in the Pro Division and up to $25,000 cash in the Co-angler Division.

    May 23, 2013

  • OU, OSU, Tulsa join forces on 2013 Oklahoma Disaster Reliefs Shirts

    The University of Oklahoma has partnered with Oklahoma State University and the University of Tulsa to utilize logos from all three institutions to develop the 2013 Oklahoma Disaster Relief Shirt. Net proceeds from the sale of the shirts will be donated directly to the United Way to aid disaster relief and recovery efforts across the state of Oklahoma.

    May 23, 2013

  • Strong offseason raises bar for Tulsa Shock

    Are the pieces finally falling in place for the Tulsa Shock?
    Time will tell, but if the preseason prognostications of the league's general managers are any indication, Tulsa finally looks like a playoff contender. A survey found the Shock as the WNBA's most improved team.

    May 23, 2013

  • LeBron, Heat top Pacers in Game 1 of East Finals

    It could have been the perfect matchup to cap an unforgettable game. LeBron James driving to the rim to face Roy Hibbert, one play to decide Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

    May 23, 2013

  • MLB: Francona expects emotional return to Fenway Park

    Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is bracing for a lump in his throat and maybe a tear or two.
    He's going back to Boston.
    For the first time as an opposing manager, Francona will walk into famed Fenway Park to face the Red Sox, the team he led to two World Series titles during eight seasons.

    May 23, 2013

  • MLB: Rockies option Rutledge to Triple-A Colorado Springs

    The Colorado Rockies have optioned infielder Josh Rutledge to Triple-A Colorado Springs, with outfielder Michael Cuddyer potentially coming off the disabled list Friday.

    May 23, 2013