Oklahoma Picks Up Two Thursday In Judi Garman Classic

Oklahoma ace Keilani Ricketts appeared in both games Thursday, putting on dominant performances in both, leading the Sooners to a pair of wins, topping DePaul 18-1 in a five-inning game and edging past Michigan 2-1 in the Judi Garman Classic.

Ricketts (12-3) received wins for both outings, coming away with 15 strikeouts in the two contests. In the opening game against the Blue Demons, she pitched just three innings, giving up just two hits and striking out seven, getting pulled in the fourth inning with Oklahoma leading 17-0.

Oklahoma was all over DePaul in the first game, scoring three runs in the first inning, scoring on a throwing error, an RBI double from Georgia Casey, followed by an RBI single by Lindsey Chamberlain.

In the second inning with the bases loaded, Ricketts and Casey singled in back-to-back at-bats, scoring two, putting Oklahoma in the lead 5-0. Chamberlain followed by knocking one over the center field wall for a grand slam, putting Oklahoma ahead by nine runs.

The Sooners added eight in the third inning, hitting just one extra-base hit – a two-run double from Ricketts – batting around the lineup and taking an insurmountable 17-1 lead.

In the second game, Ricketts was almost as dominant, but the bats were, requiring her to pitch a full seven innings. Ricketts gave up just four hits in the complete-game shutout, striking out nine of the 27 batters she faced.

Chamberlain's bat was hot in the second game as well, hitting a solo home run in the top of the second, the first run of the game. The Sooners tagged on an insurance run in the top of the sixth, an RBI single from Katie Norris, to take a 2-0 lead.

Ricketts retired the next six Michigan batters, including a pair of strikeouts, to secure the win.

The Judi Garman Classic will continue all weekend, with Oklahoma taking on Virginia at 3 p.m. Friday.