OU Softball Doubles Up North Texas

No. 5/5 Oklahoma (39-6) won for the 14th time in the last 15 games after a 6-3 win over North Texas (16-24) Monday night at Marita Hynes Field. The win continues the Sooners' series domination over the Mean Green. OU has won all 26 meetings between the two schools since they started playing each other in 1987. That's the best undefeated mark for Oklahoma against another school in program history.

In addition, OU's 26 straight wins mark the second-longest winning active streak against another team. Currently, only a 31-game streak against Wichita State is longer.

Monday's game though was one of the closer meetings between the schools, though. It was just the sixth time in 26 encounters that the final score was decided by three runs or less.

The game looked as though it may get out of hand early as the Sooners didn't need much time to get on the scoreboard in the first.

With one out, senior Shelby Pendley laced her ninth double of the season off the wall in right center. Junior Erin Miller followed and, facing a 2-1 count, turned on a pitch and drove it to the last row of the bleachers in right field for her ninth homer of the year.

North Texas cut into the lead, however, in the top of the second as the Mean Green took advantage of an OU error.

Kelli Schkade led off with a single through the left side and moved up to second when Karly Williams walked. No. 9 hitter Jennifer Beardsley batted next and sent a grounder to senior Georgia Casey at second. After tagging Williams, Casey attempted to throw to first to get the double play but her throw was errant and Schkade scored from second.

The Mean Green then took the lead in the third after scoring a pair of runs. It was the first time North Texas led in the series since a 1-0 advantage in the second inning on April 18, 2012.

Shelbie Smith and Bryana Wade hit back-to-back singles with one out before Schkade walked to fill the bases. Williams then brought in the tying run as she was hit by a pitch. That prompted a pitching change as Pendley replaced Kelsey Stevens in the circle. Pendley was one out away from getting out of the jam after striking out the first batter she faced, but Danielle Hoff singled up the middle to put North Texas on top.

Oklahoma had an answer, though, and took the lead back with a three-run third.

Junior Kady Self led off with a single through the left side. Two batters later, with Self now on second and two outs on the board, freshman Paige Parker delivered the clutch hit as she dropped a single into left field to plate Self with the tying run.

Freshman Kelsey Arnold then found her power stroke by hitting a drive off the top of the wall in right center that bounced over the fence for her second career home run. The two-run shot put the Sooners on top, 5-3.

"Kelsey (Arnold) has been waiting her turn; Jessica Vest has had a good season thus far and she is kind of waiting her turn," Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso said. "You have a lot of athletes that could be starting somewhere. (Arnold) could be a five-hole somewhere or a lead off.

"I think they understand that this team is not like many others in the country. It is difficult to get in the lineup. When you do, what are you going to do with your opportunity? She made the most of that tonight and that was good to see.”

After giving up a leadoff single in the fourth, Pendley was on cruise control as she retired the next nine batters she faced going into the seventh.

"I just wanted to get on the mound and do what I am supposed to," Pendley said. "I wanted to create some momentum so that when we came back into the dugout we have something to feed off of."

Two of the first three batters reached base in the seventh and the Mean Green had two chances with the tying run at the plate. Pendley buckled down, though, and got Schkade and Williams to strike out to end the contest.

Pendley improved to 12-1 with the win. She struck out seven and gave up four hits, but she did not allow a run or a walk in her 4.2 innings in the circle.

"That was very important," Gasso said. "That was part of our game plan to give Paige (Parker) the night off. Shelby needed to get in a game and get some work because she is going to be very valuable, as well."

The Sooners return to Big 12 play next. They visit Oklahoma in the first Bedlam contest of the season Wednesday night, then OU travels to Kansas for at three-game series with the Jayhawks.