Oklahoma 5, Colgate 2

Friday, May 18th 2007, 5:03 pm

By: News On 6

OklaAMHERST, Mass. (AP) _ Samantha Ricketts hits a tie-breaking home run in the fifth inning to lift Oklahoma past Colgate 5-2 today in the opening round of the NCAA softball tournament.

OU managed only three hits, but the Sooners moved to 53-6 overall. O-U advanced to play the winner of today's game between Long Island and host Massachusetts in the double-elimination regional tomorrow.

The Sooners are the overall number 3 seed in the 64-team tournament.

Colgate falls to 25-23 and will play tomorrow in an elimination game.

Ashley Rowe's two-run home run in the first inning put Colgate ahead, but OU tied the game in the third, on a solo home run by Traci Dickenson and a bases-loaded walk to Susan Ogden.

Mariee Mena singled with one out in the fifth for OU, and Amber Flores reached on an error before Ricketts' 3-run home run put the Sooners ahead 5-2.

After giving up the first-inning home run, OU pitcher Lauren Eckermann allowed only one other Colgate hit. She struck out eight batters.