Sooners Breeze Past TU into Regional Finals

Keilani Ricketts allowed only one hit, and OU won 6-0.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:25 pm

By: News On 6

Sooners Breeze Past TU into Regional Finals

Originally Published: May 21, 2011 5:3 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Okla. – The Oklahoma softball team advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Regional round with a 6-0 victory over cross-state foe Tulsa Saturday.

Keilani Ricketts was her normal, dominant self on the mound. She pitched six innings, gave up just one hit and one walk while striking out seven and earned her 10th shutout of the season.

The Sooners also provided plenty of run support, starting in the top of the first inning when Haley Nix launched a two-run home run in the third at-bat of the game. Ricketts helped her own cause with an RBI single in the third to increase the lead to 3-0.

OU put the finishing touches on its win with three more runs in the sixth, courtesy of an RBI double by Dani Dobbs and a two-run single by Destinee Martinez.

Both of Tulsa’s normally successful pitchers struggled on the mound. Aimee Creger started and allowed three runs on five hits in only three innings, and Lacey Milddlebrooks also surrendered three runs in three innings.

The Sooners will move on to the Regional championship game, which will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday. Tulsa will be forced to play again at 6 p.m. Saturday with its season on the line.

The Golden Hurricane will face the winner between Missouri State and Iona. A TU loss will eliminate it from Regional play, and a victory will force a rematch with OU.