Sooners Roll, Cowgirls Come Up Short In Softball Action

Here is a recap of some of Saturday's softball action from across the state:

Sooners Cruise In Lubbock

LUBBOCK, Texas – Michelle Gascoigne didn't pitch a no-hitter against Texas Tech like fellow pitcher Keilani Ricketts did Friday night, but she did shut the Red Raiders out.

Gascoigne gave up just four hits while striking out eight batters as No. 1 Oklahoma defeated Texas Tech 6-0 Saturday afternoon.

It was the 15th win of the year for Gascoigne, while Texas Tech's Cara Custer took the loss for the Red Raiders.

The game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when Ricketts hit an opposite-field home run to give the Sooners a 1-0 lead. The OU bats came to life in the fifth inning. After a walk by Brianna Turang, Lauren Chamberlain blasted a home run to make the score 3-0.

After a ground out by Georgia Casey and a walk by Shelby Pendley, Ricketts again sent one out of the yard, giving OU a 5-0 lead. The Sooner loaded the bases later in the inning, threatening to blow the game open, but Leslie Miller struck out looking to end the threat.

In the bottom of the fifth, Texas Tech put runners at first and third with no one out, but Gascoigne retired the next three batters to get out of the jam.

The Sooners added an insurance run in the seventh for the final margin. The two teams wrap up the series at noon on Sunday.

Cowgirls Come Up Short Against Baylor

WACO, Texas - The Oklahoma State softball team dropped a hard-fought Big 12 game 1-0 to No. 20 Baylor here Saturday afternoon.

The Bears (32-10, 5-5 Big 12) struck early, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Kathy Shelton scored on a fielding error by the Cowgirl shortstop. That was all the offense Baylor would need, as the Bear defense held OSU in check the entire game.

Offensively for the Cowgirls (24-19, 2-6), senior Tamara Brown had a base hit to left field and junior Ari Morrison reached on an infield hit.

Senior Kat Espinosa (13-12) pitched a gem for the Cowgirls, but suffered the loss. She allowed one run on one hit in six innings and struck out 3. Espinosa retired the last 14 batters she faced.

The Cowgirls wrap up the series with game three against the Bears Sunday at 1 p.m.