One Big Inning Dooms Sooners against Baylor

OU committed a costly error in the sixth inning that allowed Baylor to plate three unearned runs.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:19 pm

By: News On 6

One Big Inning Dooms Sooners against Baylor

Originally Published: Apr 10, 2011 2:42 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Okla. – The Oklahoma softball team suffered one bad inning, and it was enough to ruin the rest of the game in a 5-2 loss to Baylor Sunday.

Both starting pitchers performed well early, and the teams entered the fourth inning still scoreless. But Megan Turk led off the fourth to give the Bears (31-7, 5-3) their first scoring threat. Turk advanced to third on a ground ball and scored on another by KJ Freeland for the game’s first run.

The Sooners (32-11, 5-3) tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a lead-off home run by Brittany Williams, and then took their first lead of the day with an RBI single from Haley Nix later in the inning.

OU carried a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning, but that is when things fell apart. Baylor’s first two batters each reached base on singles, and then combined for three stolen bases to put runners on second and third with one out.

The Sooners intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases and put a double play possibility in effect. After inducing a pop-up, Ricketts allowed a single to Freeland that drove home a run and tied the game.

OU committed its only error of the game in the next at-bat, but it was a costly one. Ricketts struck out Clare Hosack swinging and should have ended the inning, but the ball got away from catcher Jessica Shults.

Hosack was able to reach first base, and the other three runs also advanced. One run scored to give the lead back to Baylor and the bases also remained loaded. Kelsi Kettler and Sydney Wilson followed with RBI singles in the next two at-bats, giving the Bears four runs in the inning and jumping from one run down to three ahead.

The Sooners went down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to seal the loss. Ricketts was credited with a loss, despite the fact that only two of the runs she allowed were earned. Whitney Canion earned the win after pitching a complete game and allowing two runs on eight hits.

The loss ended a four-game winning streak for OU and dropped the Sooners into a tie with Baylor for third place in the Big 12. OU will remain in Norman to host rival Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. Wednesday.