Oklahoma State Wins Bedlam Pitchers Duel

Originally Published: Mar 6, 2010 5:32 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY – Anna Whiddon gave up one hit and No. 24 Oklahoma State won a pitchers duel 1-0 over No. 8 Oklahoma in the annual Bedlam rivalry Saturday.

Whiddon (9-2) and OU starter Keilani Ricketts (8-2) combined to surrender just five hits, and both pitched complete games. Ricketts struck out eight of the 28 batters she faced but also gave up the game’s only extra-base hit, which turned into the game’s only run.

OSU’s Julie Ward led off the fourth inning with a double, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Tamara Brown, and Whiddon took care of the rest.

The Sooners’ best scoring chance of the game came in the second inning, when Whiddon hit Lindsey Vandever with a pitch and walked Ricketts, giving OU a runner in scoring position. But Katie Norris struck out swinging – one of four strikeouts on the day for Whiddon – and ended the threat.

Norris ended Whiddon’s bid for a no-hitter with a single in the fifth inning. Evan Sallis pinch ran for Norris, but never made it past first base. The Sooners did not get another runner on base until the seventh, when Haley Nix walked. Pinch hitter Wendy Trott drew a 3-1 count in the next at-bat, but flew out to center field to end the game.

The Cowgirls (11-5) struggled through a rough stretch at the LSU Tiger Classic, losing four of five games. But since then, OSU has won eight of its last nine and has given up more than two runs only once. The loss for the Sooners (11-3) is their first since falling 7-4 to No. 1 Washington on Feb. 26.

The Bedlam game wrapped up a doubleheader sweep for OSU, but marked the first game in OU’s doubleheader. The Cowgirls defeated Nevada 5-2 in the early game Saturday, while the Sooners will now play No. 17 Louisville in the late game.

Oklahoma State 5, Nevada 2

In Oklahoma State’s earlier game, the Cowgirls defeated Nevada 5-2.

Julie Ward provided the big blow for OSU with a grand slam in the bottom of the third. The shot was Ward’s third grand slam of the season.

The Cowgirls other run came in the first when Mariah Gearhart scored on a double by Ward. Freshman pitcher Kat Espinosa picked up the win and is now 4-2 on the season.

Oklahoma 10, Louisville 2

Oklahoma rebounded from its bedlam loss later in the day and defeated No. 14 Louisville, 10-2.

The Sooners pounded out 13 hits and freshman Jessica Shults led the way, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when the Sooners jumped out to a 5-0 lead. The Cardinals scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Oklahoma pulled away by combining for five runs in the six and seventh inning.