FULLERTON, Calif. — Eleventh-ranked Oklahoma’s trip to the West Coast continued Thursday in the first day of Cal-State Fullerton’s Judi Garman Classic.
The Sooners, a regular of the Classic, picked up two victories Thursday: a 3-0 victory over Utah in the day’s opener and a 5-4 win over 2008 national champion Arizona State in the nightcap.
Against the Sun Devils, the Sooners overcame three errors and three unearned runs to win in their last at-bat for the second straight day.
Freshman Keilani Ricketts picked up the victory, improving to 13-4 on the season. She allowed one earned run on six hits and struck out four.
Katie Norris homered earlier in the game, but her biggest hit came in the bottom of the seventh inning.
After OU had gone up 4-2 through six frames, the Arizona State bounced back with a two-run seventh to tie things up.
But the Sooners had a two-out rally left in them.
Jessica Shults and Lindsey Vandever struck out to start the seventh, but Haley Nix singled and advanced to second base when Ricketts walked.
That’s when Norris came through, singling to right-center field to bring in Nix and give OU the victory.
Sophomore pitcher Allee Allen tossed a gem against Utah, shutting down the Utes in a complete-game victory.
Allen overcame five hits, four walks and two balks to get the win, her second since returning to the lineup last weekend following off-season arm surgery.
Amber Flores, Nix and Dani Dobbs all drove in a run for OU.
The Sooners don’t get much time to rest.
OU hits the field against perennial power Arizona today at 11 a.m. and then takes on San Jose State at 10:15 p.m.
