2006 NCAA Softball Regional -- Game 5 Recap
5/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Oklahoma 9, Kent State 1 (5 innings)
Game 5 -- Saturday, May 20 -- 5 p.m.
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Softball Championship Regional 9 (Game 5)
Score: Oklahoma 9, Kent State 1 (5 innings)
Records: Oklahoma (40-20-1), Kent State (33-24)
Next OU Game: Sunday, May 21 -- vs. Michigan, 1 p.m.
Next KSU Game: Kent State eliminated with 1-2 record
Oklahoma Uses 16 Hits, Nine Runs to Eliminate Kent State
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 2-seeded University of Oklahoma softball team defeated the third-seeded Kent State Golden Flashes 9-1 in NCAA Regional play Saturday (May 20) at Michigan's Alumni Field.
In the first inning the Sooners lit up the board first. Centerfielder Kristin Vesley doubled to right-center and designated player Samantha Ricketts followed with a double to right-center to score Vesley and make it a 1-0 lead for Oklahoma. The Golden Flashes notched a hit against Nicole Denes in the bottom of the first frame but couldn't come up with a score.
The second inning featured OU striking again, starting with Mariee Mena reaching on an error by Kent State first baseman Jamie Fitzpatrick. Susan Ogden singled through the left side, and with two outs Norrelle Dickson singled to load the bases. Spaulding singled to the pitcher to score Mena, and Vesley worked the bat again, roping a shot to third base to score Ogden. Finally, Rickets grounded out to end a two-run, four-hit inning and the OU lead was pushed to 3-0.
Kent State did not add a run until the third inning when Kim Hamilton reached first base on a fielding error by OU's Traci Dickenson. With one out, Whitney Lebowitz singled through the right side and Hamilton came up with a single to third base for a 3-1 ballgame.
In the fourth inning, the Golden Flashes faced another barrage of Sooner hits and runs. After Dickson singled, Spaulding singled and advanced to second on a throwing error that scored Dickson to mark play at 4-1, but that wasn't the end of the OU bats. Vesely reached on an error by the first baseman to score Spaulding, but a Long long ball added two more runs for the Sooners and ended the inning with a score of 7-1.
Play was ended in the fifth inning due to the run rule after Oklahoma added two more runs to the board.
Oklahoma will take on Michigan, the regional's No. 1 seed, in the championship game at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Sooners will need to beat the host Wolverines twice in order to claim the regional title.
Q U O T E S
Oklahoma Head Coach Patty Gasso
On Oklahoma's performance against Kent State ... "I was very pleased with this group coming out and scoring early. Before the game, we talked about what we need in order to be standing on Sunday. We felt we were just kind of going through the motions but we got it together, and knowing what's at stake here and that our season is on the line and that's when this team really responded and stepped up. It was nice to see Nicole (Denes) come in and do her job and she'll definitely be a big factor for us tomorrow."
Oklahoma Centerfielder Kristin Vesely
On the team's hitting against Kent State ... "I feel like we were getting ahead and swinging at our pitches and not the pitches she wanted us to chase out of the zone. We didn't take as many of the bad pitches today."
On setting the Oklahoma hit record ... "Coach Lomardi said something to me that I didn't really hear. The only reason I knew was because my neighbor told me I had two left and I said, 'What' It's good to leave your mark on the record book but we're really after tomorrow."
On what Oklahoma will have to do differently to beat Jennie Ritter and Michigan ... "We need to get after the pitches she leaves over the plate. She makes a couple of mistakes with every batter and we didn't capitalize earlier today. We need to lay off some pitches and not let her get ahead of us."
Oklahoma Pitcher Nicole Denes
On getting the ball for the game against Kent State ... "Every game we play is our most important game. I was excited to get the ball and do the best job I could for us. During the break between games Coach Lombardi told me that I would have the ball. I guess I was ready for it because D.J. just threw nine innings. I was expecting to throw and I was ready to go."
On Sunday's finale with Michigan ... "It's do or die tomorrow. We want to come in with a breath of fresh air and be ready to have fun and play our best."
On the possibility of pitching on Sunday ... "I'll be ready at all times because you never know what's going to happen. If I throw one inning or seven innings in the first game, I just want to be ready at all times."
Kent State Head Coach Karen Linder
On Kent State's rematch against Oklahoma ... "Oklahoma had the best hitting performance of any team that we've played against all year, and we've played some very good teams -- Cal Berkeley early in the season, Nebraska, Florida State -- so my hat goes off to Oklahoma. Their hitters did a good job of making adjustments and hitting the ball much better today. The speed in their lineup really forced us to make mistakes, and I think that was costly. They really capitalized on our mistakes. They did a good job. I'm really proud of my team. We came away with the win against Youngstown State. We were able to hit the ball well and I thought we played better today against Oklahoma than we did yesterday."
Kent State Third Baseman Megan Verde
On the team's two three-run homers in the fifth inning against Youngstown State ... "I guess that we've come to expect that. We've had people come through in the clutch all season and hit long balls. It's nothing new to our team, but it definitely picks you up and swings the momentum to your side."
Kent State Pitcher Brittney Robinson
On the strain of pitching two consecutive games ... "I don't know so much that it took it out of me. I know that yesterday's game opening the regional was a lot more nerve-racking. It was a different kind of atmosphere. I had to work against myself. Against Youngstown State, I was facing some of the batters for the fourth time this year. It made everything easier as a prelude to Oklahoma. I get better generally when I'm tired. Obviously, the number of hits didn't exactly show how I felt. But I think I had a better performance today. Granted, they had more hits, but I was definitely more confident in myself. It just didn't show very well."
