Sooner softball hit the diamond this weekend to open up their fall season. The Daily followed the Sooners on their road to the championship.

Sunday

The OU softball team finally allowed a run, but still defeated Odessa College 13-1 to win the OU Fall Festival championship game Sunday at the OU Softball Complex.

After shutting out their opponent in every other game over the weekend, the Sooner defense finally conceded a run in the seventh inning, but the batter tried to stretch the hit into a triple and was thrown out to end the game.

Freshman pitcher Keilani Ricketts started the game on the mound for OU, pitching three innings and striking out five batters.

Ricketts performed well throughout the tournament, even though she said she had to battle some nerves.

“At the beginning I was nervous, but I was really just excited to finally start playing games,” Ricketts said.

Ricketts played several different positions over the weekend as Head Coach Patty Gasso tries to find the right place for her.

“I’m still trying to figure it out [where I’m going to play] but I like it so far,” Ricketts said. “I don’t mind moving around a lot.”

Sophomore pitcher Kirsten Allen pitched the final four innings of the game, allowing one run on three hits.

Senior second baseman Amber Flores hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning, her fifth home run of the weekend. Flores homered in every game of the tournament.

Sophomore outfielder Evan Sallis scored three runs off two walks and one hit, concluding what head coach Patty Gasso said was a strong weekend for the top of the Sooner lineup.

“Our one through six hitters were definitely hitting the ball hard, but it will be the seven through nine spots where we’re still going to be looking to see who will fill those spots,” Gasso said.

Gasso said that the competition for starting positions motivated the players, even though the games themselves were uncompetitive.

“Evan Sallis made a strong statement about wanting that lead-off spot, as did Krystle Huey,” Gasso said.

Gasso said that the focus for the rest of the fall season is to get the players more comfortable in game-like situations.

“We need to work on repetition, being tough hitters on two strikes, things like that,” Gasso said. “I’ve put so much on them so quickly, now we can go back and reinforce things.”

The Sooners’ next game is 6 p.m. Oct. 9 against Seminole State at the OU Softball Complex.

Saturday

The OU softball team had another successful day Saturday in this year’s Fall Festival, as several players made cases for themselves to be in the starting lineup.

The Sooners won both games, first defeating Texarkana College 5-0 then beating Western Oklahoma 13-0.

Flores hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 3rd, finishing 1-3 on the day. Senior catcher Lindsey Vandever scored on an error after hitting a double to right field.

Ricketts scored on a solo shot homerun in the bottom of the fifth, which put the Sooners up 5-0 for the rest of the game.

The win against Western Oklahoma was a little more one-sided as Ricketts, in as pitcher, threw a perfect game.

Ricketts retired every batter she faced, striking out nine. Western Oklahoma did not hit one ball to the outfield.

Flores went 3-3 while batting in three RBIs, scoring three runs and hitting her fourth homerun of the tournament.

Sallis went 2-2 scoring three runs and stealing one base. Her effort could very well establish her spot at the top of the lineup as there has been some competition for the spot.

Freshman catcher Jessica Shults went 3-3 and batted in one run while Vandever also went 3-3, batting in two runs.

Friday

The OU softball team began Fall Festival pool play with a pair of convincing wins at Marita Hynes Field in Norman.

The Sooners defeated Connors State in the first game 10-0 in a run-rule shortened five-inning contest. The team concluded their back-to-back win with an 8-0 victory against Odessa College

In the first game, OU was boosted by a huge 3rd inning, in which the team scored five runs. Freshman pitcher Keilani Ricketts hit a grand slam in the inning, her second home run in as many games with the Sooners this fall.

Freshman catcher Jessica Shults hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, and senior second baseman Amber Flores ended the game with a two-run home-run in the fifth.

Sophomore pitcher Kirsten Allen started the game for the Sooners and got credit for the win, itching four innings and allowing five hits, no runs and striking out two batters.

Sophomore Allee Allen pitched in relief for OU, striking out one batter in one inning of work.

Ricketts started the second game of the night and pitched a complete game shutout, striking out eight batters and allowing no runs on two hits.

Ricketts also saw some action earlier in the tournament at first base where, according to head coach Patty Gasso, she will be seeing plenty of time during the tournament and regular season as well.

First-team All-American and last year’s Big XII Player of the Year Flores fell a single short of hitting for the cycle going 3-4, with a solo home run coming in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Haley Nix added a two shot home run in the bottom of the third.

“It was nice to have [Flores] back in the lineup today,” Gasso said. “With Amber Flores, [Keilani] Ricketts, and Lindsey Vandever, it has the capability of being a very potent lineup.”

Despite winning their game on Wednesday 18-2, Gasso said the Sooners had a slow start which carried into this game as well. However, she said the lineup looked good and more complete than last year.

“Offensively, I was very pleased with [sophomore Evan] Sallis,” Gasso said. “It was nice to see someone in the lead off take over and that’s something we’ve really needed since last year. We have people fighting for that spot so she really made a statement tonight.”