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...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 10 PM CDT TUESDAY...

The following statement was issued by the Oklahoma Department of
Environmental Quality from 10 AM to 10 PM CDT Tuesday.

An Air Quality Alert for Ozone has been issued for Tuesday, August 25
for the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area due to expected high
concentrations of ozone.

Public Health Recommendations: Persons with existing heart or
respiratory ailments should reduce physical exertion and outdoor
activity.

The general public is encouraged to help alleviate the problem by
reducing vehicle miles traveled by riding the bus, carpooling, or
avoiding unnecessary trips. The public is also asked to avoid
refueling during the morning and early afternoon hours, and to avoid
the use of two cycle engines such as lawn mowers, motorcycles, weed
trimmers, and outboard engines. It is also advised to limit outdoor
burning.

To view the latest air quality map, visit airnow.gov or the AirNow
app.

For hourly updates on concentrations and possible health warnings,
telephone the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality at
405-702-4100. For more information on health effects, call the
American Lung Association of Oklahoma at 405-748-4674
Featured

'She's really comfortable': Haley Lee's offensive resurgence continues to fuel Sooners in 11-0 win over Missouri

Haley Lee

Redshirt senior Haley Lee during Game 2 of the Norman Regional on May 20.

 Reghan Kyle/OU Daily

Haley Lee struggled toward the end of the regular season.

OU's slugger entered a late April series against Baylor with a .426 batting average, which dropped to .364 following a 4-for-28 stretch in the ensuing 10 games.

Through four postseason appearances — two in both the Big 12 Championship and Norman Regional — Lee has ignited the Sooners.

The designated hitter has collected hits in eight of her last 10 at bats, including a 2 for 3 showing bolstered by an RBI and three runs scored during Oklahoma's (53-1, 18-0 Big 12) 11-0 win over Missouri (35-25, 7-17 SEC) Saturday in the second round of the Norman Regional at Marita Hynes Field.

"She's really comfortable," Sooners’ coach Patty Gasso said postgame. "What's really great about these seniors right now is they know this is it. And they're not pressing for it, they're just letting themselves be free. Haley Lee looks like she's seeing the ball (come in) so big. (She's) just comfortable (and) confident."

Lee's performances in regional play are rivaled only by catcher Kinzie Hansen, who blasted a two-run home run in the third inning to extend OU's lead to 5-0.

The Sooners' 3-hole and cleanup hitters have contributed 12 of OU's 22 runs thus far. Hansen has collected six RBIs on four hits through regional play, including a two-run home run on Saturday.

"She loves (the) postseason, all of them do," Gasso said. "They get these big opportunities. They're waiting for (them). They're almost wishing runners are on when they come up to the plate."

Sooners experiment in right field

Oklahoma has few question marks as it enters postseason play. However, Gasso faces a dilemma in right field.

OU has inserted four players in the spot through its first two regional games — Jocelyn Erickson, Alynah Torres, Grace Green and Avery Hodge — with Erickson making the start on Saturday. Quincee Lilio has also played right field, including during the Sooners' 9-0 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship, where she caught Gasso's eye with a diving catch in foul territory.

Erickson and Torres lead the pack in appearances, with 49 and 51, respectively. Erickson boasts the best batting average of the five at .371. 

"I just try to give them opportunities," Gasso said. "(I) gave (Jocelyn) Erickson an opportunity (today) because she was a good matchup with that pitcher. ... They're all waiting, and they're all into the game top to bottom."

Pitching works through Missouri, Hofstra with ease

OU's pitching staff has made light work of both its regional opponents thus far.

Sophomore Jordy Bahl (16-1) allowed no runs and one hit in five innings on Saturday. Bahl struck out seven before being relieved by freshman Kierston Deal, who capped the win with a scoreless sixth inning.

Junior Nicole May and senior Alex Storako dealt five scoreless innings on Friday, only to be upped by Bahl and Deal's six scoreless. In all, OU's staff has allowed two hits and struck out 15 through 11 innings.

While Storako's turn in the rotation is due up, Gasso made no guarantees on who the Sooners' starter will be when they face the winner of Missouri-Cal/Hofstra at 1 p.m. Sunday in Norman.

"I don't remember having (a rotation) this deep," Gasso said. "It's going to be very hard for (teams) to plan for us because I don't know that people expected Nicole May to be on the mound our first game. And you're all going to wonder who's going to be on the mound tomorrow. And that's part of the beauty of it, because (other teams) are going to have to figure out how (they're) going to plan for it.

"They all can come in mid-game or (to) close, so we've got them all set for all phases of the game.”

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