March 18, 2011

Box Score

Fullerton, Calif. - A costly day in the field proved too much for the Pacific softball team to overcome as the Tigers dropped a 13-2, five inning, decision to No. 9 Oklahoma on Friday, March 18 at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. The loss dropped Pacific to 13-8 overall while the Sooners improved to 25-7.

Taking on one of the top hitting teams in the country in the No. 9 Sooners, the Tigers did themselves no favors as Pacific committed a season-high five errors to hand Oklahoma seven of its 13 runs. With the Tigers struggling in the field, the Sooners picked up just enough timely hits to make Pacific pay for its mistakes as they scored in all but one of the five innings played.

In the first, with freshman Tori Shepard in the circle to take on yet another top ranked team, the Tigers committed a pair of errors in the first two plays of the game to setup up the scoring chance. After a walk loaded the bases, the Sooners would get their first unearned run of the game on a deep sacrifice fly to center. Two innings later, Oklahoma would tack on a second run, its only earned run of the game as a leadoff double by Jessica Shults was put to use on a two-out single by Dani Dobbs.

Down two, the Tigers saw the game get out of hand in the bottom of the fourth when a pair of Pacific errors allowed the Sooners to put together a six run inning, capped by a two-out grand slam off the bat of Dobbs. The home run was the fifth of the season and first career grand slam for the Dobbs.

The four-run shot put the Tigers in danger of facing a run-rule loss as they headed to the top of the fifth inning with three outs to keep the game alive. Pacific would mount a small rally in the inning to prolong the game at least one more inning, however the Sooners would get back both runs and more in bottom of the inning ending the game with a solo home run to start the inning and a grand slam to end it.

In the two run inning for Pacific, sophomore Amy Moore started the rally off with a bloop single down the left field line. After being replaced on the base paths by freshman Gabby Goyette, the Tigers would put runners at second and third on a double to right-center by junior Alexa Rivera. Both runners would score on a single up the middle off the bat of freshman Kelsey Rodriguez with the trailing runner taking advantage of aggressive throws by the Sooner defense to score the second run of the inning.

In the circle, Shepard suffered the loss to fall to 4-3 on the year with all three losses coming to top-10 opponents. In four innings pitched, the freshman gave up seven hits and nine runs, only two earned while striking out four and walking four. In relief, senior Shaina Brock relinquished the final four runs of the game as she gave up four hits and the final home run that ended the contest.

For the Sooners, Michelle Gascoigne improved to 7-3 as she threw all five innings for Oklahoma while giving up two runs and five hits. She also struck out five while walking none.

Pacific is back in action later in the day against No. 6 Arizona State as the two teams meet at approximately 3:30 pm.