Oklahoma splits with ranked teams

Oklahoma Athletics

TEMPE, Ariz. – Ninth-ranked Oklahoma downed second-ranked Arizona 11-1 in five innings before Dallas Escobedo struck out 11 and Annie Lockwood hit a grand slam to propel No. 13 Arizona State past the Sooners 4-3 in the nightcap at the Kajikawa Classic on Saturday.

In the opener vs. No. 2 Arizona, Keilani Ricketts allowed just one earned run on two hits and struck out 10 as the Sooners (4-1) pounded out 10 hits in the win. Ricketts aided her pitching by driving in four OU runs, including a three-run home run in the top half of the fifth. She ended the game 2 for 2 and drew one walk.

Jessica Shults added a bases-clearing double to finish the game 1 for 2 with two runs scored and three runs driven in. Shults drew two walks. Haley Nix also brought home two runs to go 1 for 3 on the afternoon.

Shults scored the game’s first run on a wild pitch and OU tacked on five more in the third to jump out to a 6-0 lead.

Dani Dobbs led off the third with her first home run of the season. After back-to-back singles from Brianna Turang and Destinee Martinez, Nix walked to load the bases. Shults’ double then scored the trio to break open the scoring. Shults then scored on a Ricketts base hit.

Shults and Brittany Williams got back-to-back walks to lead off the fifth inning and Williams and pinch runner Haley McGregor scored on Ricketts’ blast to center field. Nix’s double later in the inning plated Javen Henson and Turang to push OU in front 11-0.

Kirsten Arriola hit a solo home run to right center field to score Arizona’s only run of the game. UA starter Shelby Babcock moved to 1-1 on the year, pitching all 5.0 innings for the Wildcats.

In the nightcap vs. the Sun Devils, Shults and Williams hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the fourth to give Oklahoma its three runs.

Michelle Gascoigne (1-1) picked up the loss for OU, allowing the four runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work. Gascoigne walked one and fanned six. Ricketts pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing just one hit, three walks and two strikeouts.