March 13, 2003

FULLERTON, Calif. - Oklahoma's Christina Enea hit a three-run home run in the top of the first and the sixth-ranked Sooners (22-3) never surrendered the lead, defeating the UNLV softball team 5-2 at the Kia Classic on Thursday.

The Rebels (13-15) answered immediately, pushing two runs across in the bottom of the first. Bridget Byrne was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a long double to right center by Morgan Bostwick. Byrne soon scored on a passed ball, and Bostwick was brought around on a bases-loaded groundout by Sam Sardinha.

That was all that Sooner starter Dana Askins would allow UNLV. Including the last two batters of the first, Askins retired 10 straight before Wendy Godwin broke up the monotony with a seeing-eye single in the fourth.

That was plenty of time for OU to regain its three-run edge. Freshman pitcher Becky McDonald had a chance to erase a leadoff walk in the third, but a muffed throw left runners at first and second with nobody out. The next batter, Leah Gulla, drove a long shot to center field that dropped in for a bases-clearing double and put OU up 5-2.

Both team battled back and forth through the late innings without any serious scoring threats.

Despite the McDonald held Oklahoma to just six hits and struck out six in a complete-game effort, but fell to 1-7 on the year.

The Rebels will complete the pool play portion of the Kia Classic tournament on Friday with a 9 a.m. tangle slated with Arizona State.