NORMAN, Okla. – No. 3 Oklahoma defeated the Drake University softball team, 5-2, Saturday afternoon on the final day of the Oklahoma Invite.
Drake (12-11), which fell behind 3-0 in the second inning, answered with two runs in the top of the third on
Kennedy Frank's (Chesterfield, Mo.) clutch two-out single. Frank drove in
Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa) and
Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.). Buie and Roemmich led off the frame with back-to-back singles and
Libby Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa) walked to load the bases with one out to set up Frank, who lined the ball to right field with a full count. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs' threat ended when Ryan was thrown out trying to steal home.
Oklahoma (18-2) added two insurance runs in the fifth inning.
Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa) allowed three straight hits as two Sooners scored. Timmons retired the next three batters and allowed just one more hit the rest of the way, but Drake's offense couldn't push another run across as Roemmich had the Bulldogs' last two hits. However, she was stranded both times including once at second base after she moved over on
Macy Johnson's (Winterset, Iowa) sacrifice bunt in the fifth.
Roemmich had three of the Bulldogs' five hits. Timmons allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits with two walks and one strikeout. Her record moved to 7-6. The three runs by the Sooners in the second inning were scored on two Bulldogs' errors.
Drake plays one final game in Oklahoma Sunday when it plays at Tulsa at 12 p.m. The Bulldogs beat the Golden Hurricane, 7-2, last season in Tulsa.
