No. 15 Oklahoma Tops Kansas, 8-3

Senior Alex Jones was 1-for-3 with a RBI in the first game of the doubleheader.
Oklahoma 8, Kansas 3 
Marita Hynes Stadium // Norman, Okla.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
KU 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 5 2
OU 2 2 2 0 0 2 X 8 9 1

Box Score (.pdf)

Batting Leaders
KU AB R H RBI BB HR
A. Jones 3 0 1 1 0 0
M. Stein 3 0 1 1 0 0
OU
K. Self 4 3 2 1 0 1
S. Pendley 4 1 3 3 0 1
Pitching
KU IP H R ER BB SO
K. Kessler (L, 17-9) 3.0 6 6 6 3 2
B. Wilson 3.0 3 2 1 1 2
OU
K. Stevens (W, 19-5) 4.0 3 2 2 0 5
S. Pendley (S, 2) 3.0 2 1 1 2 2

NORMAN, Okla. – Junior hurler Beth Wilson tossed two scoreless innings of relief in the opening game of the doubleheader, but early home runs proved to be costly as No. 15 Oklahoma defeated Kansas, 8-3, Saturday at Marita Hynes Stadium.

Wilson, a native of Canton, Ill., threw three innings of relief, including two scoreless innings. She struck out two and gave up three hits in her third appearance of the year.

Junior Maddie Stein put Kansas on the board in the first inning with an RBI single to left field. Ashley Newman led off the game with a double to left centerfield and advanced to third on a KU ground out. Stein’s team-leading 53rd hit of the season brought home Newman andgave Kansas the lead 1-0.

Oklahoma answered in the bottom half of the first frame with a two-run homer over the right field fence. Shelby Pendley’s home run gave the Sooners the lead, 2-1.

In the second inning, OU’s Javen Henson and Kady Self each hit solo home runs extending the Sooners lead 4-1.

Sophomore Kelsey Kessler hurled three innings in her second appearance of the weekend. She struck out two and gave up six runs in the loss.

Alex Jones cut OU’s lead to two runs  in the third inning. The senior outfielder gave Kansas another run when she launched a double off the centerfield wall. Jones’ sixth double of the year allowed freshman Taylor McElhaney to score as the Jayhawks trailed 4-2.

OU added two runs in the third inning and took a 6-2 advantage into the fourth frame. The first run walked in after Kessler gave up a bases loaded walk and the final run of the third crossed home plate on a fly out.

Wilson took over throwing two-straight scoreless frames. Kansas’ offense took advantage of Wilson’s scoreless efforts and cut the Sooner lead, 6-3, in the fifth inning. Sophomore Chaley Brickey hit a single to centerfield allowing a Jayhawk run to cross home plate.

Oklahoma tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning and headed into the final inning with an, 8-3 lead. OU’s Kelsey Stevens earned the victory and struck out five batters. She allowed two runs and three hits in four innings of work.

Kansas concludes the series with the final game starting at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 5 at Marita Hynes Stadium.

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