Frosh Chamberlain Breaks Oklahoma Single-Season Homer Record
NORMAN, OKLA –It didn’t take long for Oklahoma volunteer coach Lisa Carey to watch history being made at Marita Hynes Field Wednesday (April 25th). It came in the first inning of OU’s 7-1 victory over rival Oklahoma State in the third and concluding Bedlam game of the season.
OU standout freshman Laura Chamberlain made history when she hit her 21st homer of the season in the first inning. The homer broke the single-season record shared by Carey (2000) and Lynette Velazquez (1999). Carey watched from the entry into the OU dugout as Chamberlain’s blast cleared both the centerfield fence and the fence behind that one. Carey gave Chamberlain a high-five and an extra pat on the helmet.
Said Carey, ”I was very happy for her. Today before the game, I go, ‘Hey, why don’t you break the record tonight?’ So it was pretty cool. For somebody to step in and do that as a freshman is awesome.”
Chamberlain added to her record season by hitting her second homer of the game and her 22nd of the season off OSU starter Simone Freeman in the third inning to stake the Sooners to an early 2-0 lead. The 2-0 lead swelled to 5-0 in the fourth when Erica Sampson belted a three-run shot just fair of the left field foul pole. The blast knocked out Freeman and basically ended the final Bedlam game of the season.
“I wasn’t really worried about the record but I feel honored to be in the same ballpark as the players that have had the record like Coach Carey,” said Chamberlain. “I was seeing the pitches well. Sometimes I get a little anxious up at the plate.” The two home runs also put Chamberlain in sole possession of fourth on the Big 12 single season home run list. The first-year Sooner is just two home runs away from tying the conference record of 24 held by three different players. .
OU won all three games, outscoring the Cowgirls 22-2 and had won five of their last seven games. OSU is now 23-19 while OU improved to 39-7 and a Big 12 Conference-leading 14-4 record. OU could host both an NCAA Regional and a best-of-three Super Regional if they advance.
Each team had six hits but OU used the long ball to score its runs to support winning pitcher Keilani Ricketts who collected her 24th win of the season against six losses. OSU scored its lone run when Ricketts hit Kelsey Anchors in the fifth inning after OSU loaded the bases. The junior pitched five innings, striking out seven while allowing four hits, one run and one walk before being replaced by Michelle Gascoigne. Gascoigne threw one inning of shutout ball before Kirsten Allen entered the circle for the game’s final scoreless inning. Freeman took the loss for OSU to fall to 7-8 on the year.
