The ninth-seeded University of Oklahoma softball team opens play at the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s College World Series on Thursday evening against top-seeded Arizona State at 6 p.m. CT at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. The game airs nationally on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com. Thursday’s game can also be heard locally on KREF 1400 AM in Norman. Live stats are available at SoonerSports.com.
The Sooners continue to play for Jessica Shults who is not expected to play today. Shults, an All-American for the second straight year, has suffered an undisclosed injury/sickness and is still recovering. Coach Patty Gasso as well as the rest of the team is hoping for her return and continues to extend the season giving Shults more of an opportunity to make a World Series appearance. Today is going to provide a tough test as Oklahoma is facing possibly the best team in the nation but behind the pitching of Keilani Ricketts, OU has remained a team that no one wants to face.