Oklahoma State University Athletics
No. 21 Softball Upsets No. 16 Illinois-Chicago, 4-3
March 05, 2000 | Cowgirl Softball
March 5, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Oklahoma State's Paula Garman hit a grand-slam home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, erasing a 3-0 deficit as the 21st-ranked Cowgirl softball team defeated No. 16 Illinois-Chicago, 4-3, here Sunday afternoon in a semifinal game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic.
Garman's home run with one out was her third of the season, snapping a slump that had lasted 10 games. Her last home run was vs. Panhandle State on Feb. 16.
The Flames took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first off OSU starter Lauren Bay. Sarah Knife Chief came on in the first, and threw five scoreless innings before being relieved by Karla Rivera in the seventh. Knife Chief picked up the win, while Rivera earned her first save of the season.
Oklahoma State (16-6) will play DePaul in the championship game of the Bronze Bracket at 2 p.m. EST.
Oklahoma State 4, Illinois-Chicago 3
UIC 300 000 0 - 3 6 0 OSU 000 004 x - 4 7 3
Bay, Knife Chief (1), Rivera (7) and Silva. Iuli, Gonzales-Gould (6) and Christoferson. WP: Knife Chief (6-2). LP: Iuli. Save-Rivera (1). 2B: OSU-Hayes, Realmuto. HR: OSU-Garman (3).
