OKLAHOMA CITY — If you think Oklahoma is good this year, just wait.

Sure, the Sooners will lose six seniors, not the least of which is leadoff hitter Norrelle Dickson, but the youth movement has made its presence felt in the lineup all season long.

And the freshmen made the loudest noise in the lineup during OU’s Big 12 tournament run this weekend.

Lindsey Vandever was the Sooners’ hottest hitter, leading the team with a .571 average and five RBIs. She also had two doubles and a home run.

“I was just happy to come out and make a contribution to my team,” Vandever said. “I’m seeing the ball really well right now, and things are going well.”

Vandever and fellow first-year slugger Amber Flores had some big hits in the tournament. Both went homered, and the two combined to go 6-for-17 with five runs scored and six RBIs.

Coming into the tournament, Vandever and Flores had proven to be major contributors. Vandever was hitting .269 with four home runs and 17 RBIs, while Flores, OU’s No. 2 hitter, came in hitting .357 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs.

And while Flores had the big solo home run in Friday’s tournament opener, Saturday belonged to Vandever.

She was 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs in the semifinal victory over Missouri, then followed that performance by going 1-for-2 with an RBI in the championship win over Texas Tech.

“I’m really happy with the way our freshmen are hitting,” OU coach Patty Gasso said. “It was great the way Vandever sparked us offensively in this tournament. It speaks really well for the future of our program.”

Even freshman Iver McDonald, who comes off the bench to pinch run for the Sooners, made an impact, scoring two runs in the three games.

And while seniors like Dickson and Jamie Fox were also contributing offensively, the freshmen were determined to make the most noise, helping OU pick up its first Big 12 tournament title since 2001.

“It’s just a blessing,” Vandever said. “We came into it to lay everything out there. We know we can do it, so (the freshmen) were like, ‘Why not us?’”

Jeff Johncox

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