Final Stats

DENTON, Texas - Dana Elsasser was perfect through 6.1 innings, and Allie Mathewson hit a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the UNO softball team to a 1-0 win over Oklahoma State on Saturday morning.

The Mavs improved to 8-0 this season with the victory, while the Cowgirls dropped to 3-4. UNO is 3-0 at the North Texas Lovelace Invitational with two games remaining. The Mavs face Iowa, who is also unbeaten at the tournament, at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The Mavs and Cowgirls engaged in a pitcher's duel all morning. Elsasser took a perfect game into the top of the seventh inning before allowing a one-out single to right field. Until that hit, no ball had gotten past the Maverick infield. But a UNO double play ended the top of the seventh with Elsasser having faced the minimum 21 batters through seven.

Unfortunately, the Mavs weren't able to get anything going offensively to help Elsasser out. Oklahoma State pitcher Kat Espinosa pitched a gem herself, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before allowing a single to left field by Campbell Ditto, who extended her eight-game hitting streak to begin her freshman season.

With the teams deadlocked after seven and playing by international tiebreaker rules, a runner was placed on second base with no outs starting in the top of the eighth inning. Oklahoma State pinch-runner Shannon Kaufman advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Elsasser got Amy Graham to pop up to the circle and Tiffany Mikkelson to fly out to right field to keep the shutout intact.

In the bottom of the eighth, Mara Eeman was placed at second base for UNO. Tara Trede struck out, but Mathewson stepped in and drove a ball to left center for a walk-off double that scored Eeman.

Elsasser faced the minimum 24 batters and allowed just one hit and no walks in her second shutout of the season. She struck out eight while moving to 5-0 this season and lowering her season ERA to 0.64.