A Record Day for Softball in Saturday Sweep

Saturday, February 20

San Antonio, Texas

2 p.m.

Tulsa

6-3

Texas A&M - Corpus Christi

6-2

A&M-Corpus Christi

Tulsa

A Record Day for Softball in Saturday Sweep

2/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Eric Hollier

Box Scores vs TAMCC | Box Score vs UTSA

SAN ANTONIO – Sophomore pitcher Emily Watson matched a school record with 17 strikeouts and senior Caitlin Sill recorded her program-record 10th career save as the Tulsa softball team won twice on Saturday, defeating Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 5-3, and UTSA, 6-0, in the UTSA Classic at Roadrunner Field.

Junior left fielder Maddie Withee recorded five RBI in the two games to pace the Golden Hurricane (7 -2) offense. Watson (3-1) tossed a two-hit shutout with just one walk along with the 17 punchouts in the 6-0 win over UTSA Saturday evening. Freshman Ellie Reaves (2-0) picked up the win over A&M-Corpus Christi after allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts in 4.0 innings Saturday afternoon. Sill tossed the final three innings, allowing just one hit, with two strikeouts for her first save of the season.

Tulsa will face UTSA again on Sunday to conclude the UTSA Classic. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Watson's 17 strikeouts matched the single-game high set by former TU All-American Aimee Creger (2011-14) twice in the 2014 season. All three 17-strikeout games have been seven-inning affairs. Sill's 10th career save broke the former mark originally set by Maren Genow (2003-06).

"Emily had three pitches that she could go to when she wanted to, with awfully good location," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "Two of them were swing-and-miss pitches in the zone, and others were deceiving enough to get locked up on her fastball. It's awfully tough to hit a pitcher when they have three pitches going so well with different speeds, different movement, and then topping it off with great location."

Senior center fielder Jodi Edmiston and senior third baseman Maggie Withee each scored three runs on the day for the Hurricane, while senior first baseman Jocelyn Sheffield and freshman Morgan Neal each tallied three hits.

Against UTSA, the Hurricane scored a run in the first inning, then two runs in the sixth and three more runs in the seventh frame. Maggie Withee led off the game with a double, and scored on Edmiston's sacrifice fly.

Watson struck out the first batter she faced, then allowed a double to right field, but got a punch out to the following batter, and proceeded to retire 13 straight. A two-out walk in the fifth inning was followed by a strikeout, and a leadoff bunt single in the sixth was succeeded by six swing-and-miss outs in a row. Watson struck out the side in four innings, including six straight to end the game.

Clinging to a 1-0 lead, Edmiston singled with one out in the sixth, and scored when senior catcher Catherine Horner reached on an error. Sheffield doubled home Maddie Withee, who reached on a fielder's choice, making the score 3-0.

The Hurricane added three runs in the seventh inning on a bases-loaded double to left field by Maddie Withee. The three-run hit scored freshman Tori Stafford, who had a pinch-hit single, Maggie Withee, who reached on a fielder's choice, and freshman Rylie Spell, who walked.

In the first game of the day against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Tulsa put a run on the board in the first inning when Neal walked, and moved around to score on a passed ball. After a two-run home run in the top of the second by first baseman Aspen Auger gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead, the Hurricane responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame.

Sheffield started with a one-out double, then after a fielder's choice and walk loaded the bases, Neal drove an RBI single to right center and Maddie Withee hit a two-run base hit to center.

The Islanders made the score 4-3 with an RBI single in the fourth by catcher Brianne Trost. Tulsa picked up an insurance run in the sixth when Edmiston walked, and later scored on a passed ball, making the score 5-3.

"Sill looked really good, and she was changing speeds," Bargfeldt said. "You could tell they were getting some good swings at times. When she came in and threw different speeds, all of a sudden it took the aggressiveness out of them. Maddie has been really clutch. She's been getting a lot of RBI opportunities, and for the most part has been making the most of them.

"Jodi had a really good day of setting the table and getting on base. She scored three runs on the day and was on base quite a bit," added Bargfeldt. "Jocelyn continues to swing the bat really well. When she hits the ball on the barrel, it's a rocket."

Follow Tulsa Softball on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaSoftball and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaWSoftball. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane.

Tulsa 5, A&M-Corpus Christi 3 (Feb 20, 2016 at San Antonio, Texas)
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A&M-Corpus Christi.. 020 100 0 - 3 7 0      (6-3)
Tulsa............... 130 001 X - 5 7 1      (6-2)
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Pitchers: A&M-Corpus Christi - Carter, L. and Trost, B.. Tulsa - REAVES, Ellie; SILL, Caitlin(5)
and SPELL, Rylie; HORNER, Catherine.
Win-REAVES, Ellie(2-0) Save-SILL, Caitlin(1) Loss-Carter, L.(3-2) T-2:05 A-357
HR AMCC - Auger, A. (2).
Weather: 75, cloudy, S 11 mph
REAVES, E. faced 1 batter in the 5th.

Tulsa 6, UTSA 0 (Feb 20, 2016 at San Antonio, Texas)
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Tulsa............... 100 002 3 - 6 10 0      (7-2)
UTSA................ 000 000 0 - 0 2 3      (4-4)
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Pitchers: Tulsa - WATSON, Emily and HORNER, Catherine. UTSA - FOX,L; PARKER(6) and SOEFJE.
Win-WATSON, Emily(3-1) Loss-FOX,L(1-1) T-1:43 A-357
Weather: 75, fair, SE 11 mph