Softball Tops No. 21 Texas, Wins Twice Friday

Friday, February 26

Austin, Texas

9 a.m.

Tulsa

9-2

Weber State

7-5

Tulsa

Weber State

Softball Tops No. 21 Texas, Wins Twice Friday

2/26/2016 8:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Eric Hollier

Box Score vs Weber State | Box Score vs Texas

AUSTIN, Texas – Sophomore Emily Watson recorded 12 strikeouts in a two-hit shutout and sophomore shortstop Shelby Estocado totaled five RBI to lead the Tulsa softball team to wins over No. 21 Texas (3-0) and Weber State (5-3, 8 inn.) Friday at the Texas Invitational at Red and Charline McCombs Field.

The Golden Hurricane (10-2) scored a run in the sixth inning in the opener against Weber State to force extra innings, where it scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning and held on for the 5-3 win. Against previously unbeaten Texas (12-1), Watson (4-1) struck out 12 batters and allowed just two hits, while Estocado hit a two-run home run to lead the Hurricane to the 3-0 victory.

"We got off to a little bit of a slow start, but finished strong," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "Emily pitched from behind in the count a lot tonight. She probably wasn't as sharp as she was last weekend, but she still got an awful lot of swings and misses. Even getting swings and misses from behind in the count, that's a pretty impressive performance. Estocado and Horner had really good at bats all day, and it was good to see them get going. It came at a good time, because some of the hitters that had been carrying us, weren't as productive today."

Estocado's second home run of the season gave Tulsa a 3-0 lead in the second inning against Texas. In the first stanza, the Hurricane scored on a sacrifice fly by junior left fielder Maddie Withee that plated junior third baseman Maggie Withee. The Hurricane, which totaled six hits in the game, had four hits through two innings, including two singles by Maggie Withee, who was 2-for-4 in the game.

Estocado, who went 2-for-3 in the game, bunted for a single in the fourth inning, and freshman designated player Rylie Spell singled in the seventh, but pinch runner freshman Julia Hollingsworth was left on third base.

Watson made the three early runs stand tall, as she never allowed a runner past second base. Both Texas hits came with one out in the first inning, but a pop out and strikeout ended the inning. The Longhorns had baserunners in the second, third and fourth innings – one by error and two by walks – but in all three frames, the runners were stranded at second. Watson retired the final 12 batters of the game after a walk and a fielder's choice placed runners at first and second in the fourth inning.

Texas pitcher Tierra Davis (7-1) took the complete-game loss for the Longhorns.

Senior Caitlin Sill (4-1) earned the win for TU in the opener against Weber State. She tossed the full eight innings and struck out five, while allowing two earned runs on six hits and five walks.

Tulsa faced a 1-0 deficit through five innings against Weber State, before stringing together three straight hits to open the top of the sixth. Senior catcher Catherine Horner led off the frame with a double to center field, followed by a single from senior first baseman Jocelyn Sheffield. Estocado then laced a rope down the left field line to score Horner and tie the game. The Hurricane had runners at second and third with no outs after Estocado's double but could not push another run across.

The extra frame was played under international tiebreaker rules, placing a runner on second base to start the inning. Horner singled and Sheffield reached on an error, scoring the runner Maddie Withee. Estocado then drove her second double of the game, plating both runners. Senior second baseman Kaitlin Allen then doubled home Estocado to extend the lead to 5-1.

Weber State got on the board in the first inning when center fielder JaeCie Wilson walked, and then scored on a single by right fielder Sara Hingsberger. The Wildcats scored two runs in the eighth inning on a fielder's choice and a throwing error.

WSU recorded three hits and four walks in the first and eighth innings, combined. In the six frames between, Sill retired 16 of the 21 batters she faced, including nine in a row between the second and fifth innings, and scattered three hits and a walk. A two-out triple in the fifth inning was countered by a strikeout to end the scoring threat.

Horner went 3-for-4 with two runs in the game, while Estocado finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run.

The Golden Hurricane will face Texas again at 10 a.m. Saturday, and then Abilene Christian at 3 p.m. The game against Texas will air live on the Longhorn Network (Cox 347/1347 and UVerse 611/1611), and live stats will be available for both games.

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, Weber State 3 (Feb 26, 2016 at Austin, Texas)
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Tulsa............... 000 001 04 - 5 9 1      (9-2)
Weber State......... 100 000 02 - 3 6 1      (7-5)
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Pitchers: Tulsa - SILL, Caitlin and HORNER, Catherine. Weber State - Bohling, K.; Reeves, B.(8)
and Horne, M..
Win-SILL, Caitlin(4-1) Loss-Bohling, K.(4-2) T-2:41 A-0
Weather: 48 degrees and clear
Bohling, K. faced 3 batters in the 8th.

Tulsa 3, Texas 0 (Feb 26, 2016 at Austin, Texas)
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Tulsa............... 120 000 0 - 3 6 1      (10-2)
Texas............... 000 000 0 - 0 2 1      (12-1)
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Pitchers: Tulsa - WATSON, Emily and HORNER, Catherine. Texas - Davis and Shireman.
Win-WATSON, Emily(4-1) Loss-Davis(7-1) T-2:10 A-0
HR TLS - ESTOCADO, Shelby.
Weather: 62 and glorious as can be