Tulsa Softball Falls to Illinois 5-4 on Sunday

Sunday, February 28

Austin, Texas

Noon

Tulsa

11-4

Illinois

8-6

Tulsa

Illinois

Tulsa Softball Falls to Illinois 5-4 on Sunday

2/28/2016 6:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Austin, Texas –– Tulsa finished the weekend with a 3-2 record after dropping its final game at the Texas Invitational by a score of 5-4 against Illinois Sunday afternoon. Tulsa fell to 11-4 overall, while Illinois improved to 8-6 on the young season.

Although scoring first, the Hurricane got down 4-1 after two innings and couldn't overtake the Fighting Illini despite a three-run 4^th inning.

With two outs in the top of the 1^st inning, Jodi Edmiston scored on a Maddie Withee single to take a 1-0 lead. The Illini answered with two runs in the bottom of the first as two fielding errors led to both unearned runs. After Tulsa stranded a runner at first base in the top of the second, the Illini added two more runs on three hits in the 2^nd inning to take a 4-1 lead.

Ellie Reaves replaced Emilee Watson on the mound for the Hurricane in the 2^nd inning after the Illini took its three-run lead. Reaves was able to get the first batter she faced to ground out and end the inning.

Illinois added another run in the 3^rd inning for a 5-1 lead, before Tulsa was able to mount a comeback in the top of the 4^th.

Catherine Horner began the 4^th inning with a double to left center, and came home on Shelby Estocado's single to right field. Estocado moved to third on a throwing error and scored when Kaitlin Allen hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Tulsa loaded the bases with two walks and a hit-by-pitch, and Julia Hollingsworth scored on the hit-by-pitch to Morgan Neal, but Maggie Withee was called out at third base to end Tulsa's half of the inning.

Reaves held Illinois scoreless on just one hit over the next three innings. With two outs in the 5^th inning, Tulsa's Hollingsworth doubled down the left field line to put the tying run in scoring position, but was stranded there. The Hurricane tried to rally in the top of the 7^th inning, but left two on base without scoring.

The weekend saw Tulsa defeat Weber State, 5-3, and the nation's 21^st-ranked Texas Longhorns, 3-0, on Friday. Tulsa once again handed Texas a 3-0 loss on Saturday, but fell later in the day to Abilene Christian, 2-1.

Tulsa will host the Tulsa Invitational next weekend and faces Iowa and Lamar twice. On Saturday, Tulsa plays Iowa at 12 noon and Lamar at 4:30 p.m. and will be back on Sunday to host Lamar at 12 noon and Iowa at 2 p.m.

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.

Illinois 5, Tulsa 4 (Feb. 28, 2016 at Austin, Texas)
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Tulsa 100 300 0 – 4 7 3 (11-4)
Illinois 221 000 X – 5 7 2 (8-6)
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Pitchers: IILLINOIS –VECVANAGS, J. and ABELLO, S.; TULSA – WATSON, Emily, REAVES, Ellie and Horner, Catherine
Win: VECVANAGS, J. (5-3); Loss: WATSON, Emily (4-3)
HR: none
Weather: 69, patches of sunlight