Softball Falls in Series Finale to No. 20 USF, 5-2

Sunday, April 24

Collins Family Complex

11 a.m.

Tulsa

28-14, 0

USF

42-11, 0

USF

Tulsa

Softball Falls in Series Finale to No. 20 USF, 5-2

4/24/2016 3:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Eric Hollier

Box Score

TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa softball team dropped Sunday's series finale to No. 20 USF, 5-2, at the Collins Family Softball Complex.

The Golden Hurricane (28-14, 5-7 American) scored a run in each of the first two frames, while the Bulls (42-11, 14-1 American) scored two runs in the second. The score remained tied until the seventh inning, when USF plated three runs.

Left fielder Maddie Withee and center fielder Jodi Edmiston both went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Hurricane, and Withee knocked her sixth home run of the season – a solo shot in the first inning. First baseman Tori Stafford hit an RBI single, and went 1-for-2 in the contest.

TU starter Caitlin Sill (15-7) struck out two batters and allowed just one earned run in her complete-game effort. USF reliever Erica Nunn (25-7) pitched the final 3.2 innings in relief of starter Cheyenne Eggens, and allowed four hits in the win. Tulsa totaled two runs on nine hits with four errors, and USF totaled five runs on eight hits. Both teams left eight runners on base in the game.

The Golden Hurricane returns to action Wednesday, when it plays host to Wichita State at 3 p.m. at the Collins Family Softball Complex.

"They came up with hits when they needed them, and the fact that we didn't get very many hits with runners in scoring position, was the difference in the game," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "Sometimes you have to give credit to the pitching that you're facing, and other times you just have to say hey, somebody has to step up and come up big in those situations, and we weren't able to do it."

Tulsa got on the board first on Withee's solo homer in the bottom of the first. USF scored two runs in the second on a solo home run to left center by catcher Lee Ann Spivey, and an RBI double by left fielder Astin Donovan. The hit scored Nunn, who was enabled to reach third base on an error at short.

The Hurricane responded with a run in the bottom of the second to tie the score, 2-2. Right fielder Julia Hollingsworth led off the inning with a single, stole third base, and scored on a one-out base hit to right field by Stafford.

The score remained 2-2 until the seventh inning when USF scored three unearned runs. Spivey, who reached on an error, stole second, and the cutoff throw to shortstop got away, allowing center fielder Juli Weber to score from third. After a groundout, third baseman Monica Santos hit a two-run home run to left, making the score 5-2.

Tulsa retired the Bulls in the third and fourth innings with the bases loaded. With three runners on base after a single and two walks, Sill induced a 1-2-3 double play to end the third inning. In the fourth with the bases loaded and two outs, a groundout back to the circle ended the threat.

Tulsa left the bases loaded in the fifth and seventh innings. In the fifth, Stafford was hit by a pitch, Edmiston singled up the middle and Maddie Withee was issued a one-out intentional walk, but a pop out and groundout ended the inning. In the seventh, TU got consecutive one-out singles from Edmiston, Maggie Withee and Maddie Withee, but two pop outs ended the game.

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.

USF 5, Tulsa 2 (Apr 24, 2016 at Tulsa, Okla.)
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USF................. 020 000 3 - 5 8 0      (42-11, 14-1)
Tulsa............... 110 000 0 - 2 9 4      (28-14, 5-7)
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Pitchers: USF - EGGENS, Cheyenne; NUNN, Erica(4) and SPIVEY, Lee Ann. Tulsa - SILL, Caitlin and
HORNER, Catherine.
Win-NUNN, Erica(25-7) Loss-SILL, Caitlin(15-7) T-1:53 A-182
HR USF - SPIVEY, Lee Ann (13); SANTOS, Monica (4).
HR TLS - WITHEE, Maddie (6).
Weather: 74 Ptly Cloudy, Wind S @ 22mph