Tulsa
Fresno State
Hurricane Blows, Bulldogs Go!
4/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 27, 2002
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Tulsa, Okla. - Using five hits and two throwing errors to its advantage, The University of Tulsa softball squad defeated nationally ranked Fresno State, 4-1, for the first time in school history on Saturday afternoon at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex. The third largest crowd to watch a TU softball game, 750, enjoyed the beautiful weather and TU's first win over the Bulldogs in 19 games.
The Golden Hurricane broke open a scoreless pitching duel between Leslie Poole and Ami Day, with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Stephanie Sliepen opened the frame with a single to right field. Following a Danielle Olsen sacrifice and a Crissy Strimple ground out, senior Jessie Smith beat the catcher's throw for bunt single. Rushing her throw, Pam West threw the ball over the first baseman's head into the right field corner. Slipen came in to score, as well as the speedy Smith.
Tulsa added two insurance runs in the sixth, as sophomore Heather Hiar led off with an infield single, beating the shortstops throw to first. Sliepen's sacrifice was dropped by Lori Hoffman, allowing both runners to be safe. Next Danielle Olsen was called out on an infield fly, however a mistake by the umpire allowed both Sliepen and Hiar to advance one base. Strimple reached on a fielder's choice as the shortstops throw was again late to get Hiar at the plate. A Smith single down the right field line scored Sliepen.
The four runs is the most Tulsa has ever scored on the Bulldogs. The 1998 edition of the Golden Hurricane also scored four runs in a 8-4 home loss to Fresno State. The Bulldogs were also the highest ranked opponent that Tulsa has defeated in school history. Fresno was ranked 13th in the latest NFCA poll. In 1996, Tulsa defeated then No. 15 Texas Tech 12-4 in Lubbock, Texas.
The first game was another pitchers duel as Fresno's Jamie Southern and Tulsa's Jenny Magill combined to strikeout 13 batters. A two-run homerun in the fifth inning by Lindsay Fossatti proved to be the game-winner for Fresno State. The Bulldogs won 2-0.
Tulsa is now 44-13 on the season 11-7 in the WAC. Ami Day improves to 18-5 on the season, setting a new high for wins in a single season at TU. Jenny Magill falls to 17-7 on the season.
The Golden Hurricane will conclude its homestand on Monday afternoon, April 29, with another WAC doubleheader. The Lady Techsters of Louisiana Tech come to Tulsa for a 2 p.m. affair. Tulsa swept La. Tech to open WAC play earlier this season.
