Tulsa
Fresno State
Hurricane Lose Pair Of Heartbreakers to No. 12 Fresno State
4/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 4, 2002
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Fresno, Calif. - The University of Tulsa softball team suffered two of its most heart wrenching losses on Thursday night to nationally-ranked Fresno State, 1-0 in 17 innings and 2-1, at the Bulldog Diamond in Fresno, Calif. However, when the dust settled the Golden Hurricane just might have scored one of its biggest wins of the season.
The last time Tulsa made the trip to Fresno for a softball game, the Bulldogs swept TU in four games by a combined score of 24-0 in 24 innings. On Thursday night, the Golden Hurricane stood toe-to-toe with the four-time defending WAC Champions for 17 innings. And that was just the first game.
With one out in the bottom of the 17th inning and a runner at third base, senior Lindsay Fossatti lifted a hit deep enough to right field that Holly Reynold's throw was not in time to get Leticia Pacheco at home.
Senior right-hander Jenny Magill threw her 14th complete game of the season in a school record 16.2 inning performance. The one run allowed is the lowest run total any TU pitcher has had against the periennal power. Freshman Lindsy Dyer recorded a school record 23 putouts at first base. Fellow freshman Stacey Walkingstick's nine assists were also a single-game record for the Golden Hurricane. Walkingstick and junior Danielle Olsen both eclipsed the single-game record for at-bats, as they recorded seven offical at-bats.
In addition to the four individual single-game records broken, four team records were broken. With 56 at-bats, the Hurricane surpassed the previous high of 47 set in first year of the program, 1993. The 50 putouts and 22 assists are also school bests for a single game. The previous marks were 36 and 20, respectively.
Junior Crissy Strimple recorded two hits to lead the TU offensive attack. Seniors Mimi Randolph and Jessie Smith, along with Olsen also recorded a hit apeice.
The second game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when Walkingstick and Olsen led the inning off with back-to-back singles. Both runners advanced a base on a throwing error by Julie Selbicky. Freshman Ami Day's single scored Walkingstick but a strikeout and a groundout would end the threat.
Day held the Bulldogs in check for five and two-thirds innings, as Tulsa took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth. However, with two outs Lori Hoffman singled to left centerfield to score two runs. Tulsa went down in order in the seventh to end the game.
Tulsa falls to 32-6 on the season and 5-3 in WAC play. Fresno improves to 30-13 and 5-1 in conference. The Golden Hurricane travels to San Jose, Calif., to play the Spartans of San Jose State on Saturday afternoon. The next home game for Tulsa will be Saturday, April 13 against Centernary. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m., at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex.
