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Tulsa
Robert Morris
Softball Takes a Pair in Hoo's Who Invitational
3/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 22, 2003
James Madison Box Score | Robert Morris Box Score
Charlottesville, Va. - The University of Tulsa picked up a pair of victories on the second day of the Hoo's Who Invitational, hosted by the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. Tulsa defeated James Madison, 4-1 in the first game of the day before coming back in the last game to defeat Robert Morris 12-6.
The Golden Hurricane scored first against the Dukes, as junior Heather Hiar opened the game with a single throught the left side. She would later score on a two-out wild pitch. Tulsa would load the bases afterward on as senior Crissy Strimple walked, fresman Katie Torres singled up the middle and sophomore Stacey Walkingstick was hit by a pitch. However, TU would not be able to score again in the inning.
Tulsa maintained a 1-0 lead through the first four innings, as freshman Maren Genow allowed only an infield single. JMU was able to break Genow's trance in the bottom of the fifth inning, as the Dukes rattled off three hits and score the tying run.
With the score tied 1-1, the Hurricane scored three runs in the top of the sixth to break the game open. Both Strimple and Torres led off the inning by getting on base via fielding errors by the Dukes. After a Walkingstick walk, TU had the bases loaded with no outs. Senior Brani McGuire hit a sacrifice fly to center field, to score Strimple. Freshman Julie Shafer then cleared the bases with a triple to right field, giving TU its final 4-1 advantage.
Sophomore Ami Day came into pitch the final two innings for the Hurricane to earn her second save of the season. Genow struck out two JMU batters in 5.0 innings of work, allowing only four hits and walking one batter. She now stands at 10-3 on the season.
The Hurricane scored at least one run in every inning against Robert Morris, helped by a 4-for-5 performance by McGuire. To go along with two home runs, McGuire posted two runs and three RBI.
Again, the Hurricane took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. And again, Hiar led off the game with a single to left field. After a steal and advancing on a ground out, she scored on a single by Strimple.
Robert Morris did not let TU's lead grow, taking a 2-1 advantage of its own in the bottome of the first. However, TU tied the score 2-2 in the second. McGuire hit a one-out single and advanced all the way to third on an error by the shortstop. The error came on a ball hit by freshman Kelly Miller. With runners at the corners, Shafer was able to beat out a throw, as was Miller, allowing the pinch runner (Ashlea Montgomery) to score from third. Tulsa would again load the bases, as Hiar singled. But TU could not score again in the inning.
Tulsa took the lead for good in the top of the third inning. Walkingstick earned a walk with two outs, and promtly stole second. She would score on McGuire's second single of the game.
The Hurricane extended the lead to 4-2 in the fourth inning. Shafer led off the stanza with a double to let cener. She would trade places with sophomore Stephanie Sliepen, ona another double to right center. After holding RMU to three-and-out in the bottom of the fourth, Tulsa went up 5-2 in the top of the fifth on Brandi McGuire's second home run of the season.
The Colonials scored twice in the bottom of the fifth two pull within 5-4, on a two-run home run to left field. Tulsa would have an answer though, with another run in the top of the sixth. With two-outs, senior Danielle Olsen singled to left field, then advanced to second on a passed ball. A single by Strimple would give TU runners at the corners. Torres then singled to center, scoring Olsen.
Now up 6-4, Tulsa would add some needed insurance runs in the top of the seventh. McGuire opened the inning with her third home run of the season. Miller then singled to left, followed by a bunt single by Shafer. A Sliepen double to right center, scored both Miller and Shafer. A third Strimple single would score Sliepen for TU's 10th run. Torres closed out the TU scoring with a two-run homer to right center.
RMU picked up two more runs in the bottom of the seventh on another two-run homer, to make the final margin 12-6.
Tulsa improves to 20-12 on the year, while sophomore Lindsy Dyer improved to 3-4 on the year. Dyer pitched 5.0 innings for the Hurricane, while Day closed out the final two innings for her third save on the season.
Tulsa will conclude the tournament on Sunday, but will have to wait until after the first game of the day to see if it will play for the tournament championship. If Penn State defeats James Madison in the day's first game, Tulsa will play Robert Morris for third place. If James Madison defeats Penn State, then TU will play Virginia for the tournament crown.
