Tulsa
Louisiana-Monroe (Panther Spring Classic)
Tulsa Takes Two on Second Day of Panther Spring Classic
3/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 13, 2004
ULM Box Score | AAMU Box Score
Birmingham, Ala. - The University of Tulsa softball team won both of its games on Saturday at the Panther Spring Classic, hosted by Birmingham Southern in Birmingham, Ala. The Golden Hurricane defeated Lousiana-Monroe and Alabama A&M by matching 6-0 margins.
In the rubber match between the Lady Indians of ULM and TU, the Hurricane scored first with a single run in the first. Senior Heather Hiar opened TU's opening stanza with a double down the left field line. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Hiar would score on a sacrifice fly by junior Stacey Walkingstick.
The Lady Indians upset TU in the first meeting between the two teams this season, a 2-1 game in pool play at the Embassy Suites-Tulsa Invitational at TU. The two squads met again in the semi-finals of the tournament with TU winning 12-0.
Tulsa broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Hiar again got the Hurricane going, with a one-out single to left field. Walkingstick reached on an error by the ULM rightfielder, followed by a walk from sophomore Katie Torres to load the bases. Hiar and Walkingstick both beat throws home on consecutive ground balls for TU's first two runs of the inning. Torres scored on a sacrifice fly by fellow sophomore Julie Shafer.
The Hurricane then added insurance runs in the fourth and the sixth. In the fourth, it was Hiar sparking the TU offense once again with a two-out single up the middle. After she stole second, Hiar scored from second base on a single by Walkingstick. Hiar scored her fourth run of the game in the sixth inning on a double by Walkingstick. She tied a school record for runs scored in a single game. Current assistant coach Tiffany Redding also scored four runs against Centenary in a 10-2 victory during the 1998 season.
Junior Ami Day picked up her fifth win of the season for the Hurricane, by allowing only one hit during her seven innings of work and no walks. She now has 40 career wins, only two behind current record holder Jenny Magill (1999-02).
Tulsa tied another school record in its victory over Alabama A&M as well. With five steals as a team, Tulsa joined six previous Hurricane squads to swipe bases in a single game. Eight of TU's nine offensive starters recorded hits in the contest, as Tulsa posted four doubles and a triple for a .555 slugging percentage.
Sophomore Lindsey Dyer remained undefeated for TU with her fourth win on the season. She struck out three Bulldog batters, while allowing only two hits and one walk in seven innings of work.
Tulsa (19-8) will face host BSC at 11 a.m., on Sunday morning with the winner moving on to the championship contest at 3 p.m. The Hurricane will continue its southern swing with mid-week games at Alabama and Jacksonville State, before concluding the road trip at the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic.
