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Tulsa
Birmingham-Southern (Panther Spring Classic)
Hurricane Wins Leigh's Athletic Ware Panther Spring Classic
3/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 14, 2004
Birmingham, Ala. - The University of Tulsa softball squad won its first outright tournament title of the season on Sunday with a 5-1 victory over Louisiana-Monroe in the championship game of the Leigh's Athletic Ware Panther Classic. Tulsa also defeated host Birmingham-Southern, 1-0, in semi-final action on Sunday.
Picking up from where she left off on Saturday, senior Heather Hiar gave the Huricane bats a kick-start in the championship game. She led off TU's first inning with a triple to right field. A single to leftfield by junior Stacey Walkingstick scored Hiar for TU's first run. Walkingstick then scored on a double by fellow junior Stephanie Sliepen.
After ULM cut TU's lead in half during the top of the second inning, the Hurricane bounced back with a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sliepen led off the inning by recording her second hit of the day, a single up the middle. She later scored on a two-out double by freshman Lindsay Galloway.
The Hurricane added two insurance runs in the fifth inning to put the game out of reach. Hiar again led off the inning with a double, this time down the left field line. She would then score after the ULM pitcher mishandled a ball from Walkingstick. Walkingstick would score on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Katie Torres.
Sophomore Maren Genow recorded her eighth win of the season in a complete game, seven-inning effort for the Hurricane. She struck out five Lady Indians, while walking none.
In the first game of the day, TU picked up its fourth shutout of the tournament and second over BSC. Galloway led the fourth inning off with a walk. Two consecutive singles for the Hurricane loaded the bases with no outs for the second time in the contest. Galloway scored on a fielder's choice by junior Stacey Walkingstick.
Freshman Julie Fennell picked up her second shutout of the season by striking out a career best 10 Panther batters. She walked only one batter and allowed only one hit. Fennell did not give up a hit until there were two outs in the top of the sixth inning.
Tulsa had four players named to the all-tournament team, including Sliepen at catcher, Walkingstick at shortstop, Hiar in leftfield and sophomore Julie Shafer in centerfield.
The Golden Hurricane will continue its current southern road swing with mid-week contests at Alabama and Jacksonville State before concluding the week at the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic.
