Tulsa
Louisiana-Monroe (Embassy Suites-Tulsa Inv.)
Softball Splits on First Day of Embassy Suites-Tulsa Invitational
3/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 5, 2004
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball team split a pair of games on the first day of the Embassy Suites-Tulsa Invitational. Tulsa lost its first game 2-1 to Louisiana-Monroe, then bounced back to defeat Wichita State, 7-0, in the nightcap.
Tulsa managed only three hits against the Lady Indians in the first game. The first was an infield single by junior Holly Reynolds in the third inning. The second was a pinch-hit homerun by sophomore LeeAnne Pepper, her second long ball of the season. Reynolds hit another infield single in the top of the seventh to give TU two baserunners with only one out. However the Hurricane could not score the winning run.
Tulsa's offense was not the only problem for the Hurricane, as TU committed four errors in the contest. In the ULM half of the fifth inning, the Hurricane committed three consecutive errors, with one out, to load the bases. Tulsa committed only three errors in the previous four games.
Junior hurler Ami Day was saddled with the complete-game loss, while scattering five hits and walking two Lady Indians.
In the nightcap, the Hurricane bats woke up as TU scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Heather Hiar singled through the left side, followed by a bunt single by Julie Shafer. Sophomore Kelly Miller's one-out single to left field gave TU three hits in its first four batters. A walk by fellow sophomore Katie Torres with the bases loaded scored Hiar from third. Junior Stacey Walkingstick's sacrifice fly to right field scored Shafer from third.
Tulsa added another run in the third inning on a solo homerun to straight-away centerfield by junior Stephanie Sliepen.
The Golden Hurricane would add to its lead in the fifth inning, as Shafer led off the stanza with a walk. She would then score on a double by Torres. A Walkingstick walk and a passed ball gave TU runners at the corners with two outs. Junior Lindsey Dyer pinch hit for Angela Osbon, and after looking at 12 pitches hit the 13th offering over the left field fence for TU's sixth three-run home run of the season.
Sophomore Maren Genow picked up her fifth win of the season by allowing only four hits and striking out eight Shocker batters. She also did not allow a walk in her seven innings of work.
Tulsa returns to action on Saturday, facing Southwest Missouri State at 3 p.m., followed by UMKC at 5 p.m. The tournament will conclude on Sunday with bracket play, beginning at 9 a.m.
