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Tulsa
Fresno State (2/WAC)
Fresno State Sweeps Golden Hurricane in WAC Softball Action
4/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 3, 2004
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball team dropped a pair of Western Athletic Conference games to No. 14 Fresno State on Saturday, 4-0 and 7-5, at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex. After recording only one hit in the first game, Tulsa blew out to a 5-0 lead in the second contest. That is when Fresno State All-American, and game one starter, Jamie Southern took over in the circle as she picked up both wins for the Bulldogs.
Fresno State scored two runs in the top of the first inning of the first game thanks to the bat of Southern. After Christina Clark opened the game with a walk, Southern took the first pitch from TU starter Ami Day over the left field fence. Day as able to keep the Bulldogs in check for the next five innings as Fresno only recorded three hits the next five innings.
For the second time in three games, the Hurricane was held hitless through the first six innings of the game. Freshman Lindsay Galloway drew an inning opening walk in the third, before fellow freshman Angela Osbon reached on a fielder's choice as the very next batter. Those were TU's only baserunners until junior Stacey Walkingstick led off TU's final at-bat with an infield single.
Day was saddled with the loss after giving up two unearned run in the top of the seventh. She earned her 10th complete game of the season, while striking out four Bulldog batters and walking only two. Southern picked up her 21st win of the season.
Tulsa doubled its hit total and tripled its run total for the day in the first inning of the second game, as senior Heather Hiar opened the inning with a single to left field. After a sacrifice by Walkingstick, sophomore Katie Torres drew a walk. Fellow sophomore Kelly Miller reached on a fielder's choice as the Bulldogs unsuccessfully tried to gun down Hiar at the plate. Junior Stephanie Sliepen ripped a double to right center field to score Torres and Miller.
Following a single by Osbon to start the bottom of the second inning, the Hurricane chased Fresno State Starter Laura Ferreira. TU extended its lead with two more runs in the bottom of the third. Torres led off the stanza with a single through the left side. Sliepen drew a one-out walk to give TU a pair of runners. She and Torres would score on a two-out single by Galloway.
Staring at a five-run deficit, Mitzi Ing opened the Bulldog fourth with a triple to right center. She would score two batters later on a one-out single up the middle by Rachel Donaldson. After a walk gave FS a pair of runners, the Bulldogs cut the TU lead to 5-3 on two unearned runs.
Southern became the third Fresno pitcher, entering the circle with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. She allowed only one hit over the final three and a third innings to earn her 22nd win of the season. The Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the fifth as they hit three doubles in the first four batters. Then they took the lead in the sixth with two more doubles and a single.
Tulsa falls to 29-14 on the season and 3-3 on the year. Fresno improves to 33-12 on the year, while remaining perfect in WAC play at 6-0.
The Hurricane will play host to another nationally ranked team on Monday, as the No. 13-ranked Oklahoma Sooners come to town for a single, non-conference contest at 7 p.m.
