Tulsa
Akron (Holiday Inn-Selct Tulsa Festival)
Softball Wins Home Opener at Holiday Inn Select-Tulsa Festival
2/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 26, 2005
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball team won its home opener on Friday night with a 4-1 victory over Akron in its first game of the Holiday Inn Select-Tulsa Festival. Colorado State came back to defeat the Golden Hurricane, 6-3, in the final game of the day.
The Hurricane jumped out early on the Zips with three runs in the first inning. Senior Stacey Walkingstick reached base after being hit by a pitch. She then stole second base and advanced to third on a passed ball. Junior Katie Torres walked on four pitches to give TU runners at the corners. After Torres stole second, freshman Sara Dyer doubled to right field to score Walkingstick. With two outs, senior Stephanie Sliepen doubled to score Torres and Dyer.
Akron cut into the lead with a run in the bottom of the second inning. However, Tulsa added an insurance run in the fifth inning. Senior Holly Reynolds and freshman Lindsey Tower led off the TU half with back-to-back singles. Walkingstick sacrificed both runners over a base, followed by another Torres walk to load the bases. Dyer picked up her second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to score Reynolds.
Senior Lindsay Dyer picked up her fourth win of the season with a complete game effort. The Sand Springs, Okla. native struck out seven batters while allowing six hits. Sara Dyer posted two of TU's six hits, while Tower, Sliepen, Reynolds and Julie Shafer also recorded hits for the Hurricane.
In the nightcap, TU scored in the first inning again. Tower led off the inning with a walk. She would later score on double by Sara Dyer.
TU's lead held until the top of the fourth inning when the Rams tied the score with one run in the frame. CSU took the lead for good in the fifth inning with four runs off TU starter Julie Fennell. Fennell struck out five Ram batters in 4.2 innings. Junior Maren Genow pitched the final seven outs for the Hurricane while allowing one run on three hits.
Tower contributed two of TU's five hits in the contest, while Torres, Dyer and Reynolds also added hits for TU.
In other action at the tournament, Drake defeated Indiana 5-0 in the day's first game. Colorado State defeated Indiana, 4-3; before Drake defeated Akron 6-4.
Tulsa (8-10) continues play in the Holiday Inn-Select on Saturday by facing Indiana at 5 p.m. and Akron at 7 p.m.
