Tulsa
Wisconsin (FAU Parent's Weekend)
Softball Gets Revenge By Defeating Wisconsin and Florida Atlantic
3/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 19, 2005
Boca Raton, Fla. - The University of Tulsa softball team finished off pool play at the Florida Atlantic Parents' Weekend Tournament with its third consecutive victory. The Golden Hurricane defeated Wisconsin, 4-2, and host FAU, 6-2 in eight innings. TU salvaged some revenege after losing to both teams earlier this season. The wins also improved TU's season record to 18-17, the first time over .500 since the first week of the season.
The Hurricane utilized both good pitching and timely hitting in both contests, two things that have eluded TU this season. Eight of TU's nine starters posted at least one hit on the day, while the one starter without a hit scored a run. Sophomore Angela Osbon led the TU hitters with three hits, including her first double of the season. Freshman Sara Dyer also had a home run for the Hurricane, helping TU to a 6-2 victory over the host Owls in extra innings.
Dyer's older sister, Lindsey, picked up her team-high sixth victory of the season by not allowing a run in seven innings of work against FAU. Junior Maren Genow picked up her fourth consecutive win of the season earlier in the day against Wisconsin.
In the first game of the day, Tulsa scored early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Lindsey Tower led off the inning with a single down the first base line. After a senior Stacey Walkingstick's 11th sacrifice bunt of the season advanced Tower to scoring position, junior Katie Torres hit her ninth double of the season to score Tower. After junior Kelly Miller was hit by a pitch, Sara Dyer reached on a fielding error by the Badgers' shortstop to load the bases. Osbon singled just past UW's Kris Zacker. Torres and Miller were able to score on the play.
Tulsa added a run in the third as Torres led off with a single through the right side. Osbon followed a successful sacrifice bunt with an infield single. She then got caught in a rundown between first and second, allowing Torres to score.
The Hurricane maintained its 4-0 lead until the top of the sixth inning. Following a two-out single by UW's Boo Gillette, Anastasia Miller recorded her fourth home run of the season to cut the TU lead in half., 4-2.
Torres and Osbon led the Hurricane hitters with a pair of hits, respectively for TU. Tower, junior Julie Shafer and senior Holly Reynolds also posted hits for the Hurricane. Genow struck out four Badgers in a complete game effort to improve her record to 4-3 on the year.
Against FAU, Tulsa again scored early with runs in the second and third innings. The Hurricane is 14-5 this year when it scores first. Sara Dyer got TU's first hit of the game in the second inning, with an infield single. She then advanced to second on a throwing error by the Owl shortstop. Osbon followed with a double to left field, scoring the younger Dyer.
In the third inning, Walkingstick led off with an infield single. She would advance to third on a sacrifice by senior Stephanie Sliepen, Walkingstick would score on fielding and throwing error by the Owl shortstop.
TU's 2-0 lead held until the bottom of the sixth inning as the Owls used a solo homerun, a single and a double in consecutive at-bats to tie the game. After both teams went down in order in the seventh inning, Tulsa exploded for four runs in the top of the extra inning.
Walkingstick was placed at second base for the international tie-breaking rule. She then stole third, as Sliepen earned a walk to give TU a pair of runners. Miller then hit a one-out double to left field, scoring Walkingstick and Sliepen. The younger Dyer sister followed Miller with a home run to right field to give TU its final margin.
FAU tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth, as the Owls had runners at second and third with only one out. However, the older Dyer worked out of the jam. Dyer also worked out of jams in the first and fourth innings.
Tulsa will conclude the tournament against FAU at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Texas A&M, with a 4-0 record, will face Michigan State for the tournament championship tomorrow. Wisconsin and Florida International will play for fifth place.
