Tulsa
San Jose State
Softball Pulls April Fool's Day Prank on Spartans
4/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 1, 2005
San Jose, Calif.- - The University of Tulsa softball team executed a double steal in the top of the first inning, then used strong defense and good pitching to hold on for a 1-0 win over San Jose State in the Western Athletic Conference opener for both teams. The win was the seventh for TU in the last 10 games against the Spartans.
Senior Stacey Walkingstick drew a one-out walk in the first inning. After she stole second, Walkinstick advanced to third on a ground-out. Junior Katie Torres picked up her WAC leading 26th walk of the season giving TU runners at the corners. It was then TU attempted the double steal, with Walkingstick sliding under the tag at the plate for the game's only run.
The Oolagah, Okla., native led the Hurricane hitters with a 3-for-3 performance in addition to her score. Freshmen Lindsey Tower and Sara Dyer picked up TU's other two hits on the afternoon. Sophomore Julie Fennell struck out six Spartans, including three in the first inning, while scattering three hits in her ninth complete game of the season. She picked up her team-leading sixth victory of the year as well.
Tulsa also got the job done defensively, despite committing two errors. While the double steal was the big play offensively for TU, the big play on defense occurred in the bottom of the second. After leading the Spartan half with a fielding error, a pair of groundouts and a walk gave SJSU two base runners. San Jose State then ripped a single to rightfield, however Tower threw out the Spartan runner at the plate who was trying to score from second base. It was as close to scoring as SJSU would get the rest of the contest.
The two teams will conclude the series on Saturday with a doubleheader at SJSU Field beginning at 2 p.m.
