University of Tulsa
Oklahoma
Golden Hurricane Defeats Sooners, Again
4/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 20, 2005
Box Score
Norman, Okla. - The University of Tulsa team scored first and last, defeating No. 5-ranked Oklahoma, 6-2 before a crowd of 667 at the OU Softball Complex. The Sooners are ranked fifth in this week's USA Today/NFCA Coaches' Poll and sixth in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Coaches' Poll. The victory is TU's fourth in its last five meeting with the perennial power and in-state rival.
The Golden Hurricane scored in the first inning, as junior Julie Shafer led off the contest with a walk. Following a sacrifice bunt by senior Stacey Walkingstick moved her to second, Shafer scored on an infield single by senior Stephanie Sliepen.
Sophomore Julie Fennell kept the Sooner offense, ranked first nationally in batting average and fourth in scoring, off the scoreboard for the first three innings, allowing only a single and a double. However after senior Jessica Leslie led off the fourth inning with a triple to right center, Enea gave the Sooners the lead with one down in the inning with a two-run home run by senior Christina Enea. The one-run game looked to be the third consecutive single run decision at OU in the series. In 2003, TU won 5-4. Last season the Sooners came from behind to win 5-4 and this season.
TU threatened again in the top of the sixth inning. After the first two batters registered outs, freshman Lindsey Tower started a string of three consecutive singles for the Hurricane that loaded the bases. However junior Kelly Miller struck out swinging to end the inning.
After junior Maren Genow forced the Sooners to go in order in the bottom of the sixth, the Hurricane mounted another threat in the seventh inning. Shafer recorded an infield single with one out. Following Walkingstick's 18th sacrifice of the season and a wild pitch, Shafer was at third base. Sliepen walked to give TU a pair of runners, setting up the Hurricane's career home run leader, Katie Torres. Torres was intentionally walked to load the bases. Tower then singled to center field scoring Shafer and Sliepen. Galloway singled to the shortstop, loading the bases again. Freshman Sara Dyer then doubled to unload the bases, giving the Hurricane a 6-2 lead. Tulsa stranded eight base runners in the contest, four of which were in scoring position.
Genow picked up her seventh win of the season and third consecutive victory over OU, by allowing only one hit in three innings of work. OU came into the contest averaging 9.03 hits per game. Fennell, who started the contest for the Hurricane struck out four OU batters in four innings. Sophomore Nicole Denes recorded her first loss of the season for the Sooners.
With the win, Tulsa improves to 22-27 on the season and swept the Sooners for first time in the program's history. The Hurricane defeated the Sooners 4-2 earlier this season at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex. At that time OU (42-9) was ranked No. 7 and was the highest-ranked team the Hurricane had ever beaten.
After snapping a season-long, six-game losing streak, Tulsa now travels to sunny California to jump back into Western Athletic Conference play with a three-game series against Fresno State at the Bulldog Diamond. The Hurricane will close out the month of April and a nine-game road swing with a trip to El Paso, Texas.
