Tulsa
North Carolina (Florida State Tournament)
Tulsa Splits on Day Two of Florida State Invitational
3/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 11, 2006
Troy Box Score | UNC Box Score
Tallahassee, Fla. - The University of Tulsa softball team won its first game of the day on Saturday, with a 3-1 win over Troy at the Florida State Invitational. In the first game of bracket play, TU fell to No. 25 North Carolina, 4-2. In the opening contest of the day, the Golden Hurricane scored first for the 13th time this season and scored in the first inning for the seventh time. Freshman Brooke Smart opened the game by drawing a walk. She would advance to second on a single by senior Julie Shafer, then score on a two-out single by junior Kelli McGlasson.
TU picked up another run in the top of the third on a home run by senior Katie Torres, her fifth of the season. The Trojans cut into TU's lead with a solo homer of their own, in the bottom of the fourth, by Brooke Powell.
The Hurricane added an insurance run in the fifth. Smart led off with a walk and stole second base, however was caught stealing third on a double steal after Torres drew a walk as well. Sophomore Sara Dyer singled to score Torres from second base to give TU a 3-1 lead.
Tulsa threatened in the top of the seventh after loading the bases, however a pair of foul outs and a fielder's choice squashed the Hurricane rally.
Senior Maren Genow earned her seventh win of the season by striking out 12 Trojan batters in the complete game effort. The win serves as slight revenge for the Hurricane as Troy defeated Tulsa twice last season in a pair of one-run victories.
The Hurricane defense suffered a set-back against the nationally-ranked Tar Heels with three fielding errors. Those led to four unearned runs for UNC.
TU scored first, with two runs in the third to break a 0-0 tie. Sophomore Lindsey Tower opened the inning with a double down the right field line. Torres then hit her second home run of the day, sixth of the season, to give the Hurricane a 2-0 lead.
The Tar Heels quickly cut in to the deficit with a run in the bottom half of the inning. After a leadoff single, Cassie Palmer reached base on a fielder's choice. A fielding error by Smart allowed Ashley Oxendine to give UNC a pair of runners. Palmer would then score on a two-out double by Jennifer Jacobs.
Junior Julie Fennell pitched out of another UNC threat in the fourth as the Tar Heels had runners at second and third after a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt. However, the fifth inning was not as kind. UNC loaded the bases with two-outs and the error bug bite once again, allowing the tying run to score. A two-run single scored gave UNC a 4-2 lead for good.
Fennell was tagged with the loss in her fourth complete game of the season. Now 4-4 on the year, she struck out four Tar Heel batters, while allowing only one walk. Smart, Torres, Dyer and Tower all had hits for the Hurricane.
Tulsa (13-8) will conclude the tournament on Sunday with an 8:30 a.m. contest against Kent State. If TU wins, they will play again at 11 a.m. against either Nebraska or Bradley.
