Tulsa
Houston (C-USA)
Golden Hurricane Splits With Houston
3/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 20, 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball team scored seven runs in the fourth inning to win the continuation of yesterday's game, then allowed Houston to score three runs in the seventh inning of the series finale to garner a split on Monday. Tulsa won the "first" game, 8-5, before falling 5-4 in the finale. TU improves to 18-10, 5-1 in Conference USA play. Houston falls to 21-12, 3-3 in C-USA play.
The opening game of the day was actually started on Sunday, with the first two Houston batters reaching base safely before play was stopped due to rain. A one-out single by Laurie Wagner scored Jessica Valis for UH's first run. TU starter junior Julie Fennell was then able to pitch out of the jam with giving up only the one run.
Tulsa was able to tie the score in the second inning. Junior Angela Osbon leading off the inning by reaching first on a throwing error by Valis. Senior LeeAnne Pepper followed with a walk, then both runners advanced on a sacrfice bunt from junior Lindsay Galloway. Osbon was then called out at the plate on a grounder by freshman Brooke Smart. Senior Julie Shafer's single to right field scored Pepper to tie the game. A second walk by Katie Torres loaded the bases for the second consecutive inning for TU. However, TU was unable to score again in the stanza.
Houston loaded the bases in the top of the third, as the wet conditions played havoc with the pitchers' grips on the ball. A leadoff double by Jaci Gonzalez was followed by a one-out walk and an infield single by Elaina Nordstrom to give UH a trio of runners. Wagner posted her second RBI of the game with a walk to drive in Gonzalez.
Tulsa did not load the bases in the third, however TU did in the fourth. Galloway led off the inning with an infield single, then was forced out at second on a fielder's choice by Smart. Two walks by Shafer and Torres loaded the bases for the Hurricane. Smart was forced out at the plate on a flip from Angela Shamblin to Nordstrom, on a grounder from Dyer. A bases loaded walk by junior Kelli McGlasson scored Shafer to tie the game. Freshman Jessica Barr then doubled to center field to score Torres and Dyer.
Following a pitching change, McGlasson would score on an illegal pitch call to make the score 5-2 if favor of the home team. After Osbon drew a walk, senior Kelly Miller hit a pinch-hit double to left field, scoring Barr. Another pitching change proceeded a walk by Galloway, as the Hurricane sent 12 batters to the plate. Smart reached for the second time in the inning on a throwing error by Laura Durham. Osbon and Miller scored on the throwing error, give TU an 8-2 lead.
Houston quickly cut into the lead with a trio of runs in the top of the fifth. Wagner led off with a single to left field. Haley Valis then hit her first career home run, with a two-run shot to left field. Shamblin then drew a walk before TU could register an out. She would score on a double to right field by Brandi Clark. Freshman Katie Lee came in to relieve Fennell and forced Gonzalez into an unconventional 1-2-6 double play.
Senior Maren Genow pitched the final six outs to pick up her first save on the season and ninth in her career. Fennell picked up her sixth win of the season in four and a third innings of work. Candi Kloecker was tagged with the loss, falling to 7-6 on the season.
In the series finale, UH again had runners in scoring position in the first inning. Three consecutive singles by Nordstrom, Valis and Wagner set up the scoring threat. However pinch runner, Christa Raley, was thrown out at the plate by a throw from centerfield by Shafer on Wagner's single, to end the inning. Tulsa loaded the bases in the bottom half of the opening stanza. However, TU could not score.
UH went on top first with a solo homer by Durham with two outs in the second inning. Another solo homer, by Nordstrom, gave Houston a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. A lead off homer by Shafer cut the UH lead to 2-1. Tulsa then tied the score with another single run in the bottom of the fourth. Barr opened the TU half with a walk, followed by a sacrifice by Osbon. Miller posted her second double on the day, a shot to right center, to score Barr and tie the game.
The Hurricane actually took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Osbon posted a one-out double to give TU its first runner of the inning. After freshman Stephanie Chomicki replaced Osbon at second, sophomore Lindsey Tower hit a two-out double to left center, allowing Chomicki to score the go-ahead run.
The Cougars again recorded back-to-back-to-back singles to open the seventh, leading to three runs and a 5-3 lead. Sophomore Sara Dyer hit her fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh but it was not enough as the Golden Hurricane allowed it first late inning come-back of the season. TU was 15-0 when leading after six innings heading into the contest.
Tulsa travels to Stillwater, Okla., on Tuesday for a non-conference bout with Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. The Hurricane returns to C-USA action over the weekend with a three-game series against Memphis beginning on Saturday, March 25.
