Tulsa
Oklahoma State (The Border War)
Tulsa Sweeps Border War
3/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 29, 2006
Arkansas Box Score | Oklahoma State Box Score
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball team hosted the annual Border War for the first time on its own campus on Wednesday. The Golden Hurricane did not prove to be good hosts, as TU won the event for the second time in last three years. TU defeated Arkansas, 7-4, and Oklahoma State, 3-2, for the title. Oklahoma State also defeated Arkansas, 8-1, in the first game.
Against Arkansas, TU scored in the first inning for an early 2-0 lead. It was the 13th time this season Tulsa scored in the opening stanza, winning 12 of those contests. TU is also 19-0 when scoring first in the game as well. Senior Julie Shafer reached first on an infield single for TU's first baserunner. Fellow senior Katie Torres followed with a walk. Sophomore Sara Dyer doubled down the left field line as Shafer slide under the tag at home for the first run of the game. A single by junior Kelli McGlasson gave TU its second run, scoring Torres.
TU extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning, as sophomore Lindsey Tower led off with a single to centerfield. Junior Angela Osbon then followed with her second home run of the season, with a two-run shot to left field.
The Lady'Backs cut into the TU lead in the fifth inning, scoring a pair of runs. Dayna Huckabee led off with a double to centerfield. A bloop single to left field by Jocelyne Moncrief gave UA a pair of runners. Shana Easley then reached safely on an infield hit. Huckabee scored on the play, as did Moncrief, making the score 4-2.
Tulsa added a run in the bottom of the fifth as Torres and Dyer recorded back-to-back double to give TU a 5-2 lead. However, a pair of UA runs in the top of the sixth made things interesting. Carrie Egnor led off the inning with a walk, followed by a double to left by Perry. Egnor would score from third on a ground out by Whitney Cloer. A Huckabee ground out would score Perry, making the score 5-4. After the Lady'Backs loaded the bases, senior Maren Genow got Easley to swing at strike three to get out of the jam.
A two-run homer to center field from Torres gave TU the final margin of victory in the bottom of the sixth.
Genow picked up her 12th victory of the season, by striking out seven UA hitters. Torres and Dyer were the big hitters for TU with a pair of hits, as seven Hurricane players posted at least one hit. Torres accounted for four of TU's seven runs, with three runs scored and two RBIs.
In the nightcap, Dyer hit a three-run homer in the third to give TU a 3-1 lead. Freshman Katie Lee and junior Julie Fennell combined to allow only four hits and hold on for the victory. OSU's Kim Kaye hit her seventh home run of the season, in the second inning, to give the Cowgirls an early 1-0 lead.
Shafer earned a walk with two outs to give TU its first runner of the third inning. Torres also reached via a walk, her 33rd of the season. Dyer then deposited a 2-1 offering over the centerfield fence for her fourth home run of the season.
Lee pitched the first five innings for the Hurricane, striking out three OSU hitters. Fennell retired all six batters she faced in the sixth and seventh for her first save. Lee improves to 3-2 on the season. Tulsa improves to 23-10 on the year, while OSU is 15-15. Arkansas falls to 16-18 overall.
TU returns to Conference USA action on Saturday with a three-game series at UAB. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday's series finale is set for 12 p.m.
