Tulsa
Marshall (C-USA)
Hurricane Avoids Sweep in Huntington
4/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 23, 2006
Huntington, W. Va. - The University of Tulsa softball team led off the game with a home run, then held on for a 4-2 Conference USA victory over Marshall at the Dr. Dorothy "Doc" Hicks Softball Complex. Tulsa improves to 28-17, 12-6 in conference play, on the season. Marshall slips to 29-21 overall and 13-8 in C-USA action.
Freshman Brooke Smart opened the game with a solo home run to give TU an early 1-0 lead. The Hurricane picked up another run in the second inning, as junior Kelli McGlasson led the stanza off with a single to left center. Freshman Jessica Barr followed with a single to leftfield that was misplayed by the leftfielder, allowing McGlasson to score from first.
The Thundering Herd loaded the bases in the first inning and had two base runners in the second inning, however junior Julie Fennell was able to pitch out of both jams.
TU added to the lead with a pair of runs in the third. Smart and senior Julie Shafer drew back-to-back walks to open the inning. A two-out double from McGlasson scored Smart and Shafer for a 4-0 TU advantage. Marshall cut into the deficit with a run in the bottom half of the stanza. All-American Rachel Folden led off with a walk, then was pinch ran for with Noelle Adams. After a single by Leigh Wintter, a two-out single Deanna Tourville scored Adams from second. Wintter was thrown out at the plate on a throw from Barr in the outfield.
While Tulsa earned only one hit in the final four innings, Marshall continued to apply pressure. The Herd picked up a run in the bottom of the sixth as four consecutive hitters reached base via an error, hits batsman, a single and a fielder's choice. Tulsa got out of the jam thanks to a runner's interference call on a double-play.
Fennell picked up her 10th victory of the season by striking out six Herd hitters in a complete game effort. Senior Veronica Ralston was saddled with the loss, pitching the first two and two-third innings of the contest.
Tulsa will travel to Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, April 26 to face Missouri State in a doubleheader. The Golden Hurricane returns to the friendly confines of the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex on Saturday for a three-game series against UTEP.
