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Tulsa
UTEP (C-USA)
Softball Retains Top C-USA Spot with Split
4/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 30, 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball team retained its lead in the Conference USA standings with a split against UTEP on Sunday afternoon at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex. A crowd of 347 witnessed the Miners take game one with a 4-2 victory, then saw TU jump out in the second game for an 11-6 win.
Tulsa improves to 29-20 overall, 13-7 in league play, while UTEP is now 22-30 overall and 7-12 in C-USA games. When the dust settled from the weekend's activities, the Hurricane still owned a slim lead in the conference standings. Marshall is in second place, with UAB and Houston in third based on percentage points.
The first game started as a pitcher's duel as both teams combined for two hits in the first four innings. Sophomore Ashley Perez broke open the scoreless contest with a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning for a 1-0 UTEP lead.
Tulsa tried to rally in the bottom of the fifth as TU opened the stanza with a walk from junior Angela Osbon and a double from senior Kelly Miller. However, the Hurricane could not scratch across a run.
The Miners opened the sixth with a pair of walks from senior Sarah Ramirez and junior Kelly Lombard. Senior Maren Genow appeared to have pitched out of the jam for the Hurricane with a strikeout and a pop-up. However, Perez struck again with a home run to give UTEP a 4-0 lead.
TU cut the deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, as sophomore Sara Dyer and senior Katie Torres posted back-to-back walks with one out. Freshman Jessica Barr doubled them home with a shot to left field.
Tulsa again threatened in the bottom of the seventh as sophomore Lindsey Tower led off with a walk. Junior Lindsay Galloway was safe at first when Tower beat the throw to second base on her grounder. UTEP's Renee Dipuccio pitched out of the jam to earn her first save of the season.
Senior Julie Shafer recorded TU's first hit of the nightcap with a bunt single in the first inning. She would later score on a two-our double from Dyer. Junior Kelli McGlasson followed Dyer with a double of her own that made the score 2-0 in TU's favor.
The Hurricane bats exploded for five runs in the second inning as three consecutive hitters reached base. Osbon opened the inning with a single to left center. After Millers was safe at first, Galloway singled home Osbon for the first run. Shafer then posted her second hit of the game with a home run to left center, making the score 6-0. A Torres single through the left side forced a UTEP pitching change. Dyer welcomed the new hurler with an infield single. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch, before Torres was tagged out at home on a grounder. Dyer would score the final run of the inning on a passed ball.
UTEP made the contest more interesting with a trio of runs in the third and two more in the fourth, making it a 7-5 ball game. Junior Kelly Lombard hit a three run home run in the third, while Andrianna Zolton hit a two-run shot in the fifth. However, TU added four runs in the bottom of the fourth to push its lead back to 11-5.
Torres opened the TU fourth with her 40th walk of the year, tying her own school record for walks in a season. After another pitching change and a pair of outs, Barr singled up the middle to score Torres from second. Osbon drew a walk to give TU a pair of runners. Miller then deposited a 2-2 offering over the fence for a three-run homer.
While the Miners were able to pick up another run in the sixth inning, freshman Katie Lee was able to earn her sixth win of the season by striking out four UTEP batters in six innings of work. Junior Julie Fennell pitched the seventh inning for TU.
The Golden Hurricane will conclude its regular season with a three-game series at Southern Mississippi next weekend. Tulsa will return to the friendly confines of the Hardesty Complex for the Conference USA Tournament on May 11-13.
