Tulsa
Nicholls State
Softball Pick Up First Win of the Season
2/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 10, 2007
Nicholls State Box Score | Pacific Box Score
Las Vegas, Nev. - The University of Tulsa softball team recorded its first win of the season with a 9-1 run-rule victory over Nicholls State in five innings at the Alexis Resort Kickoff Classic in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the Golden Hurricane could not keep the momentum going, as TU dropped a 9-1 decision to Pacific in its second game of the day.
Tulsa got the bats going early against the Colonels as sophomores Brooke Smart and Stephanie Chomicki led off the bottom of the first with back-to-back hits. Smart singled up the middle, while Chomicki doubled down the leftfield line. Following a ground-out, junior Sara Dyer posted her first home run of the season over the leftfield fence to give TU an early 3-0 lead. Senior Kelli McGlasson followed with a walk, then advanced to second on a ground-out. She would later score on a single up the middle by fellow senior Angela Osbon.
TU kept the bats going in the second, as senior Lindsay Galloway opened the TU half with a single up the middle. After she stole second base, freshman Lauren Lindsay scored Galloway with a two-out single up the middle.
The Hurricane picked up another run in the bottom of the third inning, with Dyer leading it off with a double down the leftfield line. A wild pitch moved Dyer to third, as she would later score on a ground out by freshman Jackie Lawrence.
Nicholls State certainly had opportunities to score, with a pair of base runners in each of the first four innings. However, either the TU defense would stiffen or Lawrence, the Hurricane starter, would get a much needed strikeout. NSU stranded runners at third in the first and third innings, while the Colonels also had a runner in scoring position in the second inning and the fourth inning. Tower teamed with Osbon and freshman Christian Timmons to nail a runner at the plate attempting to score to end the top of the fourth as well.
Tulsa posted three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Tower led off TU's half with a walk, followed by four consecutive one-out hits by Smart, Chomicki, Lindsay and Dyer. Smart singled to right, while Chomicki singled to left to load the bases. Lindsey's double to leftfield scored Tower and Smart. Dyer's infield single scored Chomicki to give TU a 9-0 lead.
The Colonels were able to score a run in the fifth inning, as NSU led off the stanza with back-to-back singles. NSU then loaded the bases with no one out, after getting hit by a pitch. Following an infield fly, NSU hit a single up the middle to score a run, however a second runner was gunned down by Smart in centerfield. With runners at second and third, Lawrence fielded a grounder and threw to first for the final out of the contest.
Tulsa could not capitalize early against Pacific, while the Tigers took full advantage of Hurricane miscues. Smart led the game off with a walk and advanced all the way to third on a sacrifice and passed ball. After Lindsay drew a walk, Dyer reached on a fielder's choice. A line out to the Tiger second baseman would end the inning for TU.
Pacific led off the bottom of the first with a single to center field. After popping up a sacrifice attempt, the PU runner advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches from TU starter Katie Lee. Following a walk, a single to left would score the Tigers first run of the day.
Tulsa again applied pressure in the second inning and Tower reached safely on a one-out single through the right side. A pair of two-out walks by Galloway and Smart would load the bases for the Hurricane. However, TU could not get the timely hit as a ground out would end the threat.
After the teams traded one-hit half innings, Pacific broke the game open with a four-run third. A double, followed by back-to-back singles by the first three Tiger hitters in the inning produced one run. A two-out homerun to left field produced the other three.
Tulsa cut into the deficit in the top of the fourth inning, one a solo home run by freshman Ashlee Lubniewski to left centerfield. Unfortunately, it would be the last TU runner to reach second base. Pacific would end the contest in the bottom of the sixth with three more runs for the run-rule victory.
