Tulsa
South Alabama
Tulsa Splits at Easton Purple & Gold Challenge
3/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 1, 2008
Baton Rouge, La.- - In what has become a common theme this season, The University of Tulsa softball team split a pair of decisions Saturday, at the Easton Purple & Gold Challenge in Baton Rouge, La. The Golden Hurricane defeated South Alabama, 3-2 in extra innings then fell to host LSU, 4-2.
In the first game of the day, the Hurricane broke open a scoreless game with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. TU had posted only one hit in the first four innings. Sophomore Vanessa Vice led off TU's half of the fifth with a single to center field. After a sacrifice bunt, Vice would advance to third on a single from fellow sophomore Christian Timmons. Both runners would advance a base on a wild pitch, with Vice scoring from third. Timmons would score on a RBI grounder from senior Lindsey Tower.
While TU could only muster one base runner in the first four innings, the Jaguars stranded eight runners over the same time frame. A ninth base runner was thrown out at the plate in the top of the fourth, with a 10th runner being thrown out by Timmons trying to steal second base in the top of the fifth.
Tulsa kept a 2-0 lead heading into the seventh inning when USA was able to tie the score with a pair of unearned runs. After starting the stanza with a bunt single, USA drew a walk. Both runners scored on a throwing error by the Hurricane, to tie the score at 2-2. A double by Timmons in the bottom of the seventh, then a fielding error allowed TU to have the winning run at third with only one out. However TU could not score Timmons and save off extra innings.
In the eighth, TU sophomore Jackie Lawrence held USA to just a single and no runs. Sophomore Lauren Lindsay led off TU's half with a walk, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single up the middle from senior Sara Dyer scored the game winner for the Hurricane.
Against the host Tigers, TU started off with a bang. Lindsay shot her fourth home run of the season, a team-best, over the centerfield fence on the game's second pitch. LSU would get a couple of walks in the bottom of the first to threaten the score, however junior Katie Lee recorded three strikeouts to thwart the threat.
Tulsa added a run in the top of the third inning. It was Lindsay, again, who drew a one-out walk, then scored on a double to centerfield by Dyer. For Dyer, it was her team-best eighth double of the season and extended her hitting streak to nine games. Lindsay had a nine-game hitting streak broken in the first game of the day.
The Tigers would take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, thanks to four unearned runs. Tulsa had a runner in scoring position in the fifth inning but could come no closer. Lee was saddled with the loss, while striking out four of the ninth-ranked Tigers.
TU will conclude the festivities on Sunday with bracket play. Tulsa will play Penn State at 9:30 a.m. If the Hurricane were to win, TU would play the winner of LSU/South Alabama for the tournament title at 2 p.m. Tulsa returns to the friendly confines of the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. tilt against cross-state rival Oklahoma.
