Tulsa
East Carolina
Hurricane Falls to ECU in Series Finale, 5-3
3/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 30, 2008
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball team could not take advantage of early opportunities in Sunday's series finale against East Carolina, while the Pirates were in a 5-3 ECU victory. The Golden Hurricane stranded four base runners in the first three innings, with two being in scoring position. ECU improved to 24-15 on the year, while TU fell to 20-16 overall before a crowd of 220 at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex. It was the first home loss for the Golden Hurricane this season, snapping an 11-game winning streak at home for TU.
The Pirates are now 5-4 in Conference USA play, with TU now 7-5 during league games.
ECU got the scoring started early, as a lead off walk and a one-out single set up Vanessa Moreno's three-run homer to give the Pirates an early 3-0 lead. TU just as quickly cut into the lead in the bottom of the first as sophomore Lauren Lindsay posted her nine home run of the season with a shot to left field. Back-to-back singles from fellow sophomore Christian Timmons and senior Sara Dyer appeared shift the momentum in TU's favor. However, the Hurricane could not score again in the inning.
In the second inning, ECU got a two-out double from Kaui Tom, but that was all that TU starter Katie Lee would allow. Junior Kailey Yarmer led off the TU second with a walk, followed by an infield hit by Lindsey Tower. After a sacrifice bunt, Lindsay recorded her second hit in as many at-bats with a single to center field that allowed Yarmer and Tower to score, tying the game at 3-3.
The Pirates led off the third inning with an infield hit. Jessica Johnson then doubled down the leftfield line to give ECU a 4-3 advantage. ECU added to its lead with an unearned run in the top of the fourth. With runners at the corners, the Pirates ran a delayed steal. TU's throw to second missed the cutoff and allowed the ECU runner at third to score.
Tulsa appeared to cut the lead with a run in the fifth. Timmons led off the stanza with a double to right center. After a foul out, sophomore Vanessa Vice smoked a pitch to center field that appeared to bounce into the glove of a diving Christina Merrida. However, it was finally ruled a catch. Timmons running on contact had already scored when the call was made, which allowed ECU to double her off second base to end the inning. TU would not get another base runner in the game.
Lee took the loss for the Hurricane, falling to 4-6 on the season. She struck out one in three innings of work, while sophomore Jackie Lawrence struck out four ECU batters in relief. Lindsay and Timmons both posted two hits for the Hurricane. Dyer, celebrating her 22nd birthday, and Tower also had hits for Tulsa.
TU will travel to Central Arkansas on Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader, before traveling to UAB on Friday for a three-game C-USA series in Birmingham.
