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Tulsa
Arkansas
Softball Rusty, Drops Two Games in Border War
4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 1, 2009
Box Score |
TU vs. Arkansas Box Score 
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TU vs. OSU Box Score
TULSA, Okla. - Juniors Christian Timmons and Vanessa Vice combined for six hits and six RBI in two games, but the effort was not enough as The University of Tulsa softball team dropped two games in the annual Border War, 9-5 to Arkansas and 7-4 to Oklahoma State, Wednesday at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex.
In the first game of the day, Arkansas defeated Oklahoma State, 8-0 in five innings.
The Golden Hurricane (21-11) was playing in its first contest since March 25, as its three-game series this weekend was canceled due to snow in Tulsa. TU scored one run in the first inning of the first game against Arkansas (21-13), and then fell behind 5-1 in the third inning. The Hurricane came back with three runs in the bottom of the third to pull to within a run at 5-4, but Arkansas put up four more runs in the sixth to pull away. TU scored one in the seventh to make the final score 9-5.
In Tulsa's second contest, Oklahoma State (27-9) scored one run in each of the first two innings, then with a three-run homer in the third inning, made the score 5-0. OSU got two more runs in the fourth inning for a 7-0 lead, but the Golden Hurricane stormed back with four runs in the sixth inning, and had the bases loaded with the winning run at the plate in the seventh inning, but Timmons' hard liner went right to the second baseman to end the game.
"We were afraid that with so many days off, in some part of the game, we weren't going to be sharp," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "That's why in softball, you play a lot of games, and that's what players are used to doing. I think it's obvious the layoff hurt our pitching. Our locations weren't very good. We were pitching from behind, and when you do that against good hitters and when you keep putting runners on base, it's going to bite you."
Sophomore Lauren Menke hit a one-out single in the bottom of the first inning against Arkansas, and scored two batters later when Vice singled through the left side. Tulsa scored two more runs in the third inning, as junior Lauren Lindsay began the frame with a double down the right field line. Seniors Kailey Yarmer and Brooke Smart walked to load the bases. Then with two outs, Timmons smashed a double down the left field line that went all the way to the fence and cleared the bases. A lineout to center field ended the inning, but the score stood 5-4 through three innings.
The Hurricane picked up one more run in the seventh inning when Menke hit a one-out double to right center and was driven in for the second time in the game on a single through the infield by Vice. That was all TU got, however, and the game ended with Arkansas on top, 9-5. Starter Jackie Lawrence received the loss in game one and falls to 9-3 on the season.
"The thing I told the team is that playing tonight is going to make us better for this weekend. We just have to tune up a couple aspects of our game, and tonight was a big part of that. Katie Lee got a little bit better toward the end of the game. A lot of that is location and spotting her pitches and those two girls that threw tonight (Lawrence and Lee), haven't thrown for 10 days. You try to do things in bullpen (workouts), but it's just different when you're out there and facing hitters. We needed to play, obviously we would have loved to play better, but we're looking forward to having this help us out this weekend."
In TU's second game, OSU scored seven runs in the first four innings, but the Golden Hurricane did not give up. It fought back with four runs in the sixth inning, on the strength of four hits and the aide of three walks. Lindsay led off with a single to left center, and Menke drew a walk. Vice hit a one-out single up the middle to load the bases and Smart singled up the middle, driving in Lindsay and keeping the bases loaded.
Timmons then hit a sacrifice fly to left center, scoring Menke, and sophomore Kelly Chapman walked to once again load the bases. Chomicki then drew a walk, starting the merry-go-round and allowing Vice to walk in from third.
Freshman Skylar Swanson hit a single through the left side that scored Timmons and drove Chapman all the way home. Chomicki tried to reach third base, but was tagged out when the throw from left field beat her to third. It was judged that the tag at third base for the final out of the inning was made before Chapman crossed the plate. At the end of six, OSU led 7-4.
In the seventh inning, Tulsa mounted one last comeback attempt, as OSU walked the bases loaded. With two outs Timmons stepped to the plate representing the winning run, and she hit a hard line drive, but right at the second baseman for the third out. Tulsa starter Katie Lee absorbed the loss and fell to 6-4 on the season.
Bargfeldt said that he was proud of the way his team shook off some rust and adjusted to the two different styles of pitching in each of the two games. He also liked how they fought back in the late innings of both games, and never quit.
The Golden Hurricane hits the road for a three-game series at East Carolina this weekend, with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday, beginning at 12 p.m. CT, and a single game on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT. Tickets for TU softball home games are $6 for adults and $4 for youth high school and younger, and can be purchased in person at the TU Athletics Ticket Office, by calling (918) 631-GoTU, or on the web by visiting www.TulsaHurricane.com.
