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Tulsa
Missouri State
Softball Wins, 4-3, at Missouri State
4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 21, 2010
Box Score |
Box Score 
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Christian Timmons drove in two runs and scored one more, and Jackie Lawrence pitched a complete game to lead The University of Tulsa softball team to a 4-3 win at Missouri State Wednesday evening at Killian Stadium.
The Golden Hurricane (25-17) had a 4-0 lead through three-and-a-half innings, but Missouri State (14-25) scored two in the bottom of the fourth. TU held its lead and withstood the Bears' comeback in the seventh inning, as MSU had a runner on second with a run already in when the final batter popped out to end the game.
Lawrence (10-6) struck out four batters, and allowed nine hits, three earned runs and two walks. Missouri State starter Natalie Rose (4-9) absorbed the loss after giving up six hits, all four runs, three earned runs, no walks and three strikeouts.
"We scored all of our runs in one inning, but what was good to see was a lot of hitters stepping up in that one inning, who haven't been necessarily leading us through the year," Tulsa head coach John Bargfeldt said. "That was huge for us. It got started in the middle of the lineup, and went through, five, six, seven, eight. That's what generated our runs and our offense. It was good to see. That's what you hope for - is a lineup that can score from any part in it. Hopefully it gives that part of the lineup a little confidence and realize we can't just rely on the same three hitters to do everything. That was probably the biggest thing."
Tulsa took three innings to get to Missouri State's starter, but when it did in the fourth inning, the Golden Hurricane scored four runs on five hits, chasing Rose from the game. Right fielder Lauren Lindsay got things started with a single up the middle, and first baseman Vanessa Vice followed with a one-out single to left field. Both runners advanced a base when the left fielder booted the ball trying to pick it up.
Third baseman Cassidy Bowen hit a base hit to right field, scoring Lindsay, and moved to second on the throw home. Timmons then singled up the middle to score both Lindsay and Bowen.
Missouri State answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, on a two-run home run by third baseman Bubba Weiss, making the score, 4-2, TU.
Lawrence cruised through the next two innings, allowing only a bunt single and a walk, but the Bears never threatened. In the seventh, Missouri State got a leadoff single through the right side, followed by a bunt single and a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Designated player Caitlin Chapin hit a deep sacrifice foul ball to left, scoring Christa Gammon from third to make the score, 4-3. However, the next batter popped out to second, ending the game.
"I thought Jackie, after we made a couple of errors, picked up her pitching a little bit, and got closer to where she was a couple of games ago when she was on that roll," said Bargfeldt.
The Hurricane went down in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, after the Bears put in Lauren Supak to relieve Rose.
The Golden Hurricane returns to Conference USA action this weekend with a key series at UCF. The two teams play a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday and conclude the series with a single game Sunday at 11 a.m.
Tickets for all Tulsa softball home games are $6 for adults and $4 for youth. Tickets can be purchased at the TU Athletics Ticket Office, by calling 631-GoTU (4688), or at the gate.
For all Tulsa softball news and information, visit www.TulsaHurricane.com. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane. Become a fan of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane page on Facebook - search "Tulsa Golden Hurricane."
