Tulsa
Memphis
Softball Falls to Memphis, 5-1, in C-USA Tournament
5/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 13, 2010
Box Score |
Box Score 
HOUSTON - The University of Tulsa softball team was eliminated from the 2010 Conference USA Softball Championship with a 5-1 loss to Memphis Thursday afternoon at Cougar Softball Stadium.
The Golden Hurricane falls to 31-21 overall, while Memphis improves to 25-25. Senior Jackie Lawrence (14-8) took the loss for Tulsa, pitching a complete game, and allowing five earned runs on seven hits, with three walks and six strikeouts. Memphis starter Carly Hummel (15-10) got the win, pitching a complete game and allowed three hits, one earned run, with one walk and three strikeouts.
Designated player Lauren Menke had a single and an RBI, third baseman Cassidy Bowen singled and scored a run, and center fielder Caitlin Everett had a base hit.
"In a tournament setting like this, it comes down to which pitcher is hot, and comes out and keeps the other team at bay," Tulsa head coach John Bargfeldt said. "For two innings, Jackie was able to do that. Unfortunately, their pitcher was able to do a little bit better. We had one opportunity to put a big number on the board early in the game and did get the lead first, but their hitters did a better job of putting their one opportunity together and hurting us with a big spot. To me, that's what the game came down to. Their pitcher did a nice job of locating. She didn't give us a chance to get into a lot of good hitting counts, and kept us off balance and made us take more defensive type of swings rather than offensive swings. That's just how the game went."
Tulsa got on the board first, scoring a run in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single by Menke. Bowen led off the inning with a base hit to center field, moved to second on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on an illegal pitched as left fielder Jessica Stoelke walked. Menke then singled down the third base line to score Bowen. The Hurricane loaded the bases with a bunt single by Everett, but was unable to plate any more runs in the inning.
Memphis came back in the top of the third and scored five runs, led by back-to-back home runs. Left fielder Lelani Bernardino singled through the right side to lead off the inning, and third baseman Maddie McKinley followed with a bunt single. Both runners advanced on a passed ball, and right fielder Leigh Rowan hit a base hit up the middle to score Bernardino. Designated player Vanessa Walle then hit a three-run home run to left center field, and shortstop Heather Mott followed with a solo homer to right center, giving Memphis a 5-1 lead.
Lawrence retired the final three batters in the third, and shut out Memphis for the rest of the game. She retired nine of the next 10 batters, including eight in a row. The Tigers did load the bases in the sixth inning, but the Hurricane got out of the inning unscathed.
The Golden Hurricane could not muster anything on offense after loading the bases in the second inning, and Hummel retired 17 TU batters in a row to end the game.
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."
