Tulsa
Houston
Softball Beats Houston, 5-3, to Claim Series
4/22/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 22, 2012
Box Score |
Box Score 
TULSA, Okla. - Junior Lacey Middlebrooks struck out eight batters and drove in three runs in a complete-game effort to lead Tulsa to a 5-3 Conference USA series-clinching win over Houston Sunday afternoon at the Collins Family Softball Complex.
Middlebrooks (15-4) allowed just two earned runs to pick up her second win of the series for the Golden Hurricane (32-11, 14-4 C-USA). The junior was also 2-for-3 at the plate and hit a big two-run double in the sixth that provided insurance with a three-run lead going into the seventh inning. UH starter Diedre Outon (10-5) allowed three runs and two earned runs in 1.2 innings to take the loss for the Cougars (27-18, 12-6 C-USA).
Center fielder Caitlin Everett was 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice for TU. Third baseman Jill Barrett got an infield single in the sixth inning to extend her hitting streak to 24 games.
"Never giving up, and the determination of the players were keys to winning this series," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "There were peaks and valleys during the course of the game, and peaks and valleys during the course of the series. That determination our players had, to stick with it ¬- we answered their scores with another score of our own and jumped out in front - was huge. It is just so key to shift that momentum back when you lose it a little.
Tulsa withstood a leadoff single in the top of the first and took the early lead with a run in the bottom of the inning. Shortstop Samantha Cobb and second baseman Skylar Swanson hit consecutive two-out singles to right field, and Middlebrooks grounded through the right side to score Cobb.
Houston came back with two runs in the top of the second to take a 2-1 lead. Right fielder Reina Gaber led off with a walk, stole second, and came around to score on a one-out base hit to right by first baseman Jaime Edwards. Edwards moved to second on the throw home that skirted away, and scored on a base hit by shortstop Kendra Cullum.
The Golden Hurricane, however, answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning to re-take the lead, 3-2. Right fielder Jessica Stoelke led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second, and scored on a two-out, line drive base hit down the left field line by Everett. Following a walk to Barrett, Everett scored on an error at shortstop off the bat of Cobb.
Both teams put runners in scoring position twice over the next three innings, but Middlebrooks and Houston reliever Bailey Watts pitched out of the jams to hold the game steady at 3-2.
The Hurricane picked up a pair of what turned out to be important insurance runs in the sixth to extend its advantage to 5-3. Everett and Barrett started the inning with back-to-back infield singles. With two outs, Middlebrooks drilled a liner to center off the glove of the diving fielder for a two-run double.
The Cougars loaded the bases in the seventh with a pair of singles and a one-out walk, but Middlebrooks coaxed an RBI ground out and struck out the final batter to seal the win.
"Lacey has had a couple of games like that, where she's been the hitting star and the pitching star, and today was a great time to do it," said Bargfeldt.
The Golden Hurricane plays host to Arkansas at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the NFCA Strike Out Cancer event, benefiting the American Cancer Society. The team is taking pledges for donations per strikeout and will be raffling team-signed items at the game.
Tickets to TU home softball games are $5.00 general admission and can be purchased at the gate. Youth softball girls are admitted FREE when wearing their team jersey/uniform.
For all Tulsa softball news and information, visit www.TulsaHurricane.com. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane. Follow Tulsa softball on Twitter (www.twitter.com/TulsaSoftball) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/utulsasoftball).
Tulsa 5, Houston 3 (Apr 22, 2012 at Tulsa, Okla.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Houston............. 020 000 1 - 3 7 3 (27-18, 12-6) Tulsa............... 120 002 X - 5 9 1 (32-11, 14-4) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Houston - Outon,Diedre; Watts,Bailey(2) and Outon,Haley. Tulsa - Middlebrooks, Lacey and Bowen, Cassidy. Win-MIDDLEBROOKS, Lacey(15-4) Loss-Outon,Diedre(10-5) T-2:14 A-350 Weather: 63 Sunny/Windy, Wind NNW@20mph
