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Tulsa
Arkansas
Softball Romps Past Arkansas, 10-2
3/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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TULSA, Okla. - Sophomore third baseman Maggie Withee drove in three runs, while junior second baseman Kaitlin Allen and freshman shortstop Shelby Estocado each tallied three hits to lead the Tulsa softball team to a 10-2 (6 inn.) win over Arkansas Tuesday evening at the Collins Family Softball Complex.
The trio was part of five players to record at least two hits in the game, including two each by Withee, junior catcher Catherine Horner and sophomore center fielder Maddie Withee. Allen, Maddie Withee and senior right fielder Erica Sampson also scored two runs apiece. The Golden Hurricane, which totaled 15 hits in the ballgame, improved its record to 22-12.
Freshman Emily Watson (6-2) struck out six batters and allowed one earned run in 5.1 innings to earn the victory. Senior Bailey Erwin tossed the final 0.2 innings in relief, striking out the only batter she faced. Arkansas starter Haley Meinen (1-3) allowed five runs and two earned runs on six hits in 1.2 innings to take the loss for the Razorbacks (14-21), which committed three errors in the game.
Arkansas scored a run in each of the first two innings, but Tulsa responded with a run in the first and four runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 5-2 lead. TU added a run in the third, two runs in the fourth and the final two runs in the sixth to end the game.
"I thought it was important in both innings ¬- first and second - that we gave up a run and then we answered right back," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "I felt like our hitters made good adjustments to their pitchers all day. The key for Emily - she knows how important it is to hit the edges of the plate, and as a freshman sometimes I think she gets a little nervous on that, but if we can get her through and kind of get her in a groove, she'll be OK. She did that, and she really started pitching very well today."
Arkansas got on the board with an unearned run in the top of the first inning when first baseman Devon Wallace reached on an error and moved around to score on a sacrifice fly by catcher Shelby Hiers. Tulsa tied it in the bottom of the frame when Sampson drew a one-out walk, Horner doubled, and senior first baseman Julie Kernen plated Sampson with a groundout to short.
The Razorbacks scored again in the top of the second on an RBI single by Wallace to take a 2-1 lead. The Hurricane then responded with four runs in the bottom of the second to move ahead for good. Maddie Withee led off the inning with a single to left, and Allen and Estocado followed with back-to-back one-out base hits to load the bases. Maggie Withee drew an RBI walk, and Sampson then hit into a fielder's choice with the out at home. An errant throw by the catcher on the play, however, allowed Estocado to score, and Withee safely reached third after a rundown when the shortstop dropped the ball at third base. Horner then drove a two-run single up the middle.
Tulsa added another run in the third inning when Maggie Withee doubled home Allen, who led off the inning with a walk. TU plated two runs in the fourth on a single up the middle by Maddie Withee and a triple to right center by Estocado. Sophomore designated player Brittany Walker doubled to lead off the frame, and crossed the plate on Withee's base hit.
The Hurricane closed it out with a pair of two-out runs in the sixth inning. Junior left fielder Jodi Edmiston hit a two-out single to left, stole second, and scored on Allen's double to right center. After an error on a ground ball back to the pitcher, Maggie Withee doubled down the right field line, plating Allen.
After the second inning, Arkansas only managed two singles and a walk for the rest of the game. Watson retired 11 of the final 14 batters she faced, following the RBI base hit in the second. Erwin entered in relief with a runner on first and one out, and got the final two outs of the stanza. Horner caught the runner trying to steal second, and Erwin struck out the only batter she faced.
The Golden Hurricane plays host to No. 18 UCF Friday and Saturday in a three-game American Athletic Conference series at the Collins Family Softball Complex. The teams play a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Friday and a single game at noon Saturday.
Follow Tulsa Softball on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaSoftball and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaWSoftball. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane.
Tulsa 10, Arkansas 2 (Mar 31, 2015 at Tulsa, Okla.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Arkansas............ 110 000 - 2 6 3 (14-21) Tulsa............... 141 202 - 10 15 1 (22-12) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Arkansas - MEINEN; WRIGHT(2); STEWART(4) and HIERS. Tulsa - Watson, Emily; ERWIN, Bailey(6) and Horner, Catherine. Win-WATSON, Emily(6-2) Loss-MEINEN(1-3) T-2:29 A-450 Weather: 85 Sunny, Wind NE @ 9 mph WRIGHT faced 2 batters in the 4th.
