Sill Throws Two-Hitter as Tulsa Softball Defeats UConn, 1-0
5/7/2015 3:53:00 PM | Softball
Sampson sac fly scores Edmiston for the game's only run
Box Score in PDF
Junior Caitlin Sill pitched a two-hitter and junior left fielder Jodi Edmiston scored the game's only run to lead the Tulsa softball team to a 1-0 win over UConn in the American Athletic Conference Championship Thursday afternoon at the UCF Softball Complex.
Sill (10-10) struck out four batters and allowed no walks to pick up her 10th win of the season. Edmiston gave the Golden Hurricane (35-17) its first hit of the game in the fifth inning, and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior catcher Erica Sampson.
The Hurricane advances to the American Conference semifinals, where it will face Houston at 2 p.m. CT Friday. The game will be broadcast on the American Digital Network.
UConn starter Chelsea Eckert (6-15) allowed a run on three hits with three walks for the Huskies, which fell to 18-35.
"Sill pitched a fabulous game," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "She didn't give them opportunities to get freebies with walks. She was going to make them hit her. She did a great job of attacking the zone and changing speeds, and just kept them off balance all day."
Edmiston singled to through the left side with one out in the bottom of the fifth, and went to third on sophomore third baseman Maggie Withee's base hit to right field. Sampson followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, plating Edmiston.
Sill allowed a base hit in the second inning and another in the fourth inning. The bunt single in the fourth turned into a runner on third with no outs when the throw when down into the right field corner. Sill then retired the next three batters in the inning, and the final 12 batters she faced to shut down the Huskies.
Tulsa put runners on base in each of the first three innings with walks to junior designated playerCatherine Horner, sophomore right fielder Brittany Walker and Edmiston, but could not get past first base. Senior first baseman Julie Kernen reached on an error to begin the fifth inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but was stranded at second base.
The Hurricane totaled three hits in the game, including the singles by Edmiston and Withee. Walker singled to center with one out in the sixth inning, but only made it as far as second base.
"We have a lot of players that are making their first postseason appearance, and it's almost like you're starting a new season," Bargfeldt said. "Every time you go out and play a brand new season at the beginning of the year, you almost see the same types of swings - just feeling for the ball and being a little bit over anxious. That's why you get one under your belt, and then you can relax, take a breath and go out and be more like yourself."
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 1, UConn 0 (May 07, 2015 at Orlando, Fla.)
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UConn............... 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 (18-35)
Tulsa............... 000 010 X - 1 3 1 (35-17)
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Pitchers: UConn - ECKERT, Chelsea and DUBOIS, Jacklyn. Tulsa - Sill, Caitlin and Sampson, Erica .
Win-SILL, Caitlin(10-10) Loss-ECKERT, Chelsea(6-15) T-1:20 A-98
Weather: Sunny, breezy
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