Softball Falls at Houston, 2-1, in Game 2 of Series

Friday, March 25

Houston, Texas

5:30 p.m.

Tulsa

22-6, 0

Houston

15-14, 0

Tulsa

Houston

Softball Falls at Houston, 2-1, in Game 2 of Series

3/25/2016 9:13:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Eric Hollier

Box Score

HOUSTON, Texas – Senior catcher Catherine Horner went 2-for-3 and junior third baseman Maggie Withee scored a run, but the Tulsa softball team fell at Houston, 2-1, Friday in the second game of the three-game American Athletic Conference series at Cougar Softball Stadium.

The Golden Hurricane fell to 22-6 overall and 1-1 in American Athletic Conference play, while the Cougars improved to 15-14 overall and 1-1 in league play. The series rubber game will be played at noon Saturday. TU won the opener, 11-2, Thursday evening.

Sophomore Emily Watson (7-5) went the distance for TU, striking out nine batters, and allowing two runs on five hits. Houston starter Julana Shrum (5-4) allowed an unearned run on four hits in 5.2 innings. Shelby Miller picked up the save after pitching the final 1.1 innings.

"We made several little mistakes that in a tight ballgame, just proved to be the difference in the game," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "When we started hitting the ball on the ground, we started getting base hits or errors. We just took too long to make an adjustment to the type of pitcher that she was."

Houston got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. With runners on second and third with two outs, center fielder Katie St. Pierre singled to right center scoring both runners.

Tulsa closed the gap to 2-1 with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Withee led off the inning with a single to short for Tulsa's second hit of the game. She moved to third on a throwing error by the center fielder after a flyout, then scored on a throwing error by the shortstop off the bat of Maddie Withee.

The Hurricane then got singles from Horner and freshman designated player Julia Hollingsworth around a fielder's choice to load the bases with two outs, but a flyout to the fence in right field ended the inning. TU went down in order in the seventh.

Horner also singled in the second inning, and advanced to second after Hollingsworth reached on an error, but TU could not push a runner past second base until the sixth inning.

After Houston's RBI single in the second inning, Watson retired the side, stranding runners at second and third. She sat down 13 of the final 16 batters she faced in the game, and did not let another runner reach second base.

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.

Houston 2, Tulsa 1 (Mar 25, 2016 at Houston, Texas)
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Tulsa............... 000 001 0 - 1 4 1 (22-6, 1-1)
Houston............. 020 000 X - 2 5 4 (15-14, 1-1)
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Pitchers: Tulsa - WATSON, Emily and HORNER, Catherine. Houston - SHRUM, J.; MILLER, S.(6) and
THAMES, B..
Win-SHRUM, J.(5-4) Save-MILLER, S.(1) Loss-WATSON, Emily(7-5) T-1:53 A-245
Weather: 73, sunny