Softball Drops Game 2 to No. 20 USF, 9-6, Saturday

Saturday, April 23

Collins Family Complex

2 p.m.

Tulsa

28-13, 0

USF

41-11, 0

USF

Tulsa

Photo by: Dave Crenshaw

Softball Drops Game 2 to No. 20 USF, 9-6, Saturday

4/23/2016 6:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Eric Hollier

Box Score

TULSA, Okla. – No. 20 USF scored five runs in the fifth inning and three runs in the seventh to take the lead, as The University of Tulsa fell, 9-6, Saturday afternoon in Game 2 of the schools' American Athletic Conference series at the Collins Family Softball Complex.

The Golden Hurricane (28-13, 5-6 American) scored four runs in the first and two runs in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead that held until the top of the fifth. Shortstop Shelby Estocado hit a three-run home run that fueled the first inning surge, and second baseman Morgan Neal finished the game 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run. The Bulls improved to 41-11 overall and 13-1 in conference play.

The teams conclude the series at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Collins Family Softball Complex. The start time is one hour earlier than the originally scheduled noon start.

Tulsa scored six runs on eight hits and committed one error, and USF tallied nine runs on 12 hits and two errors. Each team scored two unearned runs in the game.

"It was disappointing the way we finished up," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "We just have to put it away and try to come out and realize that the main goal is to get back to where we were (early in the season) by the conference tournament. We have to get back to how we were playing for the first two thirds of the season."

USF scored a run in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by catcher Lee Ann Spivey. Tulsa responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-1 lead. After left fielder Maddie Withee was hit by a pitch and Neal singled to center field, Estocado launched her 10^th home run of the season to left field, making it a 3-1 game. Designated player Julia Hollingsworth drew a walk, and moved around to score on a throwing error by the center fielder after right fielder Kaitlin Allen singled up the middle.

Center fielder Jodi Edmiston led off the second inning with a walk, third baseman Maggie Withee was safe on a fielder's choice, before a throwing error on Maddie Withee's sacrifice bunt allowed Edmiston to score. Neal's single to left field plated Maggie Withee to make the score 6-1.

After the first inning, TU starter Emily Watson sat down the Bulls in the next three frames with just a single in the second and one walk each in the third and fourth innings. In the fifth, USF got two home runs among six consecutive hits to tie the score. One out singles by left fielder Astin Donovan and second baseman Kristen Wyckoff preceded a three-run home run by center fielder Juli Weber. A base hit by first baseman Lauren Evans was followed by a two-run home run by catcher Lee Ann Spivey to tie the score, 6-6.

Weber led off the seventh inning with a double down the left field line, followed by a sacrifice bunt and a walk, and scored on an RBI groundout by Erica Nunn. Following a single by third baseman Monica Santos, an error on a play to first base allowed two runs to score, making it a 9-6 game.

Tulsa threatened in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, but was unable to add any runs. With two out, Edmiston and Maddie Withee sandwiched walks around a single by Maggie Withee, but a strikeout ended the game.

Caitlin Sill (15-6) pitched the final 2.2 innings in relief of Watson, allowed three runs – one earned run – and was saddled with the loss. Nunn (24-7) pitched the final 2.1 innings, and earned the win in relief for USF. Starter Susan Wysocki allowed four earned runs in one complete inning, and was charged with both runs in the second frame, before giving way to Cheyenne Eggens, who gave up two hits in 3.2 frames.

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.

USF 9, Tulsa 6 (Apr 23, 2016 at Tulsa, Okla.)
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USF................. 100 050 3 - 9 12 2 (41-11, 13-1)
Tulsa............... 420 000 0 - 6 8 1 (28-13, 5-6)
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Pitchers: USF - WYSOCKI, Susan; EGGENS, Cheyenne(2); NUNN, Erica(5) and SPIVEY, Lee Ann.
Tulsa - WATSON, Emily; SILL, Caitlin(5) and HORNER, Catherine.
Win-NUNN, Erica(24-7) Loss-SILL, Caitlin(15-6) T-2:40 A-290
HR USF - WEBER, Juli (5); SPIVEY, Lee Ann (12).
HR TLS - ESTOCADO, Shelby (10).
Weather: 82 Sunny, Wind SSW @ 10 mph
WYSOCKI, S. faced 4 batters in the 2nd.