Golden Hurricane Split Final Day of Texas Classic

Monday, February 28

Austin, Texas

11:00 AM

Tulsa

5-7

UTSA

3-10

UTSA

Tulsa

Photo by: @spillmanphoto

Golden Hurricane Split Final Day of Texas Classic

2/28/2022 7:11:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Gamebook vs UTSA | Gamebook at Texas | SEASON STATS (PDF)

AUSTIN, Texas –The University of Tulsa softball team won its opening game before dropping game two in the final day of the Texas Classic at Red & Charline McCombs Field on Monday afternoon.

Samantha Pochop was almost untouchable in the opening game, powering Tulsa to a 6-1 win against UTSA. The Longhorns took an early lead and held off the Golden Hurricane 5-1 in the finale of Tulsa's weekend.

Tulsa finished the weekend 2-2 and is 5-8 heading into the home opener on Friday, while UTSA dropped to 3-10 and Texas moved to 8-7. The Longhorns and Roadrunners will finish the tournament later in the evening.

Game 1

Pochop (3-3) pitched a gem from the circle in the first game of the day, a 6-1 win against UT San Antonio. The senior went the distance, allowing only three hits, one run, three walks and she struck out 13. The Hurricane scored its six runs on eight hits and committed no errors to UTSA's three.

After a leadoff walk to open the game, Pochop struck out the next better for her first of the morning. The next Roadrunner hit a ground ball to second where Abby Jones turned a 4-3 double play to eliminate the threat.

The Hurricane struck in the first without earning a hit. Haley Morgan drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a ground out. A wild pitch helped Morgan to third base, and she scored on thanks to a fielding error from the third baseman.

Both teams went down in order in the second inning. Pochop struck out the side and UTSA's Alexa Williams (0-3) struck out two Hurricane batters. The Roadrunners were able to even the score in the third after another leadoff walk. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second and a wild pitch got her to third. Pochop almost escaped the inning, but a two-out single tied the game at one.

Tulsa got a runner to second base in the bottom of the inning but failed to hit a ball out of the infield, stranding her at second. Pochop allowed a leadoff single in the first half of the fourth but responded with three consecutive strikeouts to keep the runner at first.

The Hurricane broke through in the fourth and took command of the game. A leadoff single from Jones and then a fielding error and passed ball put two runners in scoring position. It hardly mattered, as Rylee Keith launched the first Tulsa home run of the season over the centerfield wall to put the Hurricane up 4-1.

TU wasn't done with the inning, though. Three consecutive singles from Kailyn Bearpaw, Kylie Norwood, Morgan loaded the bases for Celeste Wood, who made it four straight singles with a two-RBI base hit up the middle.

UTSA got a two-out triple in the fifth, but Pochop struck out the final batter to end the threat, and then finished off the Roadrunners by setting them down in order the final two innings.

Game 2

Texas took an early lead with a solo shot in the second inning and then added three in the second en route to a 5-1 win over the Hurricane in Tulsa's final game of the weekend.

Tulsa was outhit 11-2 in the finale but limited itself to a single error. Sara Llamas-Howell (1-2) took the loss, going 3.0 innings and allowing seven hits and four earned runs. Kylee Nash pitched in relief, throwing the other three innings, allowing four hits and a run. Each pitcher walked one batter and the Longhorns didn't strike out.

Texas threw two pitchers in the matchup. Hailey Dolcini (3-2) earned the start and win, throwing six innings of two-hit ball, while Logan Hulson came on to pitch the final inning.

The Hurricane got on base in the first with a two-out walk but a strikeout quickly ended the opportunity. Nash set the Longhorns down in order with a pair of groundouts and a pop up into foul territory.

Texas returned the favor in the top half of the second before taking the lead in the bottom with a solo home run. After putting the Hurricane down in order in the third, Texas extended its lead in its at-bats. A leadoff double and throwing error gave the Longhorns a 2-0 lead. An infield single and then a groundout advanced both runners to scoring position and another single brought them both home to make it 4-0 after three.

Tulsa got on the board in the fourth when Morgan was hit by a pitch to get the leadoff runner on. Celeste Wood doubled for TU's first hit of the afternoon, and Morgan came all the way around to score. However, Tulsa was unable to do any further damage as a strikeout, lineout and groundout ended the threat.

Texas got its run back in the fifth after a one-out walk got a Longhorn runner on base. A groundout advanced her to second and a single brought home the run to give Texas the 5-1 advantage, which it would keep the rest of the way.

TU put a runner in scoring position in the sixth after Morgan singled and stole second, but she was stranded there, and Tulsa went down in order in the seventh and final frame.

Next up for the Golden Hurricane is the TU/OSU Invitational and the home opener. Tulsa welcomes DePaul, Stanford and Minnesota for a round-robin of games starting on Friday. The Hurricane will face DePaul in a doubleheader on Friday and take on Minnesota and Stanford Saturday afternoon. Each of those games will feature at the Collins Family Softball Complex.