Tulsa Drops Opener of Rock Chalk Challenge But Rebounds to Beat Jayhawks

Saturday, March 19

Lawrence, Kan.

10:00 AM

Tulsa

9-16

Nebraska

16-9

Nebraska

Tulsa

Tulsa Drops Opener of Rock Chalk Challenge But Rebounds to Beat Jayhawks

3/19/2022 11:31:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Gamebook v Nebraska | Gamebook at Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The University of Tulsa softball took one of two in the first day of the Rock Chalk Challenge in Lawrence, Kan., losing the opening 6-7 in extra innings to Nebraska, and then getting the narrow 6-5 victory against Kansas in the evening.

MaKayla Jackson finished the pair of games with four hits, two doubles, and four RBIs. Freshman Kailyn Bearpaw finished with three hits, one double and a pair of RBIs.

Tulsa is 10-16 heading into the final day of the tournament, while Kansas moved to 9-14, and Nebraska improved to 16-9.

Game 1

Tulsa led for most of the game against Nebraska, but a three-run sixth inning allowed the Cornhuskers tie the game. Two more runs in the eighth was too much for Tulsa to overcome in the 7-6 loss.

Samantha Pochop (5-8) was credited with the loss but went all eight innings. She gave seven runs, six earned, on 11 hits, walked zero and struck out six. Tulsa scored its six runs on 11 hits and committed two errors.

Nebraska threw a pair of pitchers, with Courtney Wallace earning the win after throwing the final 2.2 innings in relief and allowing just a single run.

Tulsa took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Haley Morgan drew a leadoff walk and stole second to get in scoring position. After back-to-back outs, a single from Kailyn Bearpaw scored the first run of the game.

TU loaded the bases in the second, but neither team would score again until the fourth inning. Nebraska opened the top frame with consecutive singles, and a groundout moved both runners into scoring position. A sacrifice fly scored a run to tie the game, and then a two-out single gave the Cornhuskers the 2-1 lead.

Tulsa responded immediately in the bottom of the frame. The Hurricane loaded the bases with one out for MaKayla Jackson. The junior doubled to left center, scoring three runs to put Tulsa back up 4-2.

Both sides were retired with little fanfare in the fifth, but Nebraska struck back in the sixth. A leadoff single and double started the inning, and then another single drove in a run and put baserunners on the corner. Pochop got the next two outs, but a steal of second set up a two-run single that gave Nebraska the lead, 5-4.

In the bottom of the frame, MaKayla Jackson doubled for the second time, putting herself in scoring position with one away. Makenzie Brown pinch ran for her and advanced to third on a bunt single, scoring on a fielder's choice to tie the game at 5.

Both teams had a chance to win it in regular innings. Nebraska got runners on first and second before Pochop struck out the final batter, while Tulsa got a runner to second, but neither team took advantage.

The Cornhuskers took the lead in the eighth thanks to a courtesy runner and a two-run home run. Tulsa was able to bring a run home, but it wasn't enough to overcome the two-run deficit.

Game 2

In the nightcap, Tulsa lost its early lead, but a pair of late runs were enough to hold off the Jayhawks in a 6-5 win.

Kylee Nash (2-2) earned the win, throwing 3.0 innings of relief. She allowed one run on three hits, walked two and struck out one. Sara Llamas-Howell began the game in the circle. She pitched four innings of five-hit softball, striking out one, walking two and allowing four runs.

Tulsa scored its six runs on nine hits and committed two errors, while Kansas scored five on eight hits with two errors. Both teams stranded nine runners on the afternoon.

The Hurricane jumped out to a large lead early, scoring three in the first inning. Bearpaw recorded her double with two-on and one out to give Tulsa a 1-0 lead. Rylee Keith and Abby Jones followed with consecutive singles, each scoring a run to push Tulsa's lead to 3-0.

Llamas-Howell shutdown Kansas in the bottom of the first, and both teams went down quickly in the second. Tulsa added to its lead in the third. A fielding error allowed Keith to reach base safely, and then set up a fielder's choice for Jones to get on base. She hustled all the way around the bag on Jackson's single to right, beating the tag to go up 4-0.

Kansas responded in the bottom of the frame, starting with a leadoff home run. A one-out single set up the second home run of the inning, this time to center, to cut Tulsa's lead to 4-3. In the bottom of the fourth, an error extended the inning, allowing Kansas to tie the game on a single to right.

Both teams were set down in the fifth, with Nash taking the circle in the bottom of the frame, but Tulsa struck in the sixth. Imani Edwards lead off with a walk, and then a double Kennedy Cramer brought her home, and Cramer took third on the throw. A fielding error brought her home. Despite Tulsa loading the bases with nobody out, the Hurricane couldn't add anymore to its 6-4 lead.
Kansas put runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth, but Nash worked around a wild pitch to get the Jayhawks to pop out, ending the threat. Kansas threatened again in the seventh inning. A leadoff double moved to third on a groundout for the first out. A throwing error put the tying run on base and scored a run to make it 6-5. A walk put the runner in scoring position, but a strikeout and groundout brought home the victory.

Tulsa will finish the Rock Chalk Challenge on Sunday with rematches against the Cornhuskers and Jayhawks. Tulsa faces Nebraska at 12:30 p.m. before facing Kansas at 5:30 in the finale.