Friday, March 25
Collins Family Softball Complex
5:00 PM
Tulsa
vs
Houston
Photo by: @spillmanphoto
Tulsa Softball Hosts Houston Cougars in American Athletic Conference Opening Series
3/24/2022 6:24:00 PM | Softball
Tulsa Notes | Houston Notes | Season Stats | ESPN+ (AAC)
TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa Golden Hurricane hosts the Houston Cougars to begin the American Athletic Conference slate in a three-game series starting Friday evening at the Collins Family Softball Complex.
First pitch times are 5 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday. Every game will air on ESPN+ with Bruce Howard bringing fans the action alongside former Tulsa softball player and assistant coach, Brooke Smart.
Tulsa holds a 77-42 record in conference play since its first season in The American in 2014. The Hurricane won the 2017 regular season conference championship after finishing 15-3, and won three consecutive league tournament titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The Golden Hurricane brings an 11-17 record into the series after going 3-3 last week. Tulsa played a doubleheader against Abilene Christian on Wednesday, and then faced Nebraska and Kansas twice each in the Rock Chalk Challenge on Saturday and Sunday. TU split its games on each day.
Haley Morgan and Celeste Wood lead the team, batting .353 and .302 respectively. Not surprisingly, the two are efficient when it counts as well, with both hitting above .300 with runners in scoring position. Morgan has a team-high 30 hits and 23 runs scored, while Wood has three triples, 11 doubles, 27 RBIs and a .535 slugging percentage.
Pochop continues to be Tulsa's ace in the circle. The senior posts a 2.96 ERA with 95 strikeouts to only 22 walks. She also holds batters to a team-low .223 batting average.
Pochop was named to The American's weekly honor roll for her performances in three games last week. The senior tossed three complete games and struck out 22 batters, which helped her move into sixth on the career strikeouts list at Tulsa.
Houston enters the series boasting a 16-15 record having gone 3-3 last week as well. Houston played in the Hall of Fame Classic in Oklahoma City, Okla. against Iowa, Indiana, San Diego and No. 1 Oklahoma, finishing 1-4 with the lone win against San Diego. The Cougars then defeated Sam Houston in a doubleheader 1-0 and 3-2.
Houston is led in hitting by Amanda Carden and Becca Schulte, who bat .341 and .321. Schulte supplies a lot of power to the lineup with her nine home runs and .731 slugging percentage.
In the circle, the duo of Hannah Todd and Kenna Wilkey headline a five-deep pitching staff. Todd (4-4) has a team-low 2.56 ERA with two complete games, allowing 20 earned runs in 54.2 innings of work. Wilkey has a higher ERA at 3.53 but has recorded a team-leading 64 strikeouts.
The Hurricane lead the all-time series against Houston 28-22. Tulsa beat Houston three out of five games a year ago, splitting the games in Houston 2-2 before Tulsa came away with an 8-2 victory in the first round of The American softball championship at the Collins Family Softball Complex.
TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa Golden Hurricane hosts the Houston Cougars to begin the American Athletic Conference slate in a three-game series starting Friday evening at the Collins Family Softball Complex.
First pitch times are 5 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday. Every game will air on ESPN+ with Bruce Howard bringing fans the action alongside former Tulsa softball player and assistant coach, Brooke Smart.
Tulsa holds a 77-42 record in conference play since its first season in The American in 2014. The Hurricane won the 2017 regular season conference championship after finishing 15-3, and won three consecutive league tournament titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The Golden Hurricane brings an 11-17 record into the series after going 3-3 last week. Tulsa played a doubleheader against Abilene Christian on Wednesday, and then faced Nebraska and Kansas twice each in the Rock Chalk Challenge on Saturday and Sunday. TU split its games on each day.
Haley Morgan and Celeste Wood lead the team, batting .353 and .302 respectively. Not surprisingly, the two are efficient when it counts as well, with both hitting above .300 with runners in scoring position. Morgan has a team-high 30 hits and 23 runs scored, while Wood has three triples, 11 doubles, 27 RBIs and a .535 slugging percentage.
Pochop continues to be Tulsa's ace in the circle. The senior posts a 2.96 ERA with 95 strikeouts to only 22 walks. She also holds batters to a team-low .223 batting average.
Pochop was named to The American's weekly honor roll for her performances in three games last week. The senior tossed three complete games and struck out 22 batters, which helped her move into sixth on the career strikeouts list at Tulsa.
Houston enters the series boasting a 16-15 record having gone 3-3 last week as well. Houston played in the Hall of Fame Classic in Oklahoma City, Okla. against Iowa, Indiana, San Diego and No. 1 Oklahoma, finishing 1-4 with the lone win against San Diego. The Cougars then defeated Sam Houston in a doubleheader 1-0 and 3-2.
Houston is led in hitting by Amanda Carden and Becca Schulte, who bat .341 and .321. Schulte supplies a lot of power to the lineup with her nine home runs and .731 slugging percentage.
In the circle, the duo of Hannah Todd and Kenna Wilkey headline a five-deep pitching staff. Todd (4-4) has a team-low 2.56 ERA with two complete games, allowing 20 earned runs in 54.2 innings of work. Wilkey has a higher ERA at 3.53 but has recorded a team-leading 64 strikeouts.
The Hurricane lead the all-time series against Houston 28-22. Tulsa beat Houston three out of five games a year ago, splitting the games in Houston 2-2 before Tulsa came away with an 8-2 victory in the first round of The American softball championship at the Collins Family Softball Complex.
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