Tulsa Drops Final Two Games of TU/OSU Invitational

Saturday, March 5

Collins Family Softball Complex

4:00 PM

Tulsa

6-10

Minnesota

11-6

Minnesota

Tulsa

Tulsa Drops Final Two Games of TU/OSU Invitational

3/5/2022 11:18:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Gamebook v Minnesota | Gamebook v Stanford | Season Stats (PDF)

TULSA, Okla. – The University of Tulsa softball team fell agonizingly short in both games in its final day of the TU/OSU Invitational on Saturday evening at the Collins Family Softball Complex.

The Golden Hurricane (6-11) went back and forth with Minnesota in the first game before succumbing 5-4. Game two was a pitcher's duel between Stanford and Tulsa. Samantha Pochop battled Alana Vawter and a single run in the seventh inning made the difference in Tulsa's 1-0 defeat.

It was a lively crowd throughout as nearly 300 fans were in attendance for Tulsa's game against Minnesota and more than 350 took in the evening game versus Stanford.

Game 1

Minnesota didn't score in bulk but scored often enough to defeat the Golden Hurricane 5-4 in Tulsa's opening game of the day. The Golden Gophers never scored more than a single run in an inning, but consistently put one across the plate in multiple frames.

Tulsa scored its four runs on six hits and didn't commit an error, while the Gophers recorded eight hits and one error. Makenzie Brown (1-3) went 5.2 innings with five earned runs, three walks, four strikeouts and seven hits. Kylee Nash pitched 1.1 innings in relief and gave up a singular hit.

After a double play erased a leadoff walk, the Gophers took a 1-0 lead of a homerun from Natalie DenHartog, who hit two in the game and four total for the day. Minnesota added to its lead in the second without a hit, after a hit-by-pitch, a walk and two wild pitches brought another run home.

Tulsa got on the board in the bottom of the second frame when Imani Edwards launched her first homerun of the season to center field to make it 2-1. Haley Morgan blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 2.

Minnesota wasted no time in retaking the lead in the next inning with another solo home run, this time from Sydney Strelow. Her line drive homer crept over the wall in right to put the Gophers back up 3-2. Minnesota extended its lead to 4-2 in the fifth inning with DenHartog's second solo homerun of the game.

The Hurricane got a run back in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out double from Kylie Norwood, which scored a pinch-running Callie Davis from first base to make it 4-3. Minnesota used a walk and a pair of singles to regain its two-run lead in the top of the sixth.

In the bottom of the frame, Tulsa faced a two-out, runner on first situation. Kennedy Cramer laid down a fantastic bunt, forcing a difficult throw from the pitcher, which sailed past the first baseman. Abby Jones was flying off contact and raced around to score to get Tulsa back within a run, 5-4.

Despite the Hurricane shutting down Minnesota in the seventh, Tulsa was unable to get the needed run in the bottom of the seventh.

Game 2

Both pitchers went the distance in game two, but it was Stanford who came away victorious thanks to a late run in a 1-0 ballgame in Saturday's nightcap.

Pochop (3-5) allowed just one run on six hits, struck out nine and walked two, both of which happened in the first inning. Stanford threatened a few times before breaking through, but Pochop kept them at bay with and hitters off balance. Her colleague in the circle, Alana Vawter (9-2), allowed just one hit, walked one and struck out four.

Stanford started the game by getting two walks with a flyout sandwiched between them. However, the two were stranded after Pochop struck out a Cardinal and got the final batter to ground out.

Morgan led off the bottom of the first with a double down the left field line, Tulsa's lone hit of the game. However, despite the bright spot, she was left stranded at third. Neither team did anything in the second, and Stanford got a two-out double in the third, but it wasn't until the fourth when a team truly threatened again.

The Cardinal got its leadoff runner on first thanks to a textbook bunt single. Another single through the right side and then a groundout that advanced both runners had Stanford looking dangerous. Pochop fired back by striking out the next batter and causing the final batter to foul out to Kylie Norwood at first base, who made a spectacular over the shoulder catch.

Stanford got two on again in the sixth, but Pochop set them down. The seventh was the decisive inning for the teams. A leadoff triple put the leading run 60 feet away. Pochop got the next batter swinging, but a double down the right field line gave Stanford the 1-0 lead and eventual win.

The Golden Hurricane will stay at home for a Tuesday afternoon game against Central Arkansas at the Collins Family Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. against the Sugar Bears. Tulsa will wrap up the following week with a trip to Lubbock for the Texas Tech Invitational where TU will play a pair of games against Texas Tech and Texas A&M – Corpus Christi on Saturday and Sunday.

Next up for the Golden Hurricane is the final day of the TU/OSU Invitational. Tulsa will take on Minnesota and Stanford Saturday afternoon. First pitch against Minnesota is set for 4:00 p.m. Each of those games will feature at the Collins Family Softball Complex.