Moore and Nash Hurl Gems as Tulsa Splits Day One of Golden Eagle Invitational

Friday, February 17

Hattiesburg, Miss.

9:30 AM

Tulsa

2-4

SIUE

0-4

SIUE

Tulsa

Moore and Nash Hurl Gems as Tulsa Splits Day One of Golden Eagle Invitational

2/17/2023 5:36:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Tulsa v SIUE Box (PDF) | Tulsa v Jacksonville State Box (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)

Hattiesburg, Miss. – Maura Moore and Kylee Nash both threw fantastic games from the circle for the University of Tulsa softball team as the Golden Hurricane split its matchups on Friday at the Golden Eagle Invitational.

Tulsa (2-5) defeated SIU-Edwardsville (0-4) in the morning game 8-0 in six innings. The Hurricane fell 1-0 to Jacksonville State (4-1) in a pitcher's duel.

Moore (2-1) went the distance with a one-hit shutout to lead TU over the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars in the early game. Moore walked one and struck out four Cougars in the win. It took her just 78 pitches to grab the win.

MacKenzie Denson and Celeste Wood powered the Tulsa offense with three RBIs apiece, including a triple from Wood. Senior Haley Morgan went 3-for-3 from the dish, recording a double, triple and RBI. As a team, Tulsa had 12 hits while holding the Cougars to one.

Nash (0-2) took the ball for the afternoon game and was unhittable for most of the afternoon. She struck out six batters while allowing just two hits with 102 pitches. The Junior hurler forced 10 ground balls and only allowed two fly balls on the afternoon. Unfortunately, Tulsa's offense couldn't plate a runner as TU fell to Jacksonville State.

Tulsa had just four hits in the loss while committing four errors, none of which resulted in runs. Haley Morgan, Abby Jones, Imani Edwards and Kennedy Cramer collected the hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED – Tulsa 8, SIUE 0

Tulsa wasted no time taking the lead as Morgan led off the bottom of the first with a double. On the third pitch she faced, Denson laced a ball into left, bringing Morgan around to score.

The Hurricane would add to the lead in the bottom of the third as Haley Morgan led the inning with a triple. Denson collected her second RBI of the morning with a groundout to short. TU wasn't done as Wood was hit by a pitch and then advanced to third after a fielder's choice was misplayed by the second baseman. Claira Skaggs hit a ball to second, which gave Wood enough time to score to give Tulsa a 3-0 advantage.

SIUE singled to lead off the fourth inning, its lone hit of the morning. However, Moore settled in and got two of the next three batter to strike out and the other to harmlessly fly out to right.

Kennedy Cramer tripled with one away in the fourth before Morgan hit a sac fly to left, bringing her home to give Tulsa the 4-0 lead. Tulsa would not score again until the final inning.

Moore sat down the next six SIUE batters to put the Hurricane back in the batter's box in the sixth. After a throwing error allowed Rylee Keith to reach safely, consecutive bunt singles loaded the bases. Denson singled to bring in her third RBI, which brought Wood to the plate. Facing a 3-1 count, she ripped a triple to right center, clearing the bases and giving Tulsa a walkoff win.

GAME NOTES

» Moore tossed a one-hit shutout for the Golden Hurricane.
» Morgan picked up three base hits in the game, two of which were for extra bases
» Denson and Wood drove in three runs each for the Golden Hurricane.
» Tulsa went 5-for-12 (.417) with runners in scoring position.
» SIU-Edwardsville was led offensively by Lexi King, who went 1-for-3.

HOW IT HAPPENED – Tulsa 0, Jacksonville State 1

Neither team could get to its opponent's pitchers in the second game. Imani Edwards delivered the first hit in the second inning with a single up the middle to advance Kailyn Bearpaw, who had forced a walk, to second. TU got runners to second and third but left them stranded.

Errors allowed runners to reach base in the first two innings for the Gamecocks, but Nash forced ground balls and strikeouts to keep the opponents at bay.

The third inning presented Tulsa's best opportunity as back-to-back singles put runners on the corner with nobody away. However, a lineout turned into a double play and then a strikeout robbed the Hurricane of its chance.

The bottom of the inning gave the Gamecocks a golden opportunity as a leadoff error and walk put two on. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to scoring position, but Nash battled back for a strikeout and ground out, ending the threat.

Both teams went down relatively quietly in the fourth and fifth innings, and Tulsa was retired in order in the top of the sixth. Jacksonville State finally found the breakthrough when it took its at-bats. A one-out double ended Nash's no-hitter bid and put a runner in scoring position.

After a ground out moved the runner to third with two away, catcher Abbi Perkins stepped up and delivered the clutch hit of the night, a single through the left side to make it 1-0.

The Hurricane didn't go down without a fight. A two-out error kept the game alive and allowed Nash to hit for herself. She earned a walk, and then a passed ball put runners on second and third before a flyout to left ended the game.

GAME NOTES

» The Golden Hurricane out-hit the Gamecocks 4-2
» Nash held Jacksonville State to just 1-for-11 (.091) with runners in scoring position.
» Tulsa finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position
» TU left seven stranded in the game, while Jacksonville State left eight on base.
» Kat Carter led the Gamecocks pitching staff, throwing seven scoreless innings.

Tulsa is back in action on Saturday morning starting with a game against Alcorn State at 9:30 a.m. before taking on the hosts, Southern Miss, at noon.