Tulsa Takes One of Two from Northern Iowa

Friday, March 10

Collins Family Softball Complex

3:00 PM

Tulsa

11-10

Northern Iowa

8-8

Northern Iowa

Tulsa

Tulsa Takes One of Two from Northern Iowa

3/10/2023 5:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE

TULSA, Okla. – The Golden Hurricane started the Tulsa Invitational with a 4-3 win against Northern Iowa before falling 10-4 in game two of Friday's doubleheader at the Collins Family Softball Complex.

Tulsa moved to 11-11 on the season with the split of games while Northern Iowa moves to 9-8.

Maura Moore (6-3) took the ball in the opening game, throwing a complete game and allowing just four hits while striking out six. Kylee Nash (4-5) was tagged with the loss in the nightcap. She struck out four and walked six, allowing five hits and eight runs, all earned. Freshman Riley Grant pitched three innings of relief and gave up two runs while striking out a batter.

Kailyn Bearpaw drove in a pair of runs on two hits in the opening game while coming around to score a run in the evening. Claira Skaggs added to her strong start to the season with another home run and two RBI. Celeste Wood had an RBI in each game.

GAME 1: HOW IT HAPPENED – Tulsa 4, UNI 3

After Moore set the Panthers down in the top of the seventh, Tulsa came to bat with a chance to grab the win.

Imani Edwards singled with one out and promptly stole second. Tulsa caught a break as a fly ball to right was dropped, allowing Edwards to advance to third with just the one out. Bearpaw delivered the big hit, lining a single up the middle to bring Edwards home for the walk-off win.

Northern Iowa struck first in the opening frame, blasting a two-run homer before Tulsa had recorded an out. The Hurricane halved the Panther lead in the bottom of the inning after Morgan singled and stole second before Celeste Wood drove her in.

Tulsa scored runs in the third and fourth to take the lead for the first time, 3-2. Tulsa took advantage of mistakes in both innings as Edwards drew a walk and eventually moved to third on a wild pitch, which allowed her to score on a single in the third. The following inning, Kennedy Cramer pitch ran for Rylee Keith after the catcher forced a walk. Cramer stole second and third, forcing a throwing error that allowed her to race home.

A solo home run from the Panthers tied the game and after Tulsa went down in order in the bottom of the inning, it set up the pivotal seventh frame.

GAME NOTES

» Morgan picked up three base hits in the game with a pair of stolen bases
» Moore struck out six Panthers hitters.
» The Golden Hurricane out-hit the Panthers at an 8-4 clip.
» Tulsa went 4-for-9 (.444) with runners in scoring position.
» The Golden Hurricane drew five walks from Northern Iowa pitching.
» Bearpaw led the Golden Hurricane at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
» Tulsa never scored more than one run in an inning, spreading its runs over four different frames.

GAME 2: HOW IT HAPPENED – Tulsa 4, Northern Iowa 10

Northern Iowa scored two in the first and five in the second inning to jump out to an insurmountable 7-0 lead before Tulsa had a chance to get going. The Panthers did all their damage with two outs, taking advantage of walks and singles before a 3-run homer in the second capped the offensive explosion.

After Northern Iowa increased its lead to 8-0, Tulsa tried to claw its way back in. A one-out walk issued to Bearpaw brought up reigning conference player of the week, Claira Skaggs. The first baseman smashed her fourth home run of the season to cut the deficit to 8-2.

However, UNI was able to get those runs back over the course of the next two innings, which included a solo homer to take a 10-2 lead.

Tulsa wasn't done fighting. Celeste Wood homered for the first time this season with one-out in the inning to make the score 10-3. With two outs and Tara Hall standing on first, back-to-back wild pitches moved the runner to third and freshman Emma Vickrey roped a double off the wall in center, bringing in the game's final run.

GAME NOTES

» Skaggs led the Golden Hurricane at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI ... She leads the team with four home runs and 17 RBI.
» Northern Iowa scored eight of its 10 runs with two outs in the inning.
» Tulsa was 1-7 (.143) with two outs while the Panthers hit 5-11 (.455).
» The leadoff spot was not strong for either team each team's leadoff hitter reached safely in only one inning.

The Golden Hurricane will play again in day two of the Tulsa Invitational with a game against Sam Houston at 1:30 p.m. before wrapping the day with a third game against the Panthers at 4 p.m. All games will air on ESPN+.