Tulsa Starts Week with 10-6 Defeat to Liberty

Friday, March 1

Norman, Okla.

12;30 p.m.

Tulsa

9-6

Liberty

8-7

Tulsa

Liberty

Tulsa Starts Week with 10-6 Defeat to Liberty

3/1/2024 9:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

NORMAN, Okla. – In Tulsa's final game before the home opener, a Golden Hurricane comeback attempt fell short in a 10-6 loss to Liberty in on Friday afternoon at Marita Hynes Field on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.

The Hurricane (9-6, 0-0 AAC) fell behind 8-1 before a five-run sixth put pressure on the Lady Flames (8-7, 0-0 CUSA). However, Liberty responded with two in the bottom of the inning and shut TU down in the seventh to secure the win.

Maura Moore (4-3) got the start and took the loss on Friday. Moore tossed 3.0 innings, allowing five runs on four hits while walking three with a strikeout. Kylee Nash pitched the other three innings in relief. Nash was also responsible for five runs on seven hits and had a trio of strikeouts with two walks.

Elena Escobar (4-0) got the win for the Lady Flames. She spun five innings of four-run softball on nine hits while striking out a pair. Tyler Oubre pitched two and a third innings, and Katie Love came on to get a four-out save.

Abby Jones had a three-hit day for the Hurricane. The senior second baseman homered to get Tulsa on in the fourth and came around to score twice. Celeste Wood also hit a home run in the sixth inning, driving in two. Imani Edwards and Claira Skaggs each had two-hit days, and Maci Cole and MacKenzie Denson doubled and scored in the game.

Leadoff hitter Rachel Roupe had a good day for Liberty, going 3-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and three RBIs. Catcher Sierra Kersten drove in four on two hits.

LIBERTY 10, TULSA 6
Roupe and the Lady Flames wasted no time jumping ahead in Friday's game, as she led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run. She came up in the third and repeated her effort, this time with a runner on base to put Liberty ahead 3-0.

Abby Jones got Tulsa on the board in the top of the fourth as she took an 0-1 pitch out of the park for a solo home run with one out. It was her first long ball of the season and ninth RBI. However, Liberty responded with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, its third home run of the game, to improve its lead to 5-1. The Lady Flames would add three in the fifth and had the winning run at second before a ground out ensured a sixth inning with Liberty up 8-1.

A big sixth inning gave the Hurricane late hope. Jones led the inning with a single and stole second. Maci Cole drove her home with a double to right and then Celeste Wood drove a pitch over the wall in left for a two-run home run to make the score 8-4.

After a flyout for the first out of the inning, MacKenzie Denson drew a walk and moved to second on a single from Haley Morgan. Imani Edwards got a hit to load the bases. Kailyn Bearpaw stepped up with two away and singled to left, scoring two and advancing to second on an error, making it 8-6 with the tying run in scoring position.

Liberty was able to get a ground out to end the threat, and then got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth on two singles and a pair of fielder's choices. Tulsa got a two-out hit in the top of the seventh, but was unable to convert as the Golden Hurricane fell 10-6.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Tulsa	0	0	0	1	0	5	0	6	13	1
Liberty	1	0	2	2	3	2	0	10	11	1

GAME NOTES

» Tulsa is now 1-1 all-time against Liberty
» The Hurricane stranded 10 runners to Liberty's 6
» Tulsa outhit the Lady Flames 13-11, the second time this season Tulsa has outhit an opponent in a loss … TU has only been outhit in two losses with the other two even.
» Abby Jones homered for the first time this season.

The Golden Hurricane opens the home schedule with the TU/OSU invite tomorrow afternoon. The Hurricane will face Seattle at 3:00 p.m. and Drake at 5:30 p.m. in the first day of the two-day event.

-TulsaHurricane.com-