Tulsa Softball Walks-Off ECU 10-2 in Series Finale

Sunday, April 14

Collins Family Softball Complex

12:00 p.m.

Tulsa

27-14, 12-6

East Carolina

30-14, 7-11

East Carolina

Tulsa

Tulsa Softball Walks-Off ECU 10-2 in Series Finale

4/14/2024 4:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

TULSA, Okla. – The Golden Hurricane scored seven runs in its final two innings to walk-off East Carolina 10-2 in six innings and clinch the American Athletic Conference series on Sunday afternoon in the Collins Family Softball Complex.

Tulsa (27-14, 12-6 The American) homered twice in the sixth inning to blow the game open and secure its second win of the weekend. East Carolina (30-14, 7-11 The American) never led on Sunday and scored both its runs in the fifth.

Senior shortstop Imani Edwards and junior third baseman Claira Skaggs each hit two-run homers in the sixth, their fourth of the season. Edwards finished with two hits and three driven in, and Skaggs posted four RBI on three hits. Kailyn Bearpaw doubled in two runs in the game and Celeste Wood capped the scoring with a line drive in the gap in right center that would have easily been extra bases if the game-ending run wasn't already on third base. Senior left fielder MacKenzie Denson had herself a three-hit game in the leadoff spot and came around to score twice. Maci Cole also collected a pair of hits and scored twice, including the walk-off run.

In the circle, Maura Moore (10-5) got the start and the win. The junior spun 4.0 innings and allowed two runs on five hits. She also struck out eight while walking just one. Moore got herself in a jam in the fifth with the bases loaded, making way for senior Kylee Nash. Nash prevented the big inning by allowing just two runs with only one ball leaving the infield. She'd go on to set the Pirates down in the sixth and get her third save of the season.

The Pirates started with game one starter, Taylor Apple (11-5), who was tagged with the loss. She went 2.0 innings and allowed three runs on three hits before Jordan Hatch took over in the circle. Hatch spun 3.0 innings and was responsible for two runs on four hits with three strikeouts. Addy Bullis came on to pitch the sixth and was not as effective as in Saturday's game, allowing five runs and seven hits in 0.2 innings.

TULSA 10, ECU 2 – Six Innings
Tulsa didn't pick up its first hit until the third inning, when MacKenzie Denson followed a leadoff walk with a bunt single to put Tara Hall in scoring position. Imani Edwards singled up the middle with Hall running all the way to go up 1-0. After Haley Morgan walked to load the bases, Claira Skaggs ripped a single on a line drive to left, scoring two as Tulsa went up 3-0.

East Carolina didn't truly threaten until the fifth inning. Through the opening four, Maura Moore struck out eight batters and allowed just one hit. The Pirates opened the fifth with three straight singles to load the bases and end Moore's afternoon. Kylee Nash came in and allowed a single for the to cut the Tulsa lead to 3-1. She then struck out a batter and got the next to ground into a fielder's choice that scored a run to make it 3-2. Nash then forced another groundout to escape the jam with the lead intact.

The Hurricane offense rewarded her in the bottom of the inning, getting both runs back. Skaggs and Maci Cole singled to put two on with two out for Kailyn Bearpaw. Kaiya Luneckas pinch ran at second base for Skaggs. Bearpaw smashed a diving line drive to center. The center fielder Emma Jackson dove for the ball, but it got just under her and to the wall, scoring both Luneckas and Cole to reestablish a three-run lead, 5-2.

Tulsa put the game to bed with a five-run sixth. It started with an out, but then Denson singled to put a runner on. Edwards stepped in and smashed a home run just over the bushes in right center to go up 7-2 and blow the game open. After Haley Morgan singled off the third baseman's glove, Skaggs lifted a pitch to deep center. ECU's Jackson tracked it as best she could and leapt to try to make a difficult catch. Instead, the ball hit off her throwing hand and over the wall for a home run and a 9-2 lead.

After a flyout to deep right, Cole singled and then moved to third on Bearpaw's single, putting the ending run 60 feet from home. First baseman Celeste Wood stepped in and fell behind in the count 1-2 before lining a ball in the gap in right center, ending the game as Cole crossed home.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
ECU	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	7	0
Tulsa	0	0	3	0	2	5	10	14	0

» Tulsa improves to 27-14 on the season and 12-6 in The American play.
» TU finishes the weekend 42-14 all-time against East Carolina.
» Sunday's first pitch for Autism Acceptance Day was tossed by senior center fielder Haley Morgan's brother, Dalton Morgan.
» This was the seventh game Tulsa has collected at least 14 hits.
» The Hurricane scored 10 or more runs for the eighth time this season.
» Imani Edwards and Claira Skaggs each hit their fourth home run.
» Kailyn Bearpaw doubled for the ninth time this season and second time this weekend.

Next up for the Golden Hurricane is a matchup with perennial powerhouse and three-time defending champions Oklahoma. Tuesday's game is set for a 6 p.m. first pitch at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. The game will air on ESPN+.