Seventh Inning Rally Hands Tulsa 8-7 Loss

Friday, May 3

Boca Raton, Fla.

5:00 p.m.

Tulsa

29-20, 14-11

FAU

39-13, 19-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Tulsa	0	3	0	0	0	4	0	7	8	2
Florida Atlantic	0	0	0	0	1	2	5	8	7	3

Photo by: Bill Powell

Seventh Inning Rally Hands Tulsa 8-7 Loss

5/3/2024 8:52:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Golden Hurricane entered the final inning holding a four-run lead over Florida Atlantic, but the Owls scored five in the bottom frame to walk-off Tulsa 8-7.

Tulsa drops to 29-20 (14-11 The American) on the season, while FAU improves to 39-13 (19-6 The American) and controls its own destiny in the race for the regular season championship and top spot in the conference tournament.

Four walks, a hit batter, a double and two singles undid in a single inning all of Tulsa's work on Friday. Maura Moore got the start and ended with no decision. She tossed six innings and allowed five runs, two earned, on five hits along with posting three strikeouts while walking five. Kylee Nash (9-5) came on to try to close the game with two on in the seventh and ended with the loss. She walked three, gave up three runs and allowed two hits.

Freshman Anneca Anderson played in the designated player position and smashed her first home run of her collegiate career in the second inning, a three-run blast over the wall in left. Kailyn Bearpaw and Haley Morgan each had two hit games with Bearpaw also reaching on a walk and Morgan was hit by a pitch for an RBI in the sixth. Claira Skaggs drove in a pair of runs and MacKenzie Denson also had an RBI single.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC 8, TULSA 7
Both teams threatened in the opening inning. Tulsa got a pair of hits from Imani Edwards and Haley Morgan to get runners on the corner with one out. However, Edwards was thrown out trying to score on a ground ball to second. In the bottom frame, a walk and a hit batter had the Owls threatening with nobody out. Maura Moore struck out the next two batters before a second walk loaded the bags. She forced a ground out to second to escape the inning.

The Hurricane broke through in the second. Kailyn Bearpaw led the inning with a single and then Celeste Wood reached on an error by the third baseman. A ground out moved both runners into scoring position for designated player Anneca Anderson. Anderson smashed a pitch over the wall in left to give the Hurricane a 3-0 lead.

The Owls got on the board in the fifth thanks in part to an unfortunate error in the leadoff spot. Wood ranged to her left on a ground ball as Abby Jones raced behind her to cover first. Jones was unable to corral the throw and then collided with the batter at first base, allowing her to get to third with nobody out. A sacrifice fly brought in the first run, but Moore settled in and got the next two out without further damage.

The Hurricane got its three-run lead back and then some in the sixth. Bearpaw got on base with a leadoff walk and Kennedy Cramer came on to pinch run. A sacrifice bunt moved her to second before Maci Cole reached on an error to put two on. With two outs, Imani Edwards was drilled by a pitch to load the bases for MacKenzie Denson, who singled past a diving shortstop to bring home Cramer for the 4-1 lead.

Morgan nearly cleared the bags with foul ball that had the distance but was just wide of the pole in left. She had to settle for an RBI as the next pitch hit her in the legs to bring in Cole. Claira Skaggs then singled to right to score Edwards and Denson but then was thrown out trying to stretch for two to end the frame with Tulsa leading 7-1.

The Owls got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run home run to cut the deficit to 7-3, setting up the seventh. A leadoff double and walk ended Moore's night as Kylee Nash stepped in the circle to try to get the save. A hit batter loaded the bases, and then a passed ball brought in a run to make it 7-4. Another walk loaded the bases, and then an infield single followed by a throwing error brought in two runs and it was 7-6 with runners on second and third and nobody out.

A single tied the game at 7 before a walk loaded the bases one more time. The next batter grounded into a fielder's choice as Skaggs fired home to get the potential winning run out. However, the next batter drew the eighth walk of the afternoon and the Owls walked it off 8-7.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Tulsa	0	3	0	0	0	4	0	7	8	2
FAU	0	0	0	0	1	2	5	8	7	3

» Tulsa falls to 29-20 on the season.
» TU is 14-11 in conference play.
» Tulsa falls to 3-7 all-time against the Owls.
» The Hurricane was walked-off for the fourth time in conference play this season.
» Anneca Anderson hit her first home run of her career.
» Tulsa matched a season-high with eight walks allowed (at Texas A&M – Feb. 11)

The Golden Hurricane looks to bounce back and even the series on Saturday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.