Friday, February 7
Huntsville, Texas
11:30 a.m.
Tulsa
1-0
7
vs
2
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
0-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Tulsa
2
0
0
3
0
2
0
7
9
2
A&M-Corpus Christi
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
3
3
Tulsa Opens Season with 7-2 Win
2/7/2025 8:28:00 PM | Softball
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The University of Tulsa softball team began its 2025 season with a comfortable 7-2 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in day two of the Bearkat Classic in Huntsville, Texas.
The Hurricane (1-0) scored runs in the first, fourth and sixth innings while holding the Islanders (1-2) without a run until the fifth.
Senior Maura Moore (1-0) got the nod for the opening day start and spun a 4.2 strong innings of three-hit ball. She was tagged for a pair of runs and walked four but struck out seven and allowed just one hit for extra bases.
Alexa Hopkins came on in relief and picked up her first save of the season. Hopkins tossed 2.1 innings and struck out five with three walks, but did not allow a hit.
Malia Williams (0-1) started for the Islanders and took the loss. In 4.0 innings of work, she allowed five runs, one earned, on five hits, walked five and struck out a pair. Z. Hardy pitched the other three innings and gave up two more runs, one earned, and four hits with three walks.
Six different Hurricane collected hits in the win. Faith Russell, Annika Dill and Claira Skaggs each had multiple hits, and Dill recorded the first extra-base hit of the season in the opening inning. Maci Cole, Dill and Paige Knight drove in a run while Skaggs knocked in two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Russell was Tulsa's first baserunner of the season as she drew a one-out walk in the top of the first. In her first collegiate at-bat, Dill smashed a double down the left field line, scoring Russell from first. A throwing error allowed Dill to advance to third. This set up an RBI opportunity for Skaggs, who converted with a base hit to center as TU jumped ahead 2-0.
The Hurricane extended its lead in the top of the fourth. Amber Turner singled to center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Whitney Holcomb that was thrown away by the pitcher, allowing everyone to reach safely. After a foul out, Cole drove Turner in with a sacrifice fly to left field to give TU a 3-0 lead.
Back-to-back singles from Russell and Dill loaded the bags for Skaggs. The senior third baseman drew a four pitch walk to bring in Holcomb. A wild pitch in the next at-bat brought Russell home and Tulsa led 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back walks with one away allowed for Paolina Baez to get her team on the board with a double down the right field line, scoring both runners to cut the TU lead to 5-2.
Moore struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning but was then relieved by Hopkins. Hopkins got a swinging strikeout to end the danger.
Russell singled to lead off the sixth and moved to second after Dill was walked. Skaggs collected another RBI with a single to left, and then both she and Dill advanced on a fielding error. Knight picked up her first Tulsa RBI and drove Dill home with a single through the left side to make the score 7-2 TU.
Hopkins walked the first two batters in the bottom of the frame but returned to strike out the side by getting the next three. The leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh reached via error, but a fielder's choice, strikeout and flyout to right ended the game.
GAME NOTES
» Tulsa moves to 5-0 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi all-time
» The Hurricane is now 3-3 in home openers under head coach Crissy Strimple.
» TU has won two straight season openers.
» Annika Dill doubled in a run on her first collegiate at-bat
» Paige Knight drove in her first run as a Hurricane.
» Claira Skaggs drove in two in the first game of the season.
» TU is 1-0 at the Bearkat Classic
Tulsa is back in action on Saturday with a pair of games against Bryant and Sam Houston. First pitch against the Bulldogs is set for 10:30 a.m. with the second game scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start.
The Hurricane (1-0) scored runs in the first, fourth and sixth innings while holding the Islanders (1-2) without a run until the fifth.
Senior Maura Moore (1-0) got the nod for the opening day start and spun a 4.2 strong innings of three-hit ball. She was tagged for a pair of runs and walked four but struck out seven and allowed just one hit for extra bases.
Alexa Hopkins came on in relief and picked up her first save of the season. Hopkins tossed 2.1 innings and struck out five with three walks, but did not allow a hit.
Malia Williams (0-1) started for the Islanders and took the loss. In 4.0 innings of work, she allowed five runs, one earned, on five hits, walked five and struck out a pair. Z. Hardy pitched the other three innings and gave up two more runs, one earned, and four hits with three walks.
Six different Hurricane collected hits in the win. Faith Russell, Annika Dill and Claira Skaggs each had multiple hits, and Dill recorded the first extra-base hit of the season in the opening inning. Maci Cole, Dill and Paige Knight drove in a run while Skaggs knocked in two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Russell was Tulsa's first baserunner of the season as she drew a one-out walk in the top of the first. In her first collegiate at-bat, Dill smashed a double down the left field line, scoring Russell from first. A throwing error allowed Dill to advance to third. This set up an RBI opportunity for Skaggs, who converted with a base hit to center as TU jumped ahead 2-0.
The Hurricane extended its lead in the top of the fourth. Amber Turner singled to center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Whitney Holcomb that was thrown away by the pitcher, allowing everyone to reach safely. After a foul out, Cole drove Turner in with a sacrifice fly to left field to give TU a 3-0 lead.
Back-to-back singles from Russell and Dill loaded the bags for Skaggs. The senior third baseman drew a four pitch walk to bring in Holcomb. A wild pitch in the next at-bat brought Russell home and Tulsa led 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back walks with one away allowed for Paolina Baez to get her team on the board with a double down the right field line, scoring both runners to cut the TU lead to 5-2.
Moore struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning but was then relieved by Hopkins. Hopkins got a swinging strikeout to end the danger.
Russell singled to lead off the sixth and moved to second after Dill was walked. Skaggs collected another RBI with a single to left, and then both she and Dill advanced on a fielding error. Knight picked up her first Tulsa RBI and drove Dill home with a single through the left side to make the score 7-2 TU.
Hopkins walked the first two batters in the bottom of the frame but returned to strike out the side by getting the next three. The leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh reached via error, but a fielder's choice, strikeout and flyout to right ended the game.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Tulsa | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 2 |
| TAMCC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
GAME NOTES
» Tulsa moves to 5-0 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi all-time
» The Hurricane is now 3-3 in home openers under head coach Crissy Strimple.
» TU has won two straight season openers.
» Annika Dill doubled in a run on her first collegiate at-bat
» Paige Knight drove in her first run as a Hurricane.
» Claira Skaggs drove in two in the first game of the season.
» TU is 1-0 at the Bearkat Classic
Tulsa is back in action on Saturday with a pair of games against Bryant and Sam Houston. First pitch against the Bulldogs is set for 10:30 a.m. with the second game scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Moore, Maura (1-0)
L: Williams, M (0-1)
S: Hopkins, Alexa (1)
Batting:
2B: Dill, Annika 1
RBI: Cole, Maci 1 ; Dill, Annika 1 ; Skaggs, Claira 2 ; Knight, Paige 1
SH: Holcomb, Whitney 1
SF: Cole, Maci 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Russell , Faith 3 ; Dill, Annika 2 ; Turner, Amber 1 ; Holcomb, Whitney 1
SB: Cole, Maci 1
Batting:
2B: Baez, P 1
RBI: Baez, P 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Castillo, E 1 ; Garcia, N 1
SB: Garcia, N 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
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