Tulsa Beats Bryant, Falls Short to No. 2/1 Texas in Final Day of Bearkat Classic

Sunday, February 9

Huntsville, Texas

9:00 a.m.

Tulsa

3-1

Bryant

1-4

Bryant

Tulsa

Tulsa Beats Bryant, Falls Short to No. 2/1 Texas in Final Day of Bearkat Classic

2/9/2025 3:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score - Bryant (PDF)Box Score - Texas (PDF)

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The University of Tulsa finished the opening weekend of the season with a 5-2 win over Bryant before coming up short against No. 2/1 Texas 4-2 on Sunday in the Bearkat Classic.

The Hurricane closes the tournament with a 3-2 record, while Bryant dropped to 1-4. Texas finishes with a 5-0 record.

Maura Moore (2-1) and Brinly Maples (1-1) each tossed complete games for the Hurricane. Moore allowed just two runs on four hits while walking one Bulldog and striking out six in the opener. Maples scattered six Texas hits throughout her seven innings of work, allowing four runs, three earned.

Aliya Scarborough hit her first career home run, a solo shot to halve the Texas lead in game two. Maci Cole and Celeste Wood each drove in two runs on Sunday in game one against Bryant. Cole, Wood and Amber Turner doubled in the win, as well.

HOW IT HAPPENED – Game One
The majority of the action in game one happened in the third inning. Bryant struck first. A single with one out was the first hit of the game for the Bulldogs. A double put two in scoring position. Moore got a groundout for the inning's second out and had a chance to escape with no damage. Instead, Laniya Lewis drove in both runs with a single to center as the Bulldogs jumped ahead 2-0. That would be it for Bryant as Moore allowed just one more hit, a leadoff single in the fifth, the rest of the game.

Tulsa put up four runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead, doing all the damage with two outs. Faith Russell started the rally with a walk and moved to second on Dill's infield single. Skaggs also drew a walk to load the bags for Cole. The senior shortstop ripped a single up the middle, scoring Russell and Dill to tie the game.

Wood came to the plate and continued her hot hitting, smashing a double down the left field line. Cole and Skaggs raced around to score and give Tulsa a 4-2 lead before Bryant could escape the inning.

There was one error in Sunday morning's game, and the Hurricane capitalized on it for some insurance. In the bottom of the fifth, Russell reached safely to lead the inning after the shortstop's throw was offline, allowing Russell to advance to second. Dill singled to center, bringing Russell in for the fifth run.

Moore set Bryant down in order in the sixth and seventh innings, recording a pair of strikeouts to secure the win. She finished with six strikeouts in her first complete game of the season.

Tulsa outhit Bryant 7-4 and TU has gone three straight games without committing an error. Dill and Cole combined for four of Tulsa's seven hits. Cole and Wood each had two RBI in the win.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Bryant	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	4	1
Tulsa	0	0	4	0	1	0	X	5	7	0

GAME NOTES
» Tulsa finishes the weekend 2-0 against Bryant in their first meetings against the school.
» Maura Moore went 2-1 in the opening weekend.
» First game this season where Tulsa didn't score in the first inning or score first.
» Celeste Wood collected her second double of the season.
» Maci Cole hit her first double of the year.
» Amber Turner doubled for the first time this season.
» Tulsa outhit Bryant 7-4

HOW IT HAPPENED – Game Two
Texas got on the board in the first inning. A single and a walk to open the contest got a Longhorn in scoring position. A sacrifice bunt pushed the runners to second and third before a groundout scored the game's first run. Texas went on to load the bag, but Maples escaped with no further damage.

UT doubled its lead in the third. A fielder's choice left a runner on first with two outs. Catcher Reese Atwood stole second, and then an infield single to third moved her to the bag. On the play, the ball was thrown away, allowing Atwood to score and give Texas a 2-0 lead.

Tulsa got on the board in the bottom of the frame thanks to a home run from freshman Aliya Scarborough. The Broken Arrow native hit a 2-2 pitch down the left field line for her first career homer.

The score would remain the same until the final inning. Texas would put a runner on in each inning, eventually stranding 10, while Tulsa got baserunners in the fourth, sixth and seventh, stranding four.

In the top of the seventh, the Longhorns drew a one-out walk. Joley Mitchell delivered the game's big hit with a two-run homer to center field, giving Texas a 4-2 advantage.

In Tulsa's last at-bat, Wood drew a leadoff walk. After a strikeout, Turner reached first on a throwing error from the third baseman that allowed Turner to reach third and Wood to race all the way around and score to make it 4-2.

The Hurricane had the potential tying run at the plate with one out, but a lineout and strikeout ended the threat and the game.

Brinley Maples went the distance for the first time as a Hurricane, scattering six Texas hits and allowing just four runs, three earned and striking out one.

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

GAME NOTES
» Tulsa is now 3-8 all-time against the Longhorns.
» The Hurricane committed its first error since the season opener.
» Aliya Scarborough hit her first career home run.
» TU finished the weekend 3-2 in the Bearkat Classic.

Up next, the Tulsa softball team will be back in Texas for the I-10 Classic in Beaumont, hosted by Lamar. The Hurricane will face Missouri State and Nicholls on Friday. TU will open Saturday against No. 6/5 Tennessee before playing the hosts, Lamar. A quick trip to Lake Charles, La. awaits the Hurricane for its Sunday game with McNeese State to end the weekend.