Saturday, March 15
Greenville, N.C.
1 p.m.
Tulsa
13-13, 3-2
1
at
9
East Carolina
16-9, 4-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Tulsa
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
4
0
East Carolina
2
0
4
0
0
3
9
12
0
Photo by: Joshua Rogers
Tulsa Splits Saturday Doubleheader, Takes Series from East Carolina
3/15/2025 7:59:00 PM | Softball
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The University of Tulsa softball team recovered from an early 9-1 six-inning loss to beat East Carolina 3-1 in a 10-inning marathon in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium.
The Golden Hurricane improves to 14-13 on the season and 4-2 in The American Play. TU has won both of its opening series 2-1. East Carolina falls to 16-10 and also stands at 4-2 in The American play.
Maura Moore (9-6) was the hero of game two, throwing 152 pitches to close out the Pirates. The senior threw a complete game, her second of the weekend and eighth of the season. She spun a career-high 10 innings, struck out seven and allowed just one run on seven hits, a sacrifice fly in the 10th. Over her 17 innings of work this weekend, Moore allowed only surrendered two runs to a Pirates team who had only been held to one or fewer runs on two other occasions this season.
Her counterpart in the later game was Taylor Apple (7-4). Apple also threw 10 innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on four hits and striking out nine.
Annika Dill had Tulsa's big hit of the day, a single that rode the line to left and was upheld upon review, scoring two of Tulsa's three runs. Paige Knight picked up Tulsa's lone run of the first game on a bases loaded walk.
Abby Hayes (0-1) took the loss in the first game, allowing two runs on three hits. Alexa Hopkins spun 2.1 innings of relief and gave up four runs and hits while striking out three. Brinly Maples struck out a pair in three innings of work. She was tagged for five hits and three runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED – Game One
The Pirates got to work immediately in the first and never looked back. A leadoff walk and single got things going. After a popup to short, the Pirates took the lead on an RBI double. Another single brought in a second run to give ECU a 2-0 lead after one.
The Pirates pulled away in the third inning. The Pirates got a leadoff double to get things going. After back-to-back outs, a walk and a single to center scored a run to go ahead 3-0, and then another single brought home the fourth run. The pirates got a fifth run in the ball game on a passed ball. The Pirates capped the four-run third with a run scoring on after Tulsa attempted to catch a base runner stealing second.
Trailing 6-0 into the fifth, Tulsa finally broke through but was unable to fully take advantage of a bases loaded situation. Maci Cole was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Faith Russell drew a walk. Annika Dill singled to the pitcher to load the bags with one out. Knight drew a walk to drive in Cole, the first run of the game. However, a 5-3 double play ended a chance at a big inning.
ECU got two big hits with two outs in the sixth to end the game. A single led the inning off, but consecutive outs put TU in a good position to continue the contest. Instead, a passed ball and walk put runners on the corner, and then a single and double scored three runs for the 9-1 walk-off win.
HOW IT HAPPENED – Game Two
The second game of the doubleheader was all about the women in the circle. Both pitchers went the distance with Moore claiming the victory for Tulsa. The senior struck out seven Pirates in game two, including the final batter to clinch the win.
Nobody crossed home until the 10th inning. Moore worked out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth to get TU there. In the 10th, Whitney Holcomb drew a leadoff walk. After a strikeout for the first out, Cole reached safely on a throwing error that allowed Holcomb to advance to third.
Dill gave TU the lead with a single down the left field line that just stayed fair, scoring both Cole and Holcomb. After review, the hit stayed, and TU had the first lead of the game. Two wild pitches resulted in the score of a third run as Tulsa headed to the bottom of the frame up 3-0.
The Pirates got a one-out double in the bottom of the 10th to give them life. A single brought the tying run to the plate. Annie Kate Dalton nearly did just that, flying out to left, just shy of the wall, more than deep enough to score the run from third to cut the TU lead to 3-1. But Moore settled in and struck out the final batter on three straight pitches to secure the win.
Tulsa was outhit 7-4 in the win. Cole, Dill, Amber Turner and Holcomb each collected hits for TU. Dill drove in a pair, the only Hurricane to pick up an RBI in game two.
UP NEXT
Tulsa stays in North Carolina for a Wednesday doubleheader at Western Carolina. First pitch at the Catamount Softball Complex is set for 1 p.m. (CT) in game one. The second game of the doubleheader will start at 3 p.m. or shortly after the conclusion of game one.
The Golden Hurricane improves to 14-13 on the season and 4-2 in The American Play. TU has won both of its opening series 2-1. East Carolina falls to 16-10 and also stands at 4-2 in The American play.
Maura Moore (9-6) was the hero of game two, throwing 152 pitches to close out the Pirates. The senior threw a complete game, her second of the weekend and eighth of the season. She spun a career-high 10 innings, struck out seven and allowed just one run on seven hits, a sacrifice fly in the 10th. Over her 17 innings of work this weekend, Moore allowed only surrendered two runs to a Pirates team who had only been held to one or fewer runs on two other occasions this season.
Her counterpart in the later game was Taylor Apple (7-4). Apple also threw 10 innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on four hits and striking out nine.
Annika Dill had Tulsa's big hit of the day, a single that rode the line to left and was upheld upon review, scoring two of Tulsa's three runs. Paige Knight picked up Tulsa's lone run of the first game on a bases loaded walk.
Abby Hayes (0-1) took the loss in the first game, allowing two runs on three hits. Alexa Hopkins spun 2.1 innings of relief and gave up four runs and hits while striking out three. Brinly Maples struck out a pair in three innings of work. She was tagged for five hits and three runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED – Game One
The Pirates got to work immediately in the first and never looked back. A leadoff walk and single got things going. After a popup to short, the Pirates took the lead on an RBI double. Another single brought in a second run to give ECU a 2-0 lead after one.
The Pirates pulled away in the third inning. The Pirates got a leadoff double to get things going. After back-to-back outs, a walk and a single to center scored a run to go ahead 3-0, and then another single brought home the fourth run. The pirates got a fifth run in the ball game on a passed ball. The Pirates capped the four-run third with a run scoring on after Tulsa attempted to catch a base runner stealing second.
Trailing 6-0 into the fifth, Tulsa finally broke through but was unable to fully take advantage of a bases loaded situation. Maci Cole was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Faith Russell drew a walk. Annika Dill singled to the pitcher to load the bags with one out. Knight drew a walk to drive in Cole, the first run of the game. However, a 5-3 double play ended a chance at a big inning.
ECU got two big hits with two outs in the sixth to end the game. A single led the inning off, but consecutive outs put TU in a good position to continue the contest. Instead, a passed ball and walk put runners on the corner, and then a single and double scored three runs for the 9-1 walk-off win.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
| Tulsa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| ECU | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 0 |
HOW IT HAPPENED – Game Two
The second game of the doubleheader was all about the women in the circle. Both pitchers went the distance with Moore claiming the victory for Tulsa. The senior struck out seven Pirates in game two, including the final batter to clinch the win.
Nobody crossed home until the 10th inning. Moore worked out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth to get TU there. In the 10th, Whitney Holcomb drew a leadoff walk. After a strikeout for the first out, Cole reached safely on a throwing error that allowed Holcomb to advance to third.
Dill gave TU the lead with a single down the left field line that just stayed fair, scoring both Cole and Holcomb. After review, the hit stayed, and TU had the first lead of the game. Two wild pitches resulted in the score of a third run as Tulsa headed to the bottom of the frame up 3-0.
The Pirates got a one-out double in the bottom of the 10th to give them life. A single brought the tying run to the plate. Annie Kate Dalton nearly did just that, flying out to left, just shy of the wall, more than deep enough to score the run from third to cut the TU lead to 3-1. But Moore settled in and struck out the final batter on three straight pitches to secure the win.
Tulsa was outhit 7-4 in the win. Cole, Dill, Amber Turner and Holcomb each collected hits for TU. Dill drove in a pair, the only Hurricane to pick up an RBI in game two.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E | |
| Tulsa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| ECU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
UP NEXT
Tulsa stays in North Carolina for a Wednesday doubleheader at Western Carolina. First pitch at the Catamount Softball Complex is set for 1 p.m. (CT) in game one. The second game of the doubleheader will start at 3 p.m. or shortly after the conclusion of game one.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Taylor Apple (7-3)
L: Hayes, Abby (0-1)
S: Kendall Frost (3)
Batting:
RBI: Knight, Paige 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cole, Maci 1
HBP: Cole, Maci 1
Batting:
2B: Emma Jackson 1 ; Morgan Johnson 1 ; Annie Kate Dalton 1 ; Logan Sutton 1
RBI: Annie Kate Dalton 1 ; Anna Sawyer 2 ; Logan Sutton 3 ; Trinity Nichols 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kanisha Anderson 2 ; Emma Jackson 2 ; Hannah Evans 1 ; Anna Sawyer 2 ; Logan Sutton 1 ; Trinity Nichols 1
SB: Gabby Fowler 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
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