Friday, March 28
Tulsa, Okla.
5:00 p.m.
Tulsa
18-16, 6-4
8
vs
7
North Texas
22-12, 5-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
North Texas
0
0
3
1
0
1
2
7
11
0
Tulsa
0
2
0
0
2
4
X
8
6
0
Tulsa Wins 8-7 Thriller Over North Texas in Friday Opener
3/28/2025 8:50:00 PM | Softball
TULSA, Okla. – The Golden Hurricane softball team came back from a deficit twice to take down North Texas 8-7 in the first game of a three-game series on Friday evening in the Collins Family Softball Complex.
The Hurricane improves to 18-16 on the season and 6-4 in The American play. North Texas falls to 22-12 and 5-5 in league contests. This was Tulsa's first win against North Texas with both teams in the American Athletic Conference. Tulsa scored more runs on Friday than both teams did in all three games combined a year ago (7).
Tulsa took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning on a double from sophomore right fielder Elle Rouse. North Texas scored the next four, three of which came on solo home runs. The Hurricane tied the game again in the fifth and, after UNT retook the lead in the sixth, grabbed the lead for good with a four-run bottom of the sixth.
Rouse had a big game at the plate, driving in three runs on her two doubles. Freshman catcher Amber Turner also drove in three, including a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth that proved to be the winning runs. Celeste Wood drove in a run on her double, Senior shortstop Maci Cole came around to score twice. Cole entered the game as one of the best in the nation at drawing walks and drew another three on Friday. Page Knight drew a huge walk in the sixth with the bases loaded, giving TU a lead it would not relinquish.
Alexa Hopkins (2-4) picked up her second win on the season after coming on in relief. She went 4.0 innings and allowed three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Maura Moore got the start and was tagged for four runs on six hits in three innings of work.
North Texas used three pitchers in the circle, including reliever Kayleigh Smith, who moved to 2-4 with the loss. She allowed two runs on two hits in an inning of work. Skylar Savage got the start and threw 4.1 innings, allowing just two hits. However, she was tagged for four runs, falling victim to five walks. Former TU pitcher Anneca Anderson finished the final 0.2 innings, giving up two runs on two hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Golden Hurricane took the lead in the second inning on its lone hit of the opening four frames. Turner was hit by a pitch to lead the inning, and Whitney Holcomb drew a one-out walk. Rouse smashed a double to right center, bringing in both Turner and Holcomb to give TU a 2-0 lead.
The Mean Green struck back in the top of the third. Emma Grahmann led off the inning with a solo shot to centerfield to halve the lead. Riley McNemar followed suit with a one-out solo shot of her own to tie the game at 2-2. A double and stolen base set up a sacrifice fly to give the Mean Green a 3-2 lead.
Former Hurricane Kailyn Bearpaw homered to lead off the fourth inning to give UNT a 4-2 lead and back-to-back frames with a leadoff homer. Following a walk to the next batter, Hopkins replaced Moore in the circle and escaped with no further damage.
Tulsa tied the game in the fifth. Cole drew a one-out walk. Wood ripped a double, Tulsa's second hit and second double of the game, to right center, scoring Cole. Wood advanced to third on an infield single from Knight, and she scored on a Turner fielder's choice to level the score at four.
The tie didn't last long, as North Texas regained control in the top of the sixth. Grahmann, who hit the earlier home run, was hit by a pitch and got on to start the inning. Hopkins got back-to-back strikeouts, but both resulted in wild pitches that allowed a runner to advance. A two-out single up the middle gave UNT a 5-4 lead heading to the bottom of the frame.
Rouse came up with her second double of the game to tie things back up in the bottom of the sixth. Holcomb walked to open the frame and then scored as Rouse doubled down the right field line. After a sacrifice bunt to move Rouse to third, Anderson stepped into the circle to face her former team. A walk and then a single from Cole loaded the bags with one out.
The Mean Green got a strikeout for the second out of the frame and looked to strand the bases full. Instead, Knight earned a walk after forcing a full count to bring in Rouse and give TU a 6-5 lead. Turner followed with a single to left that dropped between the shortstop and left fielder, scoring both Cole and Faith Russell as Tulsa took an 8-5 lead into the final inning.
Hopkins came out for the final frame and immediately struck a batter out. Bearpaw gave UNT some life with a single. After a strikeout, the Mean Green put pressure on TU with a two-run homer to cut the TU lead to 8-7. That would be it for North Texas. Hopkins walked a batter and then got the final out on a liner to center field as Tulsa took game one.
It was an offensive battle with North Texas outhitting Tulsa 11-6 in a game that had 15 combined runs. The Mean Green left nine on while TU stranded seven. Neither team committed an error in the contest.
UP NEXT
Tulsa will look to secure another series win when the teams meet for game two of the series at the Collins Family Softball Complex on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.
The Hurricane improves to 18-16 on the season and 6-4 in The American play. North Texas falls to 22-12 and 5-5 in league contests. This was Tulsa's first win against North Texas with both teams in the American Athletic Conference. Tulsa scored more runs on Friday than both teams did in all three games combined a year ago (7).
Tulsa took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning on a double from sophomore right fielder Elle Rouse. North Texas scored the next four, three of which came on solo home runs. The Hurricane tied the game again in the fifth and, after UNT retook the lead in the sixth, grabbed the lead for good with a four-run bottom of the sixth.
Rouse had a big game at the plate, driving in three runs on her two doubles. Freshman catcher Amber Turner also drove in three, including a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth that proved to be the winning runs. Celeste Wood drove in a run on her double, Senior shortstop Maci Cole came around to score twice. Cole entered the game as one of the best in the nation at drawing walks and drew another three on Friday. Page Knight drew a huge walk in the sixth with the bases loaded, giving TU a lead it would not relinquish.
Alexa Hopkins (2-4) picked up her second win on the season after coming on in relief. She went 4.0 innings and allowed three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Maura Moore got the start and was tagged for four runs on six hits in three innings of work.
North Texas used three pitchers in the circle, including reliever Kayleigh Smith, who moved to 2-4 with the loss. She allowed two runs on two hits in an inning of work. Skylar Savage got the start and threw 4.1 innings, allowing just two hits. However, she was tagged for four runs, falling victim to five walks. Former TU pitcher Anneca Anderson finished the final 0.2 innings, giving up two runs on two hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Golden Hurricane took the lead in the second inning on its lone hit of the opening four frames. Turner was hit by a pitch to lead the inning, and Whitney Holcomb drew a one-out walk. Rouse smashed a double to right center, bringing in both Turner and Holcomb to give TU a 2-0 lead.
The Mean Green struck back in the top of the third. Emma Grahmann led off the inning with a solo shot to centerfield to halve the lead. Riley McNemar followed suit with a one-out solo shot of her own to tie the game at 2-2. A double and stolen base set up a sacrifice fly to give the Mean Green a 3-2 lead.
Former Hurricane Kailyn Bearpaw homered to lead off the fourth inning to give UNT a 4-2 lead and back-to-back frames with a leadoff homer. Following a walk to the next batter, Hopkins replaced Moore in the circle and escaped with no further damage.
Tulsa tied the game in the fifth. Cole drew a one-out walk. Wood ripped a double, Tulsa's second hit and second double of the game, to right center, scoring Cole. Wood advanced to third on an infield single from Knight, and she scored on a Turner fielder's choice to level the score at four.
The tie didn't last long, as North Texas regained control in the top of the sixth. Grahmann, who hit the earlier home run, was hit by a pitch and got on to start the inning. Hopkins got back-to-back strikeouts, but both resulted in wild pitches that allowed a runner to advance. A two-out single up the middle gave UNT a 5-4 lead heading to the bottom of the frame.
Rouse came up with her second double of the game to tie things back up in the bottom of the sixth. Holcomb walked to open the frame and then scored as Rouse doubled down the right field line. After a sacrifice bunt to move Rouse to third, Anderson stepped into the circle to face her former team. A walk and then a single from Cole loaded the bags with one out.
The Mean Green got a strikeout for the second out of the frame and looked to strand the bases full. Instead, Knight earned a walk after forcing a full count to bring in Rouse and give TU a 6-5 lead. Turner followed with a single to left that dropped between the shortstop and left fielder, scoring both Cole and Faith Russell as Tulsa took an 8-5 lead into the final inning.
Hopkins came out for the final frame and immediately struck a batter out. Bearpaw gave UNT some life with a single. After a strikeout, the Mean Green put pressure on TU with a two-run homer to cut the TU lead to 8-7. That would be it for North Texas. Hopkins walked a batter and then got the final out on a liner to center field as Tulsa took game one.
It was an offensive battle with North Texas outhitting Tulsa 11-6 in a game that had 15 combined runs. The Mean Green left nine on while TU stranded seven. Neither team committed an error in the contest.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| UNT | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 0 |
| Tulsa | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | X | 8 | 6 | 0 |
UP NEXT
Tulsa will look to secure another series win when the teams meet for game two of the series at the Collins Family Softball Complex on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hopkins, Alexa (2-4)
L: Kayleigh Smith (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Cierra Simon 1
HR: Riley McNemar 1 ; Kailyn Bearpaw 1 ; Madison Conley 1 ; Emma Grahmann 1
RBI: Riley McNemar 1 ; Cierra Simon 1 ; Elizabeth Moffitt 1 ; Kailyn Bearpaw 1 ; Madison Conley 2 ; Emma Grahmann 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Riley McNemar 1 ; Cierra Simon 1 ; Kailyn Bearpaw 2 ; Madison Conley 1 ; Emma Grahmann 2
SB: Cierra Simon 2
HBP: Emma Grahmann 1
Batting:
2B: Wood, Celeste 1 ; Rouse, Elle 2
RBI: Wood, Celeste 1 ; Knight, Paige 1 ; Turner, Amber 3 ; Rouse, Elle 3
SH: Burns, Danielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Russell , Faith 1 ; Cole, Maci 2 ; Wood, Celeste 1 ; Turner, Amber 1 ; Holcomb, Whitney 2 ; Rouse, Elle 1
SB: Russell , Faith 1
HBP: Turner, Amber 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C/UT
/ SoftballIF
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