Saturday, March 29
Tulsa, Okla.
2:00 p.m.
Tulsa
18-17, 0
4
vs
14
North Texas
23-12, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
North Texas
0
0
0
10
0
0
4
14
15
1
Tulsa
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
4
6
1
Photo by: Joshua Rogers
Golden Hurricane Loses Game Two to North Texas
3/29/2025 7:19:00 PM | Softball
TULSA, Okla. – A 10-run fourth inning was the difference in Tulsa's 14-4 loss to North Texas in game two of the three-game series on Saturday afternoon in the Collins Family Softball Complex.
The Hurricane (18-17, 6-5 The American) took an early lead over North Texas (23-12, 6-5 The American), scoring three in the first inning and a fourth run in the second. However, the Mean Green struck for 10 in the fourth, the most runs Tulsa has given up in an inning this season. UNT's 14 runs was also a season-high for a TU opponent. North Texas added a further four runs in the top of the seventh.
Maci Cole had three of Tulsa's six hits and added a walk. She has yet to be retired this weekend. Cole hit a two-run homer in the first inning, her sixth long ball of the season. Celeste Wood picked up a double and later brought a run home on a sacrifice fly, and Amber Turner drove in a run. Elle Rouse and Danielle Burns had Tulsa's other two hits.
The Mean Green had two players with three RBIs, including former Tulsa right fielder Kailyn Bearpaw, who hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to kickstart the 10-inning frame. It was her second of the weekend. She later added a double.
In the circle, Brinly Maples (4-5) got the start and loss. She breezed through the opening three innings before running into trouble. Her final stat line was 3.2 innings of work and eight runs, all earned, on eight hits. She walked two and struck out a pair. Abby Hayes threw 2.2 innings in relief and allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits. She walked five and struck out a batter. Katie Dunakin came in for the final two-thirds of an inning and allowed one hit and a walk.
The Mean Green's Kayleigh Smith (3-4) pitched 4.0 innings in relief and got the decision on Saturday after getting tagged with the loss on Friday night. She allowed just two hits with a walk in the win. Former Hurricane Anneca Anderson got the start and no decision after allowing four runs on four hits in 3.0 innings of work. She walked a trio and struck out one batter.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tulsa came out of the gates swinging and got to Anderson immediately. Faith Russell drew a leadoff walk to bring in Cole. The senior shortstop took a 1-0 pitch and hammered it over the outer fence and into the street beyond left center to put TU ahead 2-0. The Hurricane wasn't finished, as Wood doubled to the hot start going. A groundout from Paige Knight and a second from Turner brought Wood home for the 3-0 lead.
TU continued to put pressure on the Mean Green in inning two. Rouse and Burns singled back-to-back to lead off the frame. Cole drew a one-out walk to load the bases for Wood. The first baseman laced a line drive to center, but it was right at the center fielder, who made the catch. Rouse had plenty of time to score to put Tulsa ahead 4-0.
After three swift innings, the Hurricane ran into trouble in the top of the fourth. Cierra Simon smashed a one-out triple to get the UNT offense going. After a walk, Bearpaw hit her second home run of the season, a 3-run shot to cut the TU lead to 4-3. But North Texas wasn't done. A walk and bunt single with a throwing error had runners on second and third. After an RBI single to tie the game, North Texas got its second infield single on a bunt to load the bags.
A wild pitch gave UNT a 5-4 lead. The next four batters all drove in one run each. A single and double ended the afternoon for Maples with UNT up 7-4. Hayes was greeted with another double to make it 8-4, and then another single gave the Mean Green a 9-4 advantage. The 10th and final run scored after TU caught Bearpaw, who got on for the second time, in a rundown after attempting to steal. In the process, a run came home before the final out and UNT led 10-4.
North Texas added four in its final at-bats of the game. A bases loaded walk with one away brought in a run. Another walk made the score 12-4. The scoring ended with a Riley McNemar single that scored a pair to go up 14-4, which would stand as the final.
Tulsa was outhit 15-6 in the loss and each team committed an error. Despite having 15 hits, North Texas left just five stranded, compared to seven from the Hurricane. Each team scored their runs in two innings, while failing to score in their other five attempts.
UP NEXT
Tulsa will aim to win the rubber match and the series in Sunday's finale. First pitch is set for noon and the game will air on ESPN+.
The Hurricane (18-17, 6-5 The American) took an early lead over North Texas (23-12, 6-5 The American), scoring three in the first inning and a fourth run in the second. However, the Mean Green struck for 10 in the fourth, the most runs Tulsa has given up in an inning this season. UNT's 14 runs was also a season-high for a TU opponent. North Texas added a further four runs in the top of the seventh.
Maci Cole had three of Tulsa's six hits and added a walk. She has yet to be retired this weekend. Cole hit a two-run homer in the first inning, her sixth long ball of the season. Celeste Wood picked up a double and later brought a run home on a sacrifice fly, and Amber Turner drove in a run. Elle Rouse and Danielle Burns had Tulsa's other two hits.
The Mean Green had two players with three RBIs, including former Tulsa right fielder Kailyn Bearpaw, who hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to kickstart the 10-inning frame. It was her second of the weekend. She later added a double.
In the circle, Brinly Maples (4-5) got the start and loss. She breezed through the opening three innings before running into trouble. Her final stat line was 3.2 innings of work and eight runs, all earned, on eight hits. She walked two and struck out a pair. Abby Hayes threw 2.2 innings in relief and allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits. She walked five and struck out a batter. Katie Dunakin came in for the final two-thirds of an inning and allowed one hit and a walk.
The Mean Green's Kayleigh Smith (3-4) pitched 4.0 innings in relief and got the decision on Saturday after getting tagged with the loss on Friday night. She allowed just two hits with a walk in the win. Former Hurricane Anneca Anderson got the start and no decision after allowing four runs on four hits in 3.0 innings of work. She walked a trio and struck out one batter.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tulsa came out of the gates swinging and got to Anderson immediately. Faith Russell drew a leadoff walk to bring in Cole. The senior shortstop took a 1-0 pitch and hammered it over the outer fence and into the street beyond left center to put TU ahead 2-0. The Hurricane wasn't finished, as Wood doubled to the hot start going. A groundout from Paige Knight and a second from Turner brought Wood home for the 3-0 lead.
TU continued to put pressure on the Mean Green in inning two. Rouse and Burns singled back-to-back to lead off the frame. Cole drew a one-out walk to load the bases for Wood. The first baseman laced a line drive to center, but it was right at the center fielder, who made the catch. Rouse had plenty of time to score to put Tulsa ahead 4-0.
After three swift innings, the Hurricane ran into trouble in the top of the fourth. Cierra Simon smashed a one-out triple to get the UNT offense going. After a walk, Bearpaw hit her second home run of the season, a 3-run shot to cut the TU lead to 4-3. But North Texas wasn't done. A walk and bunt single with a throwing error had runners on second and third. After an RBI single to tie the game, North Texas got its second infield single on a bunt to load the bags.
A wild pitch gave UNT a 5-4 lead. The next four batters all drove in one run each. A single and double ended the afternoon for Maples with UNT up 7-4. Hayes was greeted with another double to make it 8-4, and then another single gave the Mean Green a 9-4 advantage. The 10th and final run scored after TU caught Bearpaw, who got on for the second time, in a rundown after attempting to steal. In the process, a run came home before the final out and UNT led 10-4.
North Texas added four in its final at-bats of the game. A bases loaded walk with one away brought in a run. Another walk made the score 12-4. The scoring ended with a Riley McNemar single that scored a pair to go up 14-4, which would stand as the final.
Tulsa was outhit 15-6 in the loss and each team committed an error. Despite having 15 hits, North Texas left just five stranded, compared to seven from the Hurricane. Each team scored their runs in two innings, while failing to score in their other five attempts.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| UNT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 1 |
| Tulsa | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
UP NEXT
Tulsa will aim to win the rubber match and the series in Sunday's finale. First pitch is set for noon and the game will air on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kayleigh Smith (3-4)
L: Maples, Brinly (4-5)
Batting:
2B: Riley McNemar 1 ; Cierra Simon 1 ; Kailyn Bearpaw 1 ; Ausha Moore 1
3B: Cierra Simon 1
HR: Kailyn Bearpaw 1
RBI: Tatum Sparks 2 ; Riley McNemar 3 ; Cierra Simon 1 ; Elizabeth Moffitt 1 ; Kailyn Bearpaw 3 ; Ausha Moore 1 ; Emma Grahmann 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Riley McNemar 1 ; Cierra Simon 2 ; Elizabeth Moffitt 2 ; Kailyn Bearpaw 1 ; Taylor Platt 1 ; Madison Conley 1 ; Katy Brock 1 ; Rylee Nicholson 1 ; Ausha Moore 2 ; Emma Grahmann 2
SB: Cierra Simon 1 ; Rylee Nicholson 1
CS: Kailyn Bearpaw 1
Batting:
2B: Wood, Celeste 1
HR: Cole, Maci 1
RBI: Cole, Maci 2 ; Wood, Celeste 1 ; Turner, Amber 1
SF: Wood, Celeste 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Russell , Faith 1 ; Cole, Maci 1 ; Wood, Celeste 1 ; Rouse, Elle 1
HBP: Rouse, Elle 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C/UT
/ SoftballIF
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