March 21, 2009

Box Score | Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Junior Jackie Lawrence pitched a no-hitter and freshman Skylar Swanson went 5-for-5 with eight RBI in the two games to lead The University of Tulsa to a 9-1 and 10-0 doubleheader sweep of Memphis Saturday at the Tiger Softball Complex.

The Golden Hurricane (19-9, 5-2 C-USA) won both games over Memphis (13-15, 1-4 C-USA) that were shortened by mercy rule - 9-1 in six innings in game one and 10-0 in five innings in game two. The no-hitter is Lawrence's first of the season and first since 2007, and is Tulsa's third of the 2009 season. Swanson hit her second-career home run, a three-run blast in the first game, and her third homer, a two run shot in the second game.

Senior Brooke Smart and junior Christian Timmons got a pair of hits in the first game, along with two RBI for Smart and one for Timmons. In the second, junior Lauren Lindsay had three hits and two RBI and freshman Jessica Stoelke got two hits and an RBI. Lindsay hit home runs in her first two at-bats of game two, while Smart hit a two-run bomb in game one and sophomore Kelly Chapman hit a pinch-hit two-run shot in game two.

"Since we left to go on the road, this is the first time I felt like we played like we did before we left," Tulsa Head Coach John Bargfeldt said. "Up and down the lineup, we really hit the ball well. We jumped out with leads in both games, and we always talk about how that takes some pressure off the defense. I should say, that's good for the coach. But, of course, you always want your pitcher to pitch like it's a close game, and you want your players to play hard."

Lawrence (9-2) struck out eight batters in the no-hitter, and allowed only one walk. Sophomore pitcher Jordan Kinard (5-4) allowed one run, two hits and two walks, and also struck out eight in the game-one win.

In game one, the Hurricane loaded the bases in the first inning, but was unable to get a run home. In the second, however, TU plated three runs on the homer by Swanson. Stoelke led off the inning with a single through the right side and senior third baseman Stephanie Chomicki reached on a fielding error by the third baseman to lead into Swanson's blast.

Tulsa got another run on the board in the fourth inning, when Swanson hit a one-out single to center field, and moved to second on a fielder's choice ground ball by Lindsay in which both runners were safe. Sophomore designated hitter Lauren Menke singled through the left side, and Swanson scored on the play.

In the fifth inning, Smart and Timmons led off with back-to-back singles up the middle. After her single, Smart advanced to second on a wild pitch, and then scored on Timmons' single. Timmons advanced to third on an error by the center fielder trying to field her base hit. Stoelke walked, and Chomicki grounded out, driving in Timmons from third. Swanson then hit a single to right field to score Stoelke, who had stolen second base after her walk, from second.

Memphis scored its only run on a Jessica Phillips home run to left center field in the bottom fo the fifth inning. After five, TU led 7-1.

Chapman hit a one-out, pinch-hit single in the sixth inning and Smart followed with a two-run home run to give Tulsa a 9-1 lead. Kinard retired the Tigers in order in the bottom of the sixth, and with an eight-run lead, the game was called and the Hurricane won, 9-1.

Memphis managed only three base runners in the second contest, as Lawrence was simply dominant. She allowed just one walk, hit one batter, and one other Tiger batter reached on an error. Otherwise, Lawrence was in control for the entire game. TU retired seven batters in a row between the second and fourth innings, and Lawrence struck out five straight in that stretch.

On the offensive side, Tulsa scored in four of the five innings, putting up two in runs in the first inning, three in each of the second and third innings, and two in the fifth. Lindsay set the tone in the second game that the Hurricane offense would continue its powerful ways on Saturday, when she took a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right center field. The scoring continued in the first inning when senior short stop Kailey Yarmer reached on an error by the first baseman and moved to second on a wild pitch, then scored a batter later when junior first baseman Vanessa Vice doubled down the left field line.

The Golden Hurricane got back-to-back homers in the second inning to extend its lead to 5-0. Stoelke led off the frame with a triple to right center, and Swanson hit with her second homer of the day. Lindsay then followed with a solo slam to center field.

In the third, Timmons laced a one-out double down the left field line and scored on a Stoelke single to center field. Stoelke stole second and Chomicki singled through the left side to push Stoelke to third, and moved to second on the throw to third. Swanson batted in her seventh and eighth runs of the day when she hit a base hit to right center and Stoelke and Chomicki scored to push TU's lead to 8-0.

Timmons drew a lead-off walk in the top of the fifth inning, and Chapman capped the scoring with a two-out, two-run pinch-hit shot to left field to make the score 10-0 in favor of the Golden Hurricane. Just like in the first game, Tulsa retired the side in order in the final inning - the fifth in game two - to close out the game.

The two C-USA foes close out the weekend with a noon game Sunday. Tulsa returns home Wednesday, March 25 to play Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. Tickets for TU softball home games are $6 for adults and $4 for youth high school and younger, and can be purchased in person at the TU Athletics Ticket Office, by calling (918) 631-GoTU, or on the web by visiting www.TulsaHurricane.com.