Freshman Jackie Lawrence did her damage in the batters box on Wednesday, instead of in the pitcher's circle, by going 6-for-6 in a TU sweep of UCA. |
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Golden Hurricane Posts Record-Breaking Sweep of UCA
April 4, 2007
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Tulsa, Okla. - The University of Tulsa bats were fully charged on Wednesday afternoon, as TU posted a school record 20 runs in the first game of a doubleheader against Central Arkansas at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex. The Golden Hurricane won the first game 20-2 in five innings, before shutting the Bears out 8-0 in the nightcap. It was the first time in program history for TU to score 20 runs in a softball game.
Tulsa opened a scoreless game with five runs in the second inning of the opening contest. Sophomore Brooke Smart reached on a fielding error with one out. Senior Kelli McGlasson followed with a single up the middle. A double to center field by freshman Jackie Lawrence allowed Smart to score the first run of the game. Senior Angela Osbon and freshman Christian Timmons hit a single and a double, respectively, for two more TU runs. After a groundout, freshman Vanessa Vice's single scored Osbon. Junior Sara Dyer tied the school record with her 17th double of the season as Timmons scored the fifth run of the season.
Senior Julie Fennell held the Bears at bay for the first three innings, allowing only a pair of runners in the top of the second inning. After a lead-off single in the fourth, UCA was able to score a run in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly to cut the TU lead to 5-1.
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The TU fifth inning started with a ground out, then the Hurricane hitters really heated up. The next seven batters singled for TU, resulting in five runs. Vice, who actually led off the inning, cleared the bases with a double, followed bye a walk by Dyer. The next five TU hitters singled again, resulting in five more runs. Timmons doubled to center to score a run. Sophomore Stephanie Chomicki hit her second single of the inning allowing TU's final run to score. TU scored 15 runs on 16 hits in the stanza, both are school records. A total of 17 consecutive hitters reached base safely, as TU took a 20-1 lead.
Fennell picked up her seventh win of the season in a complete game effort. She struck out three Bears, while scattering four hits. She now sits only two strikeouts away from breaking the school record for strikeouts in a career with 488, currently.
Tulsa continued its momentum with a run in the first inning of the second game. Freshman Lauren Lindsay led off the inning with a walk. After a sacrifice bunt by McGlasson, Lindsay would score on back-to-back singles by Dyer and Lawrence.
After a scoreless second, McGlasson led off the TU third with a double to right centerfield. A triple to centerfield by Lawrence allowed McGlasson to score. A single by Vice allowed Lawrence to score. Freshmen Ashlee Lubniewski hit the ball to the right field fence, where it was dropped by the UCA outfielder to give TU another baserunner. A double from junior Lindsey Tower scored Vice and Lubniewski to give TU a 5-0 lead.
UCA posted its first two hits of the contest in the top of the third then led off the fourth inning with a single. However, sophomore Katie Lee recorded her third strikeout of the game then induced an old-fashioned 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The Hurricane picked up two more runs in the fourth. McGlasson led off the inning with a single, followed by a double by Dyer. The hit marked Dyer's 18th double of the season, breaking the school record for a single season. Both runners would score on a single by Lawrence, giving TU a 7-0 lead.
Lee would strike out the side in the top of the fifth inning however the Hurricane could not score a run in the bottom of the stanza. UCA threatened in the top of the sixth with back-to-back singles, but Lee was able to pitch out of the jam.
After a lead-off single by Timmons, Vice reached on a fielder's choice. Tower kept the inning alive with a two-out single, setting up a game-ending single by Osbon.
Lawrence went 6-for-6 on the day, with three runs scored and seven RBI. Osbon also had six hits on the day, including a 4-for-4 mark in the first game. Timmons went 4-for-4 in the opening contest as well to go along with a pinch hit in the second game.
Tulsa is now 20-20 on the season, while UCA falls to 9-30. TU will jump back into Conference USA play on Saturday at Memphis.
