Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Tulsa
Softball Garners a Split with Tulsa Saturday
4/14/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 14, 2012
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Pitching prevailed in each game between Marshall and Tulsa as the two squads split on Saturday in action at Dot Hicks Field.
Andi Williamson picked her up her league-leading eighth win in Conference USA play and the Thundering Herd (25-17, 11-6 C-USA) smacked two homers to capture game one, 6-0. Tulsa (28-9, 11-3 C-USA) got a complete game shutout from Lacey Middlebrooks and scored a late inning run to take the second game of the day, 1-0.
"To limit the best hitting team in the conference to one run on the day is outstanding both in the circle and on defense," said head coach Shonda Stanton.
Game One
Very quickly the Herd was able to strike on the Golden Hurricane and their starting pitcher, Aimee Creger. Alysia Hively continued her monster week when she sent a pitch way over the left field fence to give MU a 2-0 first inning lead. The home run was her third of the week and fifth of the season.
"I was very please how we came out in the game swinging the sticks," said Stanton.
Williamson would work wonders from the circle. The junior struck out five batters and allowed just five hits. She made the Hurricane strand ten runners on base including three in the second inning when UT had three players reach bases with one out.
Marshall put another run on the board in fourth as an errant throw on the second half of an attempted double play allowed pinch runner Amanda Lara to score put the green and white up 3-0.
Tulsa attempted to threaten the Herd lead in the sixth, but Williamson once again worked out of a jam by getting three consecutive outs and make the Golden Hurricane strand two more runners.
The knock-out punch by the Herd came in the sixth. Following back-to-back walks by Creger, Jazmine Valle sent a ball over the center field for a three run homer to stretch the MU lead to 6-0.
The Herd closed out the game in seventh and Williamson picked up win number 16 of the season to take the first game of the pivotal weekend set.
Game Two
The second contest of the afternoon feature more brilliant pitching as starting pitchers Natalee Pulver and Lacee Middlebrooks limited each opposing squad.
For Marshall, Pulver allowed just four members of Tulsa to reach base in the first six innings, walking just one batter. Middlebrooks though was just as sharp, she held the Herd off the base paths up until the fourth inning when Alianna Telles connected for a leadoff single.
Marshall looked to threaten in the fifth as Taylor Thompson got a hit over the pitcher's head to reach with two outs. Tulsa though would stop any threat with an out at second during the next at-bat to keep the game deadlocked at zero.
The Golden Hurricane would be the team to strike first. In the seventh back-to-back singles from Jill Barrett and the current C-USA hitter of the week Samantha Cobb put UT in a position to score. A gritty defensive play by Valle at third to thwart a Tulsa double steal got MU one out. However, Middlebrooks become her own best friend when she single through the ride side to score Cobb and give UT a late 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rebecca Gamby drew a one-out walk, but the Herd couldn't dent the scoreboard as a strikeout and ground out to the pitcher ended the game with Tulsa victorious, 1-0. The Herd ended the game with just two hits while the loss pushes Pulver's record to 6-6 on the year.
"With the momentum from game one, I was surprised we were so timid and tentative at the plate," Stanton said after the game.
The two squads will play the rubber match of the series Sunday at 12 p.m. The MLB Pitch, Hit & Run competition for youth ages 7 to 14 will follow the game. Both admission and the competition are free.
"Tomorrow is a big game for us. Just like any other game, we have to come out and take the series."
