Tulsa Softball Advances To C-USA Championship Game

NewsOn6.com

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Golden Hurricane rolled on in the C-USA Championship on Friday with a 4-3 victory against Houston.

Tulsa advanced to the Championship game where it will take on Marshall, which topped the host school UAB Friday afternoon.

It's the second straight year that TU has played for the conference tournament championship, and the third time in the past four years.

Lacey Middlebrooks threw the complete game for Tulsa, striking out eight batters and giving up four hits in the win.

TU got the scoring going in the second inning as Cassidy Bowen hit a two-run single to give her team an early lead.

The Golden Hurricane added another run in the fourth inning thanks to some mistakes from the Cougars. Tulsa players loaded the bases thanks to an error, a walk and a single and then scored on an illegal pitch.

Houston rallied for two runs in the bottom of the fifth and one more in the bottom of the sixth to come back and tie the game up.

But Tulsa was able to meet the challenge, with some help once again from Houston mistakes. The Golden Hurricane loaded the bases thanks to three consecutive walks. Jessica Stoelke then grounded to first base, allowing Skylar Swanson to come home and score the winning run.

Saturday's championship game between the Golden Hurricane and the Thundering Herd will take place at 10 a.m. in Birmingham.