TU Softball Takes 5-4 Win Over Arkansas

Left fielder Erica Sampson scored three runs, while right fielder Brittany Walker and second baseman Kate Myers each drove in two runs to lead the Tulsa softball team to a 5-4 win at Arkansas Tuesday evening at Bogle Park.

Catcher Catherine Horner also scored two runs for the Golden Hurricane, which improved to 12-7 on the season. Sampson went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Walker was 2-for-3. Senior Bailey Erwin (6-2) tossed 4.0 innings to earn the victory for TU, and junior Caitlin Sill pitched the final frame to pick up her third save of the season. Allison Stewart (4-4) allowed two runs on four hits in 1.2 innings to take the loss for the Razorbacks (12-11).

Tulsa got on the board with two runs in the top of the first on back-to-back two-out RBI doubles by Horner and Walker. Sampson started the rally with a one-out single to second, and scored on Horner's hit. Sampson then led off each of the next two scoring innings with singles in the third and the fifth frames. Walker drove the senior home with a base hit up the middle in the third inning, and Myers shot a two-run single up the middle in the fifth. Myers' hit plated Sampson and Horner.

Arkansas scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning to cut Tulsa's lead to 3-2. Shortstop Kasey Fagan and catcher Shelby Hiers each singled to drive home the runs. After the Hurricane extended its lead to 5-2 in the top of the fifth, the Razorbacks made it 5-3 in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run by first baseman Devon Wallace.

After the homer and a single that led off the fifth, freshman Emily entered in the circle for TU. She pitched two shutout frames, allowing only a walk, and recorded a strikeout. Arkansas added a run in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI double by Hiers, but Sill induced a groundout to third to close out the game.

Erwin allowed three runs on seven hits, and was followed by Watson, who threw 2.0 shutout innings in the middle, before Sill took over to start the seventh. Grace Moll pitched 3.1 innings for Arkansas, allowing three runs on four hits, and Sydney Wright finished the game with 2.0 innings of work. Each team totaled nine hits and committed no errors in the ballgame.

The Golden Hurricane plays at the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic Friday-Sunday in Lubbock, Texas. TU plays Mississippi Valley State at 12:30 p.m. and the host Texas Tech at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Tulsa then plays Texas Tech at 3 p.m. and MVSU at 5 p.m. Saturday, and closes the weekend against MVSU at 11 a.m. Sunday.