Late-Game Heroics Lift Tulsa Past East Carolina

The Tulsa softball team scored six runs in the final two innings of the game to overcome a five-run deficit, knocking off the East Carolina Pirates 7-6 to pull off the series sweep.

Tulsa struggled early on and fell behind 4-1 by the end of the third inning, a deficit that expanded by two in the top of the fifth thanks to a pair of RBI singles, but Tulsa found its swing late in the game.

With runners on second and third and two outs on the board in the bottom of the sixth, Caitlin Everett doubled to left field, bringing home Shelby Blanton and Jill Barrett to cut the deficit to 6-3.

The Golden Hurricane went back to work in the bottom of the seventh and capitalized on miscues from the East Carolina defense.

Samantha Cobb and Skylar Swanson both reach base in the first two at-bats of the inning, and two at-bats later, Blanton singles up the middle to bring Cobb home and make it a 6-4 deficit. Cassidy Bowen reaches base on the next at-bat on a fielder's choice loading the bases, but Swanson is thrown out at home.

Cierra Hughes draws a walk in the next at-bat, allowing Blanton to score from third, making it just a one-run hole for the Golden Hurricane. Caitlin Everett singles up the middle, allowing Jessica Stoelke to tie the game and keep the bases loaded with one out in the seventh.

East Carolina pitcher Sarah Christian, who had pitched a complete game, walked Jill Barrett, bringing Bowen home and ending the game. Christian (8-10) finished the game pitching 6.2 innings, allowing 13 hits and seven runs, just three of which were earned.

Aimee Creger (9-2) received a win for her outing, giving up two earned runs on five hits in her 4.1 innings of service.

The Golden Hurricane will be back in action at 7 p.m. Tuesday for a mid-week matchup against in-state rival Oklahoma State in Stillwater.