Tulsa Beats Southern Miss for Eighth Straight Win

The Golden Hurricane overcame a grand slam and four RBIs by Britney Dinelt.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:20 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa Beats Southern Miss for Eighth Straight Win

Originally Published: Apr 10, 2011 5:30 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa softball team extended its winning streak to eight games Sunday with an 8-5 victory over Southern Mississippi.

Southern Miss started the scoring in the top of the first inning with an RBI single by Britney Dinelt, but Tulsa quickly responded with a solo home run by Jill Barrett in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game 1-1.

The Golden Hurricane took its first lead of the game with two runs in the second inning, thanks to an RBI single by Cassidy Bowen and a walk with the bases loaded. TU added another run in the third thanks to another RBI from Bowen and seemed to have the game firmly in hand.

The Hurricane carried a 4-1 lead into the fifth inning, when Dinelt struck again. After two singles and a walk loaded the bases, Dinelt drove all of them in with a grand slam that suddenly took the Golden Eagles from down by three to up by one.

But Southern Mississippi’s advantage did not last long. Tulsa led off the bottom of the inning with a double and single on four pitches, and Kelly Chapman’s RBI tied the game again. Bowen, Caitlin Everett and Barrett each added RBIs later in the inning to give TU four runs and retake a commanding lead.

Southern Miss then went down in order in each of the final two frames to seal the win for Tulsa. Lacey Middlebrooks earned the win after pitching five innings and allowing five runs on six hits. Jordan Kinard pitched the final two innings, did not allow a runner and received a save.

The Golden Hurricane has won eight consecutive games and has not lost since March 27. It will hit the road for a three-game series with Houston, starting with a doubleheader next Saturday at 1 p.m.