Tulsa Softball Run-Ruled by East Carolina

The Golden Hurricane gave up the most runs of the season and suffered its first series loss of the season.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:18 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa Softball Run-Ruled by East Carolina

Originally Published: Mar 27, 2011 12:50 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Tulsa softball team suffered its second run-rule defeat of the season Sunday in a 10-1 drubbing at the hands of East Carolina in the final game of a weekend series.

The Golden Hurricane’s pitching had been solid for the first two games of the series, but that success did not carry over into the finale. Lacey Middlebrooks started the game, and in her first four batters she hit one, walked another two and threw a wild pitch.

Middlebrooks was pulled after retiring just one batter, and Jordan Kinard entered with the bases loaded. She gave up a two-run single to Sissy Jimenez and walked the next batter to load the bases again, still with only one out.

Kinard forced a pop-up in the next at-bat to bring her one out away from pitching out of the jam, but she could finish things off. She gave up an RBI single to Jill Jelnick that kept the bases loaded, and then walked Priscilla Velasquez to bring home another run.

Kristi Oshiro stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning and popped out to finally end things, but East Carolina already had taken a 4-0 lead.

ECU (25-10, 5-4) continued to pour in runs in the second inning, starting with another RBI single by Jimenez. Kai Clark followed with a two-run home run to put the Pirates up 7-0.

Tulsa (24-9, 7-2) finally got on the board in the fourth inning with an RBI single by Cassidy Bowen, but East Carolina immediately responded with more runs in the bottom of the inning.

An error and two consecutive walks gave ECU the bases loaded with one out, and Kinard was pulled in favor of Aimee Creger. Creger’s first pitch was wild, scoring a run and advancing the other two runners up a base. Clark took advantage with a two-run double, giving her four RBIs on the day and finishing the scoring.

East Carolina’s 10 runs are the most Tulsa has allowed all season. The Pirates won two of the three-game series, marking the first time this year the Golden Hurricane has lost a series. TU will try to get back on track in its next game at 5 p.m. Wednesday against Arkansas.