Tulsa Snaps Three-Game Losing Streak

The Golden Hurricane dropped three games in the Texas Classic before capping it off with a big win over Northern Illinois.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:12 pm

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Feb 13, 2011 8:4 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Tulsa Golden Hurricane closed the Texas classic out with a 6-1 win over the Northern Illinois Huskies Sunday due in-part to a strong performance from pitcher Lacey Middlebrooks.

Middlebrooks pitched a complete-game, four-hit performance, allowing just one run and striking out five of the batters she faced. The only run of the game came in the top of the fourth inning, when Middlebrooks walked pinch hitter Ashley Kobb.

Tulsa’s Morgan Bittner received a loss for the outing, giving up two earned runs on nine hits in three innings of service.

The Golden Hurricane got on the board in the top of the first with an unearned-run, Caitlin Everett coming home from third on a fielding error. Two at-bats later, Casey Bowen took a four-ball walk to bring Haley Henshaw to take a 2-0 advantage.

In the next inning, Henshaw singled to left field, scoring Jill Barrett to take a 3-0 lead in the second.

The third at bat of the third inning added another run with on an RBI-double down the left field line by Kelly Chapman to score Keri Leach from second base to extend the advantage to four runs.

After NIU taked on their only run of the game, Henshaw crossed the plate yet again, scoring on a fielding error at first base to take a 5-1 lead. The Golden Hurricane’s final run came in the bottom of the fifth inning on a one-out sacrifice fly to bring Jessica Stoelke home and push the lead to 6-1.

Tulsa will next travel to Boca Raton, Florida for the FAU Kickoff Classic and open the tournament at 8 a.m. Feb. 18 against Penn State.