Cowgirls Drop Tulsa, 3-1
Tulsa, Okla. — Oklahoma State’s ninth-ranked softball team defeated Tulsa 3-1 here Wednesday evening, avenging an earlier loss this season to the Golden Hurricane. The Cowgirls have now won 14-consecutive games, the longest streak since the 2003 season.
Oklahoma State scored first in the top half of the first inning. With two outs, Alysia Hamilton and Julie Ward both walked. Senior Sam Heinlein, an Edmond, Okla., native, hit a single up the middle, just off the glove of second baseman Kelly Chapman, scoring Hamilton.
Cowgirl freshman Kat Espinosa started in the circle for and threw four innings, scattering four hits while striking out five and giving up one unearned run. The Golden Hurricane scored its lone run in the second inning when with one out, Vanessa Vice doubled to right centerfield. Espinosa threw a bunt attempt by Christian Timmons wide of Alysia Hamilton covering the bag at first, allowing Vice to score.
The Cowgirls added two more runs in the fourth inning on three singles and a walk. With one out, Chelsea Garcia hit a base hit to centerfield. Kelsey Anchors fouled out attempting to bunt Garcia over, and leadoff hitter Mariah Gearhart followed up with a single through the left side of the infield. Katelyn Bright loaded the bases with a base hit of her own, and Hamilton walked to score Garcia from third.
With Ward up to bat, TU starter Kalynn Schrock threw a pitch inside to the lefthander, which got away from Timmons behind the plate. Gearhart scored easily from third on the wild pitch before Ward flew out to end the inning.
Senior hurler Anna Whiddon relieved Espinosa in the bottom of the fifth and threw three hitless innings, striking out two in picking up her league-leading fifth save of the season.
Oklahoma State (37-7, 7-0 Big 12) will travel to Lawrence, Kan., this weekend to face the Kansas Jayhawks (22-17, 1-7) in league action. First pitch on Saturday is slated for 2 p.m.
Updated 04-15-2010
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