East Carolina University
Tulsa
Pirates Take One Of Two From Tulsa
March 31, 2007 | Softball
March 31, 2007
Game One Boxscore in PDF format
Game Two Boxscore in PDF Format
Greenville, N.C. - The East Carolina softball team welcomed defending Conference USA champion Tulsa to the ECU Softball Field Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with the Golden Hurricane. The Pirates bounced back to take game two 3-0 after dropping the first contest 3-1 in nine innings.
As it did on Wednesday against No. 24 NC State, ECU took the early lead in game one. Tulsa starter Julie Fennell welcomed Beth Nolan to the ballgame by hitting the designated player. After Paige Baggett reached on a fielder's choice, she advanced to second when Joyce Roodenburg walked. Cristen Aona would put the Pirates on top 1-0 as she brought home Baggett with an RBI-single to right field.
ECU would hold that lead until the top of the seventh inning. Needing just three outs to secure the game one victory, the Pirates could not finish off the Golden Hurricane, as Sara Dyer led off the inning with a home run to right center. ECU starter Keli Harrell had allowed just two hits leading up to Dyer's bomb.
Tulsa would get what it needed to win the contest in the top of the ninth inning. After Lindsay Galloway led off with a double to left center, Dyer fouled out to Roodenburg. The very next batter, Lauren Lindsay got enough of the ball to send it over the right field fence, giving the Golden Hurricane the 3-1 lead. Despite garnering two hits in the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates could not bring the runners home and Tulsa took the win.
Harrell pitched a complete game, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out six and walking no one.
Game two proved to be just as low-scoring as the first. Tulsa threatened in the top of the second inning when Lindsay and Kelli McGlasson both singled. However, ECU starter Toni Paisley struck out Ashlee Lubniewski and induced a ground-out from Angela Osbon to end the inning.
The Pirates would score the winning runs in their half of the fifth inning. After Nolan and Aona both grounded out, Vanessa Moreno singled to right field. Christina Merrida reached first after being plunked by Tulsa hurler Jackie Lawrence. After a throwing error by Golden Hurricane shortstop McGlasson loaded the bases, Erin St. Ledger got a hold of the ball, ripping a three-RBI double to the center field wall to give ECU a 3-0 lead. Paisley would not allow another Tulsa hit, as the Pirates went on to earn the split of the doubleheader.
Paisley continued her solid play in the circle for ECU, pitching a complete-game shutout. The freshman scattered four Golden Hurricane hits while walking just one batter and striking out seven.
The Pirates will look to earn their second Conference USA series win of the season, as they battle the Golden Hurricane Sunday in the series rubber match. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m., a change from the listed start time of 1 p.m.
