NORMAN, Okla. – The University of Tulsa Softball Team rallied from down a run in the top of the seventh inning to defeat North Dakota State 2-1 and secure a spot in the NCAA Norman Regional finals contest tomorrow at 4 p.m. The Hurricane (41-15 Overall) won their first two games of the regional in their final at-bat, marking the first time that Tulsa has made an appearance in the title game without a loss.
Emily Watson and NDSU's Jacquelyn Sertic dominated the first portion of the contest in a battle of two top-five strikeout pitchers in the nation as Tulsa's ace held a no-hitter while the Bison right-hander had a perfect game going through the first five innings. Watson struck out 10 batters on a day where she picked up a program-record 30 wins, marking the most in a season by a Tulsa pitcher as she passed Aimee Creger (2014) on the record list.
The junior had her no-hit bid broken up to start off the bottom half of the sixth after
Rylie Spell ended Sertic's perfect game in the top half of the inning on a leadoff single.
NDSU's Zoe Stavrou opened the sixth with a double to left center field before Stephanie Soriano drove in Stavrou to put the Bison ahead 1-0 on a double to the gap in right field.
Watson responded by getting the next two batters out with a groundout to second that moved a runner over to third base before Spell tossed out Montana DeCamp trying to take second on a bunt that stayed just fair inside the batters' box with two outs to leave the runner at 60 feet from home.
Maggie Withee was Tulsa's second base runner of the night, reaching on an error to open up the seventh inning before moving to second on a
Tori Stafford sacrifice bunt.
Haley Meinen came through yet again in a final at-bat situation for TU, driving a single to shallow right field as
Maggie Withee was held up at third base to put two on with one out for
Maddie Withee.
Maddie Withee provided the game-tying hit as her single to left field dropped just in front of the fielder to bring in her twin sister
Maggie Withee and tie it up at 1-1.
Morgan Neal put the ball in play in the following at-bat, reaching on a fielder's choice after NDSU tried to turn the double play and made an errant throw that brought in Meinen for the eventual game-winning run.
NDSU threatened in their final showing at the plate as Watson hit a Bison batter that eventually moved into scoring position to open the frame. Down 3-1 in the count, Watson struck out one looking before
Julia Hollingsworth secured a fly ball in left field to end the game.
Tulsa's opponent in tomorrow's contest will be determined earlier in the day as North Dakota State will take on the winner of Oklahoma and Arkansas at 1:30 p.m. before the 4 p.m. matchup in the double elimination tournament.
Courtesy www.tulsahurricane.com