May 11, 2006

Tulsa, Okla. - It took extra innings, but top-seeded Tulsa prevailed with a 4-3 victory over No. 5 East Carolina in game four of the 2006 Conference USA Softball Championship at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex. The Golden Hurricane ended the Pirates' seven-game winning streak by scoring the winning run on an errant throw in the bottom of the 10th inning to set up a semifinal contest with No. 2 Marshall at 4 p.m. on Friday.

East Carolina's Keli Harrell and Tulsa's Maren Genow were locked in a pitcher's duel until the late innings when both offenses came to life. The Pirates opened the scoring with a run in the sixth, only to see Tulsa answer with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. East Carolina then responded with two runs to take a 3-2 lead in its half of the seventh, but the Golden Hurricane answered with the game-tying run to push the game into extra innings.

Tulsa had runners on second and third in the ninth, but East Carolina reliever Brooke Swann was able to pitch out of the jam. The game remained tied until the 10th when the Golden Hurricane put two more runners on and were able to take advantage of Swann's errant throw to first after she snagged a hard, comebacker off the bat Kelly McGlasson. Katie Torres raced around from second to score the game-winning run after the throw went down into the rightfield corner.

"The game was in doubt several times," Tulsa head coach John Bargfeldt said. "Anytime you're facing a pitcher as good as Kelli Harrell, and you fall behind you're always afraid that the air is going to go out of your team because they feel it's such an uphill climb. For us to come back and hit two home runs in one inning, and then have Lindsey Tower hit her first lifetime home run in the seventh inning to tie the game is amazing."

TU reliever Julie Fennell (12-7) came in for Genow in the top of the seventh and allowed just two hits in 3.1 innings of relief to pick up the victory. Fennell and Genow combined for 14 strikeouts as both hurlers struck out seven. Swann (6-4) was charged with the loss, allowing the one unearned run in 2.2 innings of work.

Golden Hurricane designated player Sara Dyer just missed a home run in the fourth inning, lacing a double of the centerfield wall. McGlasson walked to put two runners on the base paths, but both were left stranded after Erin St. Ledger made a diving stop on a groundball in the hole between first and second to end the inning.

East Carolina rightfielder Beth Nolan doubled in the fifth to give the Pirates' their first runner in scoring position, but she was thrown out at the plate later in the inning by Jessica Barr after trying to score on a single through the right side by Jessica Potter.

The Pirates broke through on Genow in the sixth when pinch-runner Brently Bridgeforth beat Barr's throw to the plate this time after Paige Baggett found the hole between first and second with a sharply hit grounder.

It did not take long for Tulsa to respond as freshman Brooke Smart tied the game on a solo home run to lead off the bottom half of the sixth inning. The Golden Hurricane then took the lead only two batters later when Torres launched an opposite field shot giving TU a 2-1 advantage. The home runs were the team-leading ninth pokes of the season for both batters.

The Pirates had their own quick response to regain a one-run lead at 3-2. Potter led off the seventh with a double and was pinch-run for by Sarah Bibee. Pinch-hitter Joyce Roodenburg moved Bibee to third with a sac bunt. With one out, pinch-hitter Angela Barrella pushed a grounder through a drawn in infield to score Bibee and tie the game at 2-2. St. Ledger then delivered a RBI-double off the glove of a diving Stephanie Chomicki at third base to give the Pirates the lead.

Tulsa had another answer as sophomore Lindsey Tower hit a two-out, pinch-hit home run to left-center to tie the game at 3-3. Tower's blast was the first of her career.

The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for East Carolina in extra-inning games as well. The Pirates will face No. 3 Houston at 12:30 p.m. on Friday. The Cougars lost game one to Southern Miss, 2-1.