March 27, 2010

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

TULSA, Okla. - Senior pitcher Vanessa Walle provided both the offense and the defense in a 6-1 University of Memphis softball victory over Tulsa to help the Tigers split a doubleheader with the Golden Hurricane on Saturday.

Tulsa (17-13, 3-2) came back twice to take the win in game one, 7-5.

Walle went 3-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI to give Memphis (15-11, 4-3) the offensive cushion it would need. She then earned a complete game victory in the circle, allowing one run on six hits with four strikeouts to improve to 6-4 on the season.

The Phoenix, native just missed throwing her second-straight conference shutout. Tulsa's Samantha Cobb hit a two-out home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. The run was the first off Walle in conference play in 18 innings. She leads the conference with a 1.04 ERA.

Sophomore Lelani Bernardino went 2-for-4 in game two and had a solo home run to lead off the game in the first inning. The homer was the first of her career.

The win is the first for Memphis against Tulsa in the regular season. The Tigers are 2-13 all-time against the Golden Hurricane with the only previous win coming in the Conference USA Championship tournament.

Jordan Kinard suffered the loss for the Golden Hurricane, allowing five runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in five innings.

In game one, Memphis had a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning after a two-run homer by Maddie McKinley and a run in the second inning.

But the Golden Hurricane scored one run on a solo shot by Cassidy Bowen in the bottom of the second and then took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a three-run homer by Lauren Menke.

Memphis scored two runs in the top of the fifth to reclaim the lead, 5-4; however, Tulsa scored three more runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth on two hits and a pair of walks to pull away with the 7-5 victory.

Freshman Carly Hummel (8-5) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits with six walks. She struck out six in the game.

The two home runs in the game by TU are the most hit off Memphis this season. The Tigers came into the game allowing just four homers in 24 games. Hummel had previously allowed one home run in 78 innings. The seven runs scored against Memphis is also a season high.

Freshman Kalynn Schrock picked up the victory in relief for Tulsa. Schrock allowed one hit in two innings and struck out five. Jackie Lawrence started the game for TU and allowed five runs on five hits with five K's.

McKinley led the U of M in game one with a 2-for-3 performance with two runs and two RBI. Jessica Phillips also finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Memphis and Tulsa will close the three-game series with a rubber match on Sunday at noon at the Donna J. Hardesty Complex.