Cowgirls Open Tulsa Invitational With Two Losses

Oklahoma State's softball team dropped two contests on the opening day of the Embassy Suites Tulsa Invitational, falling to North Texas, 4-3, and Tulsa, 7-2, at Tulsa's Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex on Friday.

The Cowgirls got off to a quick start in game one when Shanel Scott scored from second on a Stephanie Nicholson triple in the first inning. Scott led off the frame with a walk and stole second to get in scoring position.

The lead was short lived as North Texas led off the second with back-to-back hits and evened the score. The Mean Green threatened to take the lead in the fourth, putting runners on the corners, but Randi Cook came through with a pair of strikeouts to get out of the inning.

The Cowgirls regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Megan Carey scored on a wild pitch. Carey led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice from Dominique Van Nortwick to set up the play.

Nicholson gave the Cowgirls some breathing room in the bottom of the fifth with her team-leading seventh double of the season but a late rally secured the win for North Texas.

The Mean Green scored one in the sixth then took the lead with two runs in the top of the seventh. Mandy Hacker plated the go-ahead run with a two-out single through the left side.

OSU loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single in its final at-bat but the Cowgirls were not able to score.

Cook tossed the first four innings, striking out six, walking one and allowing one run off three hits. Jessica Hoppock (2-4) took the loss after surrendering three runs off four hits, four strikeouts and one walk in three innings of relief.

In the nightcap, Tulsa built a 3-0 lead, scoring one in the first and two in the second before Megan Carey brought in the Cowgirls first run in the third inning.

Carey laced her fifth double of the season deep into right field with a double to the outfield fence. Stephanie Nicholson scored from first after reaching on a lead off walk.

The Cowgirls loaded the bases in the fourth but Tulsa's Stephanie Sliepen made a catch at the wall to end the inning and force OSU to leave three runners stranded.

Tulsa extended its lead in the fifth scoring four runs with help from the Cowgirls. After loading the bases the Golden Hurricane plated three runs on two OSU errors and a fourth on a wild pitch.

Scott scored one final run for the Cowgirls in the sixth, coming home on a double from Nicholson.

Hoppock was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs off four hits, three walks and two strikeouts in one inning. Cook closed out the game, tossing the final five innings and allowing four runs off five hits, one walk and three strikeouts.

Oklahoma State (11-8) continues tournament play with two games on Saturday, taking on Wisconsin at 11 a.m. and Wichita State at 7 p.m.

North Texas 4, Oklahoma State 3

UNT 010 001 2 Â– 4 8 0

OSU 100 110 0 Â– 3 3 1

Fowler (1), Jonse and DeLaRosa. Cook (1), Hoppock (5) and Totte. WP: Fowler (3-4). LP: Hoppock (2-4). 2B: UNT-Waters, Hacker. OSU-Carey, Nicholson. 3B: OSU-Nicholson. Time-2:13.

Tulsa 7, Oklahoma State 2

OSU 001 001 0 Â– 2 8 3

TU 120 040 X Â– 7 9 3

Hoppock (1), Cook (2) and Totte. Fennell (1) and Miller. WP: Fennell (4-5). LP: Hoppock (2-5). 2B: OSU-Carey, Tweed, Nicholson. TU-Torres. 3B: TU-Tower. Time-2:27. Attn-632.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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