Garcia's Slam Lifts OSU Past TU

Wednesday, March 7

Tulsa, Okla.

5:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

9-9

Tulsa

14-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma State	0	1	0	0	0	1	5	7	4	0
Tulsa	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	3	7	1

Tarah Ettinger finished the game with a home run, a double and two RBIs

March 07, 2012 | Cowgirl Softball

Box Score

March 7, 2012

Final Stats

TULSA, Okla.—Senior Chelsea Garcia hit a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to give the Oklahoma State softball team the winning lead over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Wednesday evening in Tulsa. The Cowgirls (9-9) won 7-3 after trailing most of the game.

Down 3-2, Oklahoma State led off the final inning with back-to-back walks by Ari Morrison and pinch-hitter Sammy Jo Diffendaffer. After the next batter struck out, Julie Ward loaded the bases as she also walked. Tulsa (14-4) decided to pull their starter, Aimee Creger, and replace her with Lacey Middlebrooks. Garcia stepped up and hit her first pitch over the centerfield wall to gather four RBIs and the lead for the Cowgirls.

Tarah Ettinger added an insurance run two batters later with her first home run of the season over the left field fence. The score was now 7-3. Junior Kat Espinosa finished up the seventh inning in the circle and was able to get the final three outs of the game, and the win, for OSU.

The Cowgirls scored the first run of the game in the second inning. Ettinger reached base on a walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Amy Graham. Ettinger scored on a throwing error by the Tulsa second baseman. After getting the first two outs in the third inning, the Cowgirls allowed two runners to reach on a walk and a single. Then Tulsa's Samantha Cobb hit a home run to centerfield and the Golden Hurricane took a 3-1 lead.

Oklahoma State chipped away at TU's lead in the sixth. Julie Ward and Sam Chrisman each walked to get runners on first and second for Ettinger, who hit a double down the right line to score one. With runners on second and third and two out, Hannah Bowen came in to pinch hit, but struck out swinging to end the rally.

Sophomore Simone Freeman started in the circle and threw the first three innings. She allowed six hits for three earned runs, struck out three and walked one. Espinosa came in and threw the final four innings, allowed just one hit, struck out three and walked two. She picked up the win and is now 5-3 on the season.

Creger (6-2) picked up the loss for the Golden Hurricane. She threw 6.1 innings, allowed just two hits for four earned runs, struck out 14 while she walked 10. Middlebrooks threw the final 2/3 of an innings, allowed two home runs, and struck out one.

Oklahoma State will play again this weekend it hosts the Mizuno Classic. Nebraska, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Loyola-Chicago will travel to Stillwater to play in the three-day tournament.