TULSA, Okla. – UIC rallied against the Drake University softball team for a 4-3 win in eight innings before Tulsa defeated Drake (7-11), 8-0 in six innings on Saturday, Feb. 29 on the second day of the Tulsa Invitational.
The Bulldogs and the Flames were scoreless until the sixth inning when
Mandi Roemmich singled and scored
Abby Buie in the top of the frame. The lead didn't last as UIC went up 2-1 in the bottom of the inning when Cran drove in a pair with a bases loaded single off
Mackenzie Hupke.
Drake quickly answered in the seventh.
Macy Johnson led off with a single, advanced on
Libby Ryan's sacrifice bunt.
Sarah Maddox followed with a single to right field that brought in Johnson. Two batters later, freshman
Delaney Taylor ripped a double that scored Maddox and put Drake up 3-2. But Buie then struck out as the Bulldogs couldn't pad their lead.
UIC tied it in the bottom of the seventh capitalizing on Hupke's control problems. Wedl started with a single, stole second and then moved to third on a groundout to Roemmich. Hupke walked the next batter and hit the next one. Pociejewski hit a sacrifice fly that tied the game at 3-3. The Flames' first three batters all reached base in the eighth as Cran reached on an error and moved to second on passed ball, Kaelber singled and advanced on another passed ball and Ferguson walked. They won the game with Wedl's sac fly in the next at bat.
Hupke (2-4) took the loss after pitching 3.1 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Junior
Nicole Timmons returned to the circle and started going four innings and she allowed no hits with nine strikeouts but issued five walks.
Johnson, Taylor and Valtman led the offense with two hits each.
For the second-straight day Drake's offense were shut down by Tulsa's pitching as Johnson had the only hit in their second-straight loss to the Golden Hurricane.
Hannah Pals (0-2) started and allowed four runs on four hits in just one inning.
Allie Timmons pitched 4.1 innings and allowed four runs on six hits.
Drake will look to bounce back at No. 14 Oklahoma State Sunday in a 1 p.m. game on ESPN+.
