Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Tulsa (FSU Invitational)
Richards' Heroics Propel Indiana Over Tulsa, 6-4
3/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 10, 2006
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Indiana softball team used a combination of solid defense and an impressive performance at the plate to topple Tulsa, 6-4, at the Messer Athletic Fields in Tallahassee, Fla. In its opening contest of the Florida State Invitational on March 10, Indiana never panicked and used a two-homer performance from junior center fielder Kim Richards to notch its first come-from-behind victory of the season.
With the win, Indiana moved to 6-8-1 on the season, while Tulsa fell to 11-6 on the year.
"Kim was huge for us today," head coach Stacey Phillips said. "With this game, we are moving in the right direction as far as our team goal, which is to never quit. We wanted to come out and set a tone of being more aggressive at the plate and did that today. We capitalized on hitting pitches in our zone instead of letting their pitchers dictate the game. The team knew if we continued being aggressive the hits would fall, and they did."
Indiana looked sharp in every facet of the game, as sophomore left fielder Julia Hamilton registered two stolen bases, the IU pitching staff recorded seven strikeouts and Richards registered four RBI and went 3-for-4 from the plate to lead the Hoosiers.
On the day, six different Hoosier bats registered hits to lead IU to a 10-7 advantage over Tulsa in the category.
The action began in the first inning as Indiana scored first on a two-out home run over the right-center fence by Richards, giving IU a 1-0 lead. Tulsa escaped the frame denying any further IU runs and leaving two Indiana runners stranded on base.
The Hurricane responded with a pair of runs in their half of the second, taking advantage of three hits in the inning to take a 2-1 lead. Tulsa continued to increase its cushion with a run in the third and fourth inning to hold a 4-2 advantage going into the fifth.
Indiana, however, never panicked and struck back in the top of the sixth. Senior Lauren Hines opened the frame with a single to left field to reach base. Sophomore Rachel Carlson pinch ran for Hines and advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt by junior first baseman Rachel Terry. Richards then fired a shotgun double past the third baseman to score Carlson. Richards scored on freshman shortstop Stephanie Pellerito's in a hit that dropped between short and left field. Sophomore catcher Janetta Deaven struck out to end the inning with the game tied at 4-4.
The Hoosiers denied the Hurricane a score in the bottom of the seventh by way of a fully out-stretched diving catch by Hamilton in left field for the first out, a senior pitcher Megan Roark strikeout for the second and a groundout to short for the third.
Indiana, courtesy of the international tie-break rule, began the top of the eighth with Terry on second and Richards at bat. Richards, who had already notched a home run and a double, was not done yet. The Indianapolis native sent her second home run of the game just inside the left field foul poll to cap-off a Hoosier come-from-behind victory.
"Before the game, the team talked a lot of about different situations and decided we wanted a goal of seven hits during the game," Richards said. "I took that to heart. I wanted to be in the position to get us to that goal. I was seeing the ball really well today and capitalized off our runners who were in scoring position."
Senior pitcher Mariangee Bogado started the game for the Hoosiers in the circle and collected two punchouts across 1 2/3 thirds innings. Roark (4-5) took over with two-outs in the second inning and registered a crucial strikeout in the frame to escape the inning and strand two Hurricane runners in scoring position. The Pleasant Hill, Calif., native finished with five strikeouts.
The Hoosiers continue action at the Florida State Invitational with a 3:30 p.m. matchup against Troy at the Messer Athletic Fields in Tallahassee, Fla.
