Mobile, Ala. – Furman fell 7-4 to Tulsa and dropped a 3-2 decision to the host Jaguars on Friday at the South Alabama Invitational presented by Marriott Mobile in Mobile, Ala.
Game 1: Tulsa 7, Furman 4
Tulsa overcame three Paladin home runs, including a pair of clouts from senior
Riley Ludlam, to down Furman, 7-4, in the first game of the day.
The Golden Hurricanes broke open a 2-2 tie in the top of the fifth when Kailyn Bearpaw reached on a two-out, RBI single to ignite a three-run rally. Imani Edwards raced home on a wild pitch and Bearpaw scored on Claira Skaggs single to left-center to give Tulsa a 5-2 advantage it would not relinquish.
Furman pulled within a run in the bottom of the frame as Ludlam and freshman
Kiley Perry blasted back-to-back home runs, but the Golden Hurricanes added a pair of runs in the seventh off reliever
Sierra Tufts to hold on for the 7-4 decision.
Tulsa's Maura Moore improved to 4-1 in the circle after giving up four runs on six hits in six innings of work. Kylee Nash worked around a walk in the bottom of the seventh to keep the Paladins off the board and record her first save of the season.
Leadoff hitter Haley Morgan keyed the Tulsa offensive attack going 3-for-4 with a double and three runs while Edwards crossed the plate three times. Bearpaw finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Sophomore
Emme Buzhardt (0-2) absorbed the loss for the Paladins. She was charged with five runs on five hits in five innings of work while walking two and striking out three batters.
Ludlam went 2-for-2 with a pair of homers, two walks, and three runs batted in. Perry went 2-for-4 with a double and a homer, her third of the campaign.
Game 2: South Alabama 3, Furman 2
In the Paladins' second game of the day, South Alabama's Victoria Ortiz belted a three-run homer in the first inning to drive the Jaguars to a 3-2 victory.
A pair of one-out singles set the table for Ortiz, who drove a 2-0 pitch over the left-center field fence to stake South Alabama (7-5) to a 3-0 lead. Furman answered with runs in the top of the second and third innings. Perry reached on a one-out single in the second, advanced on
Alex Rose Molinar's base on balls, and scored when
Chloe Fabio dumped an RBI single into center field.
In the top of the third, the Paladins loaded the bases with nobody out after
Ashlee Lykins delivered a leadoff single,
Ainsley Yoshizumi reached base on a fielder's choice, and Ludlam drew a walk. Perry drove in Lykins with a groundout, but South Alabama's Jenna Hardy retired the next two batters on strikeouts to preserve the Jaguars' lead.
Hardy (3-3) held Furman to two runs on five hits over seven innings while striking out four batters. Paladin starter
Sierra Tufts (3-3) suffered the loss for Furman after allowing three runs on five hits and four walks over three innings.
Lauralee Scott came on in relief and tossed three scoreless innings for the Paladins.
Furman (4-7) is back in action on Saturday when it faces SEC foe Mississippi State at 4 p.m. EST. The Paladins conclude the tournament with a doubleheader on Sunday morning versus Louisiana Tech (10 a.m. EST) and Mississippi State (12:15 p.m. EST). Live statistics will be available for all three games through StatBroadcast. Links can be found at FurmanPaladins.com.
South Alabama Invitational presented by Marriott Mobile
