The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
UCLA
Boutelle's RBI single leads Softball past No. 4 UCLA
02.27.2005 | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -- Tina Boutelle's (Katy, Texas) infield grounder in the top of the eighth inning with two runners aboard brought in the game-winning run as third-ranked Texas (10-2) defeated No. 4 UCLA (11-3), 3-0, in the teams' final game at the Palm Springs Classic at the Big League Dreams park before a crowd of 1,022 on Sunday afternoon. The victory was the Horns' first over the Bruins in the teams' seven-game series history and it was the fourth game between the two teams to go to extra innings. Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) earned the win after going the full 8.0 innings and striking out a season-high 18 batters.
"It was nice to be able to get Cat some runs today. I think our backs have been against the wall and it was nice to open things up," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "It was nice to be able to put the ball in play and force UCLA to make some plays.
"We had a large crowd on hand today and this could be a match-up that we could be in again down the road later in the season. Our players had a great mindset and continued to battle. We've been struggling offensively, so it was nice to grind one out. Cat and Megan (Willis) worked extremely well, probably the best they have all year. After Desiree (Williams) made that diving stab at short to end the seventh inning, I think momentum changed and that helped us a lot."
After a scoreless first seven innings - punctuated by Williams' dive up the middle to snare a liner that would have been a base hit to end the seventh - the two teams went into the eighth inning under international tie-break rules (the last batter of the previous inning is placed on second and the batting team has three outs to bring her home.) It was Texas' second extra-inning affair in as many games at the tournament.
With the Horns as the visitor, Lacy Robinson (Highlands, Texas) ran for Jaclyn Daniels (Sanger, Texas) and moved to third when Melanie Jarrett (Odessa, Texas) beat out a bunt for the single and put runners at first and third. Boutelle's grounder was bumbled by the Bruins' shortstop, allowing her to beat out the throw and plate Robinson. After MicKayla Padilla (Cedar Park, Texas) advanced the runners, Amber Hall's (Deer Park, Texas) grounder went through the UCLA first baseman's legs and allowed both Jarrett and Boutelle to score, pushing the score to 3-0.
In the bottom half of the frame, Osterman earned three outs via the strikeout, but not before she walked Emily Zaplatosch with two outs to put runners at first and second. But, Kristen Dedmon recorded her fourth strikeout in as many at-bats to end the game and give Texas the win.
With the victory, Osterman moved to 4-2 on the season while surrendering three hits and walking four and striking out 18 in her third complete game of the weekend a fifth overall. UCLA's Anjelica Selden (7-1) also went 8.0 innings, allowing three runs (none earned) with 13 strikeouts and one walk.
The third-ranked Longhorns return to action on Wednesday, March 2, when they travel to Arlington, Texas, to face UT-Arlington in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
