The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Arizona
Softball outlasts top-ranked Arizona in 10 innings
03.17.2005 | Softball
FULLERTON, Calif. -- Jacqueline Williams (Arlington, Texas) had a two-out RBI single up the middle to plate Amber Hall (Deer Park, Texas) in the bottom of the 10th inning as the fifth-ranked Texas softball team (21-3) handed No. 1 Arizona (21-1) its first loss of the season in pool play at the Kia Klassic on Thursday afternoon. UT moved to 2-0 in pool play and Arizona fell to 1-1 in the four-team pool.
In a duel between arguably college softball's top two pitchers, Texas' Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) and Arizona's Alicia Hollowell, the hurlers struck out a combined 34 batters as the two top-five teams battled through three innings of international tie break rules (last batter of the previous inning is placed on second and the batting team has three outs to bring her home) before Williams ended the game in favor of the Longhorns.
Osterman (10-2) struck out a season-high 23 batters, one off her career high of 24, and surrendered two hits in 10.0 innings, while walking one and hitting three. She struck out 12 of the final 13 batters of the game. Hollowell (13-1) also went for the complete game (9.2 innings), allowing two hits and one run (unearned) as she struck out 11, walked one (intentionally) and hit one batter.
With Hall placed on second to start the inning, Chez Sievers (Mission Viejo, Calif.) sacrificed her over to third before Arizona intentionally walked Desiree Williams (Tucson, Ariz.) and put runners on the corners. After a pop up to give Arizona a two-out advantage, Williams battled through 10 pitched and worked the count full before sending Hollowell's next pitch back up the middle to plate the game-winning run.
Arizona posted the game's first real threat in the bottom of the third. Osterman walked Kristie Fox to open the inning and after she moved to second on a sacrifice, Shelly Schultz singled to put runners at the corners with one out. However, Osterman struck out the next two batters to end the inning and keep the score at 0-0.
Texas came back the top of the fourth inning with a similar response. Sieves sent a two-out pitch back up the middle, then moved to second on a wild pitch before Desiree Williams) put runners at first and third with a single to through the left side. However, Hollowell struck out the next batter to end the inning and keep the score knotted at 0-0.
The Longhorns close out pool play on Friday, March 18, when they take on Long Beach State at 6 p.m. Central. Live stats will not be available for that game.
