The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Evansville
No. 4 Softball splits final two games with Evansville
03.05.2005 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Amy Bradford's (Lufkin, Texas) first shutout of 2005, combined with Desiree Williams' (Tucson, Ariz.) RBI double, gave UT a 2-0 victory in the first game, but Evansville's Katie Markle tossed her own complete game, 2-0 shutout in the nightcap as fourth-ranked Texas and Evansville split a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at McCombs Field.
Bradford recorded her first complete game shutout of the season, pushing her record to 4-0 in four starts this season in the first game. It was the 10th shutout of her career and her first since Feb. 6, 2004 against Houston. Texas (14-3) collected five hits in the first game - all by different batters - but was held to only three hits in the second game by Evansville (7-10). Rachael Cook (Anna, Texas) had two of Texas' pair of hits in the second game, including her fifth double of the season.
Evansville's two runs in the first inning of the second game snapped Texas' 55.2 inning streak spanning eight games where the team did not allow an earned run.
Cook went 3-for-4 on the day, including two doubles. Amber Hall (Deer Park, Texas) also collected a hit in each game.
Game 1: No. 4 Texas 2, Evansville 0
After three hitless innings by both teams, Tina Boutelle (Katy, Texas) reached on an error and Hall followed with a bunt single to put two runners on base. After a double steal moved both runners up a base, Williams brought both Boutelle and Hall home with an RBI double to left center. Bradford had a no-hitter going through five innings before giving up a lead-off double to Brooke Luker, the only Purple Ace to record a hit on the day. Bradford retired the next five batters to complete the game as she struck out a season-high 10 batters and walked none. Evansville's Danny Murphy also threw a complete game, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out one in 6.0 innings.
Game 2: Evansville 2, No. 4 Texas 0
Evansville jumped on the board early in the first inning, jumping out to a 2-0 lead as Alicia Laraway reached on a single, stole second and came home on a double off the bat of Juliet Nickelson. Nickelson then came home on a bloop double from Luker. Markle, who only allowed UT five hits in a complete game loss on Friday evening, limited the Longhorns to three hits in the game, two of which came off the bat of Cook. The Longhorns' best chance of the game came in the fifth inning when Cook led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice., but she was out at the plate on an attempted squeeze play. Lizi Sowers (Georgetown, Texas) started for Texas, going 0.2 innings before giving up two runs (both earned) on four hits. Christina Gwyn (Keller, Texas) entered with two outs in the first and went 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits while tying her career high with eight strikeouts and walking three. Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) came in to close out the final 2.1 innings, striking out all seven Purple Aces she faced.
Texas returns to action for the fourth and fifth games of its seven-game home stand on Wednesday, March 9, when the Horns host UT-San Antonio in a doubleheader at McCombs Field beginning at 5 p.m.
