The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Tech
Softball splits with Texas Tech
04.26.2005 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas pitching staff allowed one hit and struck out 39 batters in a combined 17.0 innings, but the sixth-ranked Longhorns still managed to split a midweek Big 12 doubleheader with Texas Tech. The Horns dropped the first game, 2-0 in 10.0 innings, before coming back to take the nightcap, 3-0, in front of 1,308 fans.
Texas (35-10, 9-5 Big 12) suffered its first back-to-back losses of the season with its defeat in the first game, while Texas Tech (23-22, 3-13) snapped its 10-game losing streak with its victory in game one.
In the first game, Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) tossed 9.2 innings of no-hit ball and matched her career high with 24 strikeouts, but took the loss, before Meagan Denny (Crowley, Texas) threw her second-career no-hitter in game two to stop the skid, striking out 15, in the victory.
MicKayla Padilla (Cedar Park, Texas) tied her career high with three hits in the second game, while Jacqueline Williams (Arlington, Texas) went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI in the second game.
With the doubleheader, Texas closed out its regular-season home schedule for the 2005 season. Texas averaged 998 fans per game, the third-best mark in program history, and in conference games only, averaged an above-capacity 1,271 fans per home date.
Game 1: Texas Tech 2, No. 6 Texas 0: The two teams played a scoreless game through nine innings as Osterman spun a gem for the Horns. After nine innings of hitless ball, the 10th inning began under international tiebreak rules with the last batter of the inning placed on second base and the batting team having three outs to bring her home. After a groundout put lead runner Heather Parker on third base, Osterman drew a come-backer to the circle, but wasn't able to cleanly field the ball, allowing Parker to score. After striking out Jennifer Corkin, Kelly Rhine laced the Lady Raiders' first hit of the night into center field to bring in Ashley Parker and give Tech a 2-0 lead. Texas was unable to generate a run in the bottom of the frame as Tech snapped its 10-game losing streak with its first win in its last nine tries against the Longhorns. UT did load the bases in the eighth inning with two outs, but Tech pitcher Erin Crawford forced a groundout to end the inning. Osterman (20-5) took the loss despite matching her career best with 24 strikeouts and issuing no walks. She allowed two runs (both unearned) on one hit, while Crawford (14-10) earned the win, surrendering no runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Game 2: No. 6 Texas 3, Texas Tech 0: Denny's (7-2) second no-hitter of the season snapped UT's first two-game losing streak of the season. She tossed 15 strikeouts and surrendered one walk in the complete game victory. Texas jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when Williams connected for her first home run of the season and her first since her first at-bat of her college career, a solo shot to lead off the second inning. After Wynter Turner (San Pedro, Calif.) singled and Alexis Garcia (Covina, Calif.) reached on an error, Padilla singled in Turner for a 2-0 lead with her first RBI of the season. Jaclyn Daniels' (Sanger, Texas) pinch-hit double in the sixth inning then plated Williams, who had a one-out single to left field.
The Longhorns return to the field on Wednesday, April 27, when they travel to College Station, Texas, to face the No. 4 Texas A&M Aggies in a 7 p.m. contest that will be aired live on ESPN2.
