The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oregon State
No. 25 Softball outlasts Oregon State, 11-9
02.24.2008 | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -- The No. 25 Texas Softball team used a school record tying four home runs and 13 hits to knock off Oregon State, 11-9 in eight innings Saturday night at the Palm Springs Classic. Texas' victory moved the Horns to 7-3-1 on the year, while the Beavers fell to 7-8 on the season.
Longhorns' freshman righthander Brittany Barnhill (1-2) earned the victory for UT, tossing 0.2 innings of scoreless relief, while senior righthander Meagan Denny earned the save. Texas starter Torrey Schroeder pitched 6.2 innings in the win, scattering 14 hits and allowing nine runs. Oregon State hurler Stefanie Draper (5-2) suffered the loss after throwing 8.0 innings and surrendering 11 runs on 13 hits.
In the eighth, Texas placed Brittany Barnhill on second base to start the inning due to international tie-break rules. A sacrifice bunt by junior third baseman Crystal Saenz moved Barnhill to third and a sacrifice fly by junior first baseman Desiree Williams scored Barnhill to give UT a 10-9 edge. Junior rightfielder Kacie Gaskin followed with a walk and a single by Amy Hooks put two runners on for sophomore designated player Tallie Thrasher who laced a two-out single to rightfield, scoring Gaskin and giving the Horns an 11-9 lead.
The Beavers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh, using three hits and a pair of walks to knot the game at four. Stefanie Ewing led off the frame with a single and Audrey Roderfield followed with a walk before both runners advanced on Erin Guzy's single through the left side. Pinch runner Kellie Roberts scored OSU's first run on a sacrifice fly and a bases loaded double to left centerfield by Chisolm scored three runs and tied the game at 9-9.
Texas clinched an early lead in the first, notching five runs on five hits, including a three-run homer by junior second baseman Kelly Melone. Williams led off the frame with a double and after Tallie Thrasher fielder's choice advanced her to second, Williams scored on Hooks' RBI infield single. Thrasher and Hooks both scored on Melone's three-run blast to leftfield. Freshman leftfielder Shelby Savony followed the blast with an RBI double to left centerfield that scored Melone and gave UT a 5-0 edge.
The Beavers answered in the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles by McKenna Lowe and Chisholm to start the frame. Both runners advanced an extra base on Chisholm's single and a wild pitch allowed Lowe to score from third. Chisholm came home on an RBI single by DeAnn Young that cut the UT lead to 5-2.
The Horns responded in the second, plating two runs on sophomore shortstop Loryn Johnson's two-run home run to left centerfield that scored Williams who had reached on a walk. Oregon State added two runs of its own in the third, using a leadoff single by Chisolm and a UT error to set the stage for Stefanie Ewing's two-run single that moved the Beavers within three at 7-4.
Oregon State narrowed the margin to two in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a two-out double by Guzy to start the rally. Pinch runner Tarah Black replaced Guzy and came home on Paige Lowe's RBI infield single.
Texas tacked on two more runs in the seventh on back-to-back solo homers by Thrasher and Hooks, pushing the UT advantage to 9-5.
Williams, Johnson Hooks, Savony and Schroeder paced the Texas offense on the night with two hits each, while Melone registered a team-best three RBI.
Texas returns to action in game two of its evening doubleheader with No. 2 Northwestern.
