The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas-San Antonio
Softball splits season-opening doubleheader with UTSA
02.09.2008 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Senior righthander Meagan Denny recorded a career-best 17 strikeouts to lead No. 22 Texas to a 3-1 victory over UTSA in its season opener. In game two of the twin-bill UT rallied late, but stranded three runners on base in the bottom of the seventh as the Longhorns fell, 3-2 Saturday afternoon at McCombs Field.
Texas (1-1) used a complete game, three-hitter by Denny (1-0) to earn the victory in game one, as the senior allowed just one earned run. UTSA (1-1) forced three UT pitchers into action in the second game, plating three runs and handing freshman hurler Brittany Barnhill (0-1) the loss in her collegiate pitching debut.
Sophomore designated player Tallie Thrasher paced the Texas offense on the day going 4-for-7, with three extra-base hits, including a stand-up triple in game two. Junior rightfielder/catcher Kacie Gaskin added three hits in five official plate appearances and notched a two-run double in game one.
In the opener, Texas got on the board early when junior infielder Desiree Williams was hit by a pitch, stole second and came around to score on Thrasher's RBI double. UTSA plated a run of its own in the third on first baseman Krista Sitka's RBI double to straightaway centerfield which scored Rudi Cantu to even the score at 1-1. The Horns did their final damage in the third inning when sophomore infielder Loryn Johnson singled and Thrasher reached on a fielder's choice to set the stage for Gaskin, who doubled on high fly ball to left field, allowing Johnson and Thrasher to race home.
Roadrunners' starter Amanda Nikolenko (0-1) suffered the loss for UTSA in game one, but game two starter, Danye Holmes (1-0) held the Horns to just two runs in game two to pick up the victory. Reliever Janeille Nickels came on in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and the bases loaded, but forced a groundout and picked up the save.
UTSA scored the first runs of game two in the fifth taking advantage of a throwing error by Barnhill and a hit by pitch to put two runners on to start the inning. Sophomore reliever Erin Tresselt spelled Barnhill after the hit batsman, but she issued a walk to rightfielder Kourtney Jones to load the bases. A fielder's choice cut down a Roadrunner at the plate, but the bases remained full for Sitka, who walked and forced Kim Chavez home. Jones then came home on a RBI single to the pitcher by Holmes, pushing the tally to 2-0.
The Longhorns pushed a run across in the sixth, taking advantage of Thrasher's one-out triple and an RBI single by freshman catcher Amy Hooks. Texas launched its seventh-inning rally when freshman leftfielder Shelby Savony tagged a leadoff double to left field. Williams scored Savony on her RBI single to centerfield and Thrasher moved Williams to second with a single of her own. Hooks followed Thrasher with a walk to load the bases, but Nickels came on to shut the door for UTSA and end the game, 3-2.
Texas returns to action at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 10 when it takes on UTSA in the rubber game of the three-game series.
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Connie Clark
On getting the season under way: It was great to be out here today, what beautiful weather for opening day. I really want to applaud the crowd; we love playing in front of a full house. I think the players enjoy that and I really think they helped us out. It was a great day for a double-header. We got the split, of course, but I thought we competed really well.
On Meagan's career-high day: She was just feeling it out there. She had to work through some things. UTSA is known for their good power hitting, and I thought they put good hacks on the ball today. She really made some adjustments as the game went on. She started with some of her strengths and then mixed some speed and showed them a bit of a different Meagan Denny in the middle innings and then she finished up with her strengths and I think that was significant to her success today.
SENIOR PITCHER Meagan Denny
On throwing a career-high 17 strikeouts: I really wanted to see if I could break my strikeout record and I'm really glad I did it today. I've got to say thanks to my catcher Kacie Gaskin. She and I were just on fire and on the same page the entire game. It was wonderful and the chemistry with the girls was absolutely perfect. We had a great first outing, so we were excited about that.
On what the team needs to improve on for tomorrow: We didn't quite get the outcome we wanted in the second game, but we competed throughout the entire game. Even on that last out Kacie [Gaskin] was legging it out down first base. It was so inspiring how she put that effort into it. I thought we kept working the full seven innings. It is not something we can hang our head about because we fought the entire way.
On how fun it was to finally start the season: It was so much fun to be back out here. At first, I don't want to say I was nervous, but I was a little anxious, and I'm pretty sure all of the other girls were too. That is just the way it happens, but we definitely have it out of us now and tomorrow we're going to come out full throttle.
JUNIOR CATCHER/OUTFIELDER Kacie Gaskin
On the excitement of starting the season: Oh man, I'm so excited to be back on this field with fans in the stands and it is great to be competing against somebody else.
On hitting the ball well today: I did. It was just one of those days when you see the ball and then hit the ball and good outcomes come - sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Unfortunately in the last at-bat, I hit the ball well, but it went straight to somebody. Hopefully I can continue to hit the ball well and it will fall in the gaps.
On what they have to prove tomorrow: I guess we have to come out tomorrow and just finish. We need to take the series and get that second wind. We competed well today, we just didn't get the outcome we wanted, so we'll come out tomorrow and play our hardest and hopefully it will go our way.
