The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Sam Houston State
Softball sweeps doubleheader against Sam Houston State
04.16.2008 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas Softball team used a pair of complete game performances by senior hurler Meagan Denny and freshman righthander Brittany Barnhill, Wednesday night as it swept a doubleheader from Sam Houston State. The Longhorns knocked off the Bearkats, 2-1 in the first game and posted a 4-0 shutout in the nightcap.
Texas' victories improved the Horns to 22-16-2 on the year, while Sam Houston State fell to 26-24. The Longhorns return to action at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17 when they play host to Big 12 Conference foe Texas Tech at McCombs Field.
In game one, Denny (15-5) tossed her 13th complete game of the season, scattering five hits, fanning 16 batters and walking none in 7.0 innings of work. Bearkats' starter Morgan Mikulin (14-10) suffered the loss after throwing 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out three.
Barnhill (6-9) earned the victory in the nightcap, tossing her second complete game shutout of her career, while allowing five hits, walking one and equaling a career-high with nine punchouts. Sam Houston State righthander Brandi Crnkovic (12-14) was saddled with the loss after giving up four runs on five hits in 6.0 innings of work.
Sophomore designated player Tallie Thrasher paced the Longhorns' offense in the game one win, recording three hits and one run scored. Junior first baseman Desiree Williams headlined the offense in the second game, going 2-for-2 with two RBI, a run scored and a walk.
Game 1: Texas 2, Sam Houston State 1
In the first, Texas leapt out to a quick 1-0 lead, using an RBI single down the leftfield line by junior second baseman Kelly Melone to score Thrasher. Sam Houston State responded with a run in the third, evening the game at one on a solo homer to left centerfield by centerfielder Hailey Wiginton. The Longhorns battled back to reclaim the lead in the fourth when sophomore outfielder Kori Cook launched the second home run of her career to give UT a 2-1 edge.
Game 2: Texas 4, Sam Houston State 0
The Longhorns got on the board in the second inning, taking advantage of a bases loaded two-run single by junior first baseman Desiree Williams that gave UT a 2-0 lead. Williams' single scored freshman leftfielder Amy Hooks who reached on a walk and junior third baseman Crystal Saenz who singled through the middle.
Texas added another run in the third, using a rally-starting double by Melone, a sacrifice bunt and a Bearkats error to push the lead to 3-0. The Longhorns moved their edge to four in the fifth, as Williams notched a leadoff walk, moved to third and came home on Melone's sacrifice fly to centerfield.
POSTGAME QUOTES
FRESHMAN PITCHER Brittany Barnhill
On her recent pitching: I've just been pitching everyday, just throwing it and just going after it. I try not to pitch around the other team too much because that's when I've been getting in trouble. You just have to let your defense play behind you, and that's what I did for the most part tonight. The strikeouts are just a plus.
On what she has been working on: There are always things that I can improve on. I just have to continue to work on keeping my 0-2 and 1-2 pitches off the plate and not put the ball in a position where it gives the batter a chance to hit. I just have to make sure that is the one thing I keep working on.
On her chemistry with Kacie Gaskin: She did an amazing job. We're really starting to gel, and it is late in the season. We're really starting to mesh and we're starting to be on the same page on every pitch, which is good.
SENIOR PITCHER Meagan Denny
On her pitching performance: I'm excited about not giving up a walk tonight. I'm very proud that I got 16 strikeouts. We all played calm tonight and we all worked well together. I'm very excited about having no walks and hopefully I can bring this into tomorrow. That is going to be my goal tomorrow as well, to not have any walks.
On keeping her composure in the circle: You can't stop what you are doing once you hit a few hiccups. You just have to get right back in the circle and keeping riding it. You have to get the negatives out of your head and focus on the positives. You have to visualize the things you want to happen, and the more you do that, the better the outcomes are.
On the pitcher-catcher chemistry: Mentally, I was pitch-for-pitch and Kacie [Gaskin] and I were just reading each other's minds. We had good pitcher-catcher chemistry tonight. Unfortunately, I gave up a home run, but I let it go and just went back after the next hitter.
HEAD COACH Connie Clark
On Texas Tech: We've played Texas Tech in Hawaii and beat them there, and then we lost to them at their place, so I think we're excited to have another shot at them. I don't think we played a very good ballgame at their place, and I don't think we played a very clean game. They are a good club and they are a pretty hot right now. Again, you have to take care of the ball when you play at home.
On Denny pitching on back-to-back nights: I think Meagan [Denny] is ready to go. She's hot right now and she is ready to take the team on her back. Seniors, this time of year, just have more of a sense of urgency, more so than the rest of the team, so she wants the ball and she is excited. She's going to get the ball tomorrow night and she's been making some good adjustments. If we need to go to Barnhill, she will be ready as well.
On playing five straight games at home: I think having five games at home, in such a short amount of time, is definitely a plus for us. We would like to get jump-started, stay hot and not be traveling in between. We really need to be taking care of the ball and take care of our home turf, because it's that significant time of season where we need to get on some sort of a roll. This group has not been on a roll yet, so three games in a row is a roll for them. I'd love to build on that for tomorrow and into the weekend.
