The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M
Softball falls to No. 5 Texas A&M, 3-1
04.09.2008 | Softball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas sophomore shortstop Loryn Johnson smashed her 10th home run of the season and extended her career-best hitting streak to 10 games, but the Longhorns dropped game one of their State Farm Lone Star Showdown season series to the fifth-ranked Aggies, 3-1, Wednesday night at McCombs Field.
Texas' loss dropped the Horns to 19-15-2 on the year and 5-4 in the Big 12, while Texas A&M improved its record to 37-6 and 9-0 in league play. Longhorns' starter Brittany Barnhill (5-8) was saddled with the loss after tossing her third straight complete game, going 7.0 innings, scattering three runs on seven hits, walking three and fanning four. Aggies' righthander Megan Gibson (23-0) earned the victory, throwing a complete game, three-hitter, fanning 12 and surrendering zero walks.
Texas A&M jumped out to a 1-0 edge in the first, taking advantage of three free passes, including a bases loaded plunking of rightfielder Holly Ridley that allowed Natalie Villarreal to score.
The Longhorns evened the tally at one in the fourth on Johnson's home run to left centerfield.
In the fifth, Texas A&M rallied for a pair of runs to reclaim the advantage, using a leadoff walk by Gibson and a two-run homer by Ridley to take a 3-1 edge.
The A&M victory earned the Aggies a half-point in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown series and moved the season tally to 7-4.5 in favor of the Aggies.
The Longhorns return to action at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 12 when they travel to Lawrence, Kan. to take on Kansas in a two-game Big 12 Conference series.
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Connie Clark
On tonight's performance: It was a good battle, but we just came up short. I thought we competed pretty well, and we were in the game the entire time. We had opportunities down the stretch, with the tying run on second and a runner on third, but we didn't quite get it done. I'm really proud of [Brittany] Barnhill. She and Kacie [Gaskin] had a good plan going into the game and I thought they executed that. Barnhill is just getting better and better and it was fun to see her compete against a big rival tonight in A&M.
On the mentality of the team right now: I think it is pretty good, to be honest. We have been up and down, but we have been talking to the team about now being grind time. We have a lot of games coming up, so my commitment to them is to instill some fun into practice. When you get to this time of the season and you are grinding like this, you have to make it fun to come out to the ballpark every day.
SOPHOMORE SHORTSTOP Loryn Johnson
On her home run: I went in there with the game plan that my teammates and I have been practicing. We knew what she was going to throw us and we had to make adjustments with the ball. She does a great job getting her spots so I was just up there swinging, trying to get the first hit. She kept us off balance all night, so credit them for doing what they needed to do to be on top. She had a great pitch and I had a great swing so, that's just the luck of the game.
On playing a rival: It's always going to be a good game but it's always great to come out with a win. They're a great team and I think we battled, I'm disappointed to come out with the loss, but that's just how it is.
On the mentality of the team right now: We're just trying to get some consistency in the way we play. We can't let one loss get us down, because we still have a lot of ball games left and a lot of opportunities to win.
FRESHMAN PITCHER Brittany Barnhill
On her mentality after hitting a batter which brought in a run: After I hit her I just had to go back and remind myself that they are just like any other team, and you can't give them runs because they are going to earn them themselves. I just tried to calm down and go straight after them.
On the home run she gave up: You have to give her complete credit for the home run because that ball was a change up in the dirt at her feet, and she just somehow got a piece of it. Sometimes good hitters do that, so I've got to get used to that. I think that was a good hit, so congratulations to her.
On if she thought this was her best game yet: If we're basing it on pitching performance then I would say yes, especially because of the caliber of players we were going up against. That is not to take anything away from other teams at all, but we always get up for A&M and you want to do your best.
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