The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M
Softball powers past No. 19 Texas A&M in State Farm Lone Star Showdown
04.01.2009 | Softball
April 1, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The University of Texas softball team used a pair of two-run homers in the fifth from senior first baseman Desiree Williams and junior designated player Loryn Johnson to knock off No. 19 Texas A&M, 5-3, Wednesday night. The Longhorns victory improved UT to 27-11 on the year and 5-1 in the Big 12, while the Aggies fell to 23-12 and 1-2 in league action.
Texas' win extended the Horns' lead in the 2009 State Farm Lone Star Showdown to 8.5-to-4.0. The Longhorns need to earn another 1.5 points to clinch this year's Showdown trophy.
Texas sophomore starter Brittany Barnhill (15-6) picked up the victory for the Horns, tossing a complete game, scattering three runs on eight hits, walking none and fanning a career-best 11 batters. Texas A&M righthander Rhiannon Kliesing (14-8) was saddled with the loss after allowing five run on eight hits in 7.0 innings of work.
The Longhorns jumped out to a quick 1-0 edge in the first, using a leadoff hit-by-pitch by Williams to start the frame. Williams stole second and came home quickly on freshman shortstop Lexy Bennett's RBI double to left centerfield.
Texas A&M centerfielder Kelsea Orsak helped get things going for the Aggies in the third with a one-out bunt single. Orsak stole second and then came around to score on an RBI single by Kliesing, evening the game at 1-1. The Aggies took a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the fourth when catcher Erin Glasco led off with a single and pinch runner Andrea Tovar came home on a run-scoring single by rightfielder Bailey Schroeder.
Texas answered the A&M rally in the fifth, using four hits and one Aggie miscue to take a 5-2 advantage. Senior centerfielder Kacie Gaskin reached on an error to start the frame and Williams blasted her 10th home run of the season to put UT ahead, 3-2. Bennett followed with her third hit of the game before Johnson connected for a two-run homer to left centerfield that pushed the UT edge to three.
The Aggies closed the Horns' lead to two in the sixth when Kliesing helped her own cause with a solo homer to right centerfield that moved the tally to 5-3.
Bennett led the Longhorns offense on the night with three hits and a walk, while Williams added two RBI and two runs scored.
Texas returns to action on Thursday, April 2 when it hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a doubleheader. First pitch of the game is set for 4 p.m.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Texas' victory evened the all-time series with Texas A&M at 16-16.
- The win was Texas' first victory in College Station since its 1-0 win on April 26, 2006.
- Desiree Williams' home run in the fifth pushed her UT career home run record total to 31.
- Lexy Bennett equaled a career-best against the Aggies with her three-hit effort.
- Brittany Barnhill's 11 strikeouts against Texas A&M equaled a career-best and marked the third-time she has registered a double-digit strikeout total this season.
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Connie Clark
On the win: Texas A&M is a great team and picking up a Big 12 win against one of our biggest rivals is always fun. I think any time that you grab a win on the road in the Big 12 it is significant and to do it here is even more significant. I thought we were very mentally tough in some tight situations tonight and we stayed very poised.
On Brittany Barnhill's performance: I thought she did a great job. She keeps getting better and getting tougher mentally. She is building up a lot of confidence and it has been a big goal of hers to go right at people. I'm not surprised that her strikeout totals are going up now because she is mixing speeds more effectively and she is going right at batters.
On Lexy Bennett's hitting: Lexy is outstanding. She has been consistent since day one. It is fun to see a Texas recruit go against her in-state rival and have a big night. She really set the tone for us with her RBI double in the first inning.
SOPHOMORE P Brittany Barnhill
On her performance: I felt pretty bad early today and I was pretty sick. I knew coming in that I could not let that effect me on the field. You always know that the crowd here is going to be pretty rough, but it is part of the game and that really adds to my fire. I knew that I had to put everything else aside and that I just needed to focus on getting ground balls and taking care of business.
On what worked well for her against the Aggies: Against a great team like Texas A&M you need a little bit of everything. Mixing speeds helps and hitting your spots is always good. I think I just came in and went right after people. You can't be intimidated by anyone. You have to get them to ground out, fly out or occasionally strike out.
