The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Barnhill notches two wins in Softball's sweep of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
04.02.2009 | Softball
April 2, 2009
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
AUSTIN, Texas -- Sophomore righthander Brittany Barnhill notched two victories in the circle and plated both game winning runs in No. 22 Texas' 6-5 and 4-3 doubleheader sweep of Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Thursday night. Barnhill's walk-off homer lifted UT to a win in game one and in the nightcap she scored the game-winner in international tie-break play. The wins equaled UT's win total from 2008 and improved the Horns to 29-11 on the year, while the Islanders dropped to 14-27.
Barnhill (17-6) earned the win in game one after throwing 2.0 innings of one-hit scoreless relief and picked up the victory in game two after firing 1.0 inning of no-hit softball. Junior righthander Torrey Schroeder threw the first 5.0 innings for UT in game one, scattering five runs on seven hits, while junior righthander Erin Tresselt started game two and threw the first 7.0 innings, giving up three runs on six hits.
TAMUCC starter Addie Tallman (11-11) suffered the loss in game one, tossing 6.0 innings and allowing six runs on 14 hits. Game two starter, Margo Hurdt (0-2) was saddled with the loss in the nightcap, throwing 7.0 innings, surrendering four runs on 12 hits and walking five.
Barnhill helped her own cause in game one with her homer, but in game two she needed some help after starting the eighth inning on second base. The sophomore advanced to third on a sacrifice by senior leftfielder Crystal Saenz and came home on junior centerfielder Brittany Chalk's RBI single to centerfield.
Freshman shortstop Lexy Bennett, freshman rightfielder Courtney Craig and sophomore catcher Amy Hooks headlined the Horns' offense on the night, each registering two hits per-game, while Craig also scored two runs.
Texas returns to action on Saturday, April 4 when it hosts game one of a two-game series with Iowa State. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Central.
Game 1: Texas 6, Texas A&M CC 5
The Islanders jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first, taking advantage of four hits, a walk and one UT error. Second baseman Cassie Redman led off with a walk and after the error on Larissa Martin's groundball, both runners moved into scoring position. An RBI single by Stephanie Estrada plated Redman and an RBI single by Alaina Byars scored Martin. Leftfielder Kim Connelly's RBI fielder's choice pushed the third run across and a one-run single by Sandy Schumann moved the tally to 4-0.
Texas bounced back in the home half of the first with two runs, setting the table with a leadoff single by senior first baseman Desiree Williams and a hit-by-pitch. Freshman third baseman Nadia Taylor brought both runners home with a two-run double to right centerfield that shrank the lead to 4-2.
The Horns added a run in the third when junior second baseman Loryn Johnson reached on a single and scored on Craig's RBI single. The Islanders stretched the lead back to two when a solo homer by Estrada moved the margin to 5-3.
Texas evened the score at five in the fifth when Taylor and Craig notched back-to-back singles and both moved into scoring position on a TAMUCC error. Taylor came home on a Tallman wild pitch and Craig tied the game at five when she scored on an RBI single by Barnhill
Barnhill helped her own cause in the seventh when she lifted the Horns to a 6-5 victory with a walk-off solo homer.
Game 2: Texas 4, Texas A&M CC 3
Texas grabbed an early lead in the nightcap when Williams led off the first with a walk and after stealing second, came home on Johnson's RBI single. The Islanders evened the score at one in the third, manufacturing a run via a walk, sacrifice bunt and a UT throwing error.
TAMUCC forged ahead in the fifth, using a single by centerfielder Andrea Simancas to set the table before a pair of Texas errors allowed her to score and move the tally to 2-1. The Horns responded in the sixth with a leadoff bunt single by Craig and an RBI single by Chalk that evened the score at two.
The Islanders regained the lead in the seventh when an RBI single by Martin gave TAMUCC a 3-2 lead. Texas answered immediately in the bottom of the frame, receiving a leadoff double from Bennett before an RBI single by Johnson tied the game at three.
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Connie Clark
On winning one-run games: As long as we get the W somehow, some way I guess any kind of win is good. When you have to come from behind like that, I think it helps build confidence in that the game is never out of reach and it's never out of hand and we have some of those. You kind of get that under your belt and you continue to feel like you can compete regardless of what's on the scoreboard. From that standpoint in building character, I think that's tremendous.
On the pitching efforts of Torrey Schroeder and Erin Tresselt: We're working through some things with Torrey, just some mechanical things. We've been trying to look at some film and break some things down. I thought in regards to the two main things mechanically, she did a really nice job tonight. I think she settled in better after the initial inning. Also, we didn't get some help on defense so we kind of helped open that up a little bit. Erin, she was nails. She did a great job tonight. She just goes right at people and I thought she threw a lot of different speeds with a lot of different looks she gave them tonight. It was tremendous.
On Brittany Chalk's effort in game two: I thought she was great. She's really made some adjustments in practice and has been working through some things. We have a lot of depth and she got a lot of starts early in the season and then (Crystal) Saenz has been back in there. I pulled Chalk aside and said opportunities are going to happen, it's just the nature of the beast. She was feeling good. We knew coming into tonight with the doubleheader she was going to get a start in at least in one of them. She took advantage of her opportunities so it was good to see.
SOPHOMORE OF Brittany Chalk
On her performance: It felt great to come out. I haven't been playing in a while so I was just trying to not do too much and just do something for my team. It felt great.
On her game-winning hit in game 2: I was just looking for something outside to score (Brittany Barnhill) or a deep fly ball. I wasn't trying to do too much. I just wanted to bring BB home.
On the team's current six-game winning streak: It feels great. This whole season has been a rollercoaster and we knew it was going to be. We knew it's not how we're going to start it but how we're going to finish it. Right now we're just riding the high and trying to rack up the wins and just keep pushing.
JUNIOR P Brittany Barnhill
On the team's current six-game winning streak: We're playing really well. I would say our offense is doing great, and they are. They keep doing exactly what they're supposed to be doing. We're scoring a lot of runs and it makes it a lot of fun. I like to say that we like to win without making it dramatic, but obviously tonight we liked to make it a little dramatic. Right now we're just playing really well and hitting the ball really well.
On the team's pitching effort Thursday: Torrey (Schroeder) did a great job after a rough first inning in the the first game. She kept them off balance. She did exactly what she needed to do. She's getting exactly where she wants to be right now. Erin (Tresselt) is also just doing awesome. I think our staff is one of the best that I know of and I think that to do well in this conference we're going to have to use everybody, and I think that we have a really good staff to do that with.
