The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
No. 4 Michigan
No. 15 Softball upends No. 4 Michigan, 5-2
03.20.2010 | Softball
March 20, 2010
FULLERTON, Calif. -- The No. 15 Texas Softball team used a stellar pitching performance by freshman righthander Blaire Luna to knock off No. 4 Michigan, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at the Judi Garman Classic. The victory improved the Longhorns to 23-5 on the year, while the Wolverines fell to 21-5 overall.
Luna (12-3) earned the win after tossing a complete game two-hitter and striking out five. Michigan starter Taylor Jordan (12-2) suffered the loss after being marred by 33 illegal pitches. She fired 7.0 innings, surrendering five runs on 10 hits, walking five and fanning eight.
Texas got on the board quick in the first, using a leadoff walk by sophomore first baseman Lexy Bennett to start the rally and a two-run home run by junior catcher Amy Hooks to take a 2-0 lead.
The Horns added another run in the second, taking advantage of a one-out single by junior second baseman Raygan Feight to get things going. Feight advanced to second on an illegal pitch, moved to third on a sacrifice and came home on another illegal pitch.
In the fourth, freshman rightfielder Taylor Hoagland connected for a one-out single, moved to second on a botched double-steal attempt and came home on Bennett's RBI single.
Michigan answered with one run in the bottom of the fourth, putting its first two runners on courtesy of a walk and a hit-by-pitch. A fielder's choice and an error allowed Dorian Shaw to move to third and an RBI fielder's choice by Nikki Nemitz pushed her across.
The Longhorns responded in the fifth with a single tally that widened the UT lead to 5-1. Hooks led off the frame with a walk, moved to second on a single by senior pinch hitter Tallie Thrasher and stole third before an errant throw by the catcher allowed her to score.
The Wolverines mounted a two-out rally in the seventh, drawing back-to-back walks and scoring a single run when Roya St. Clair reached on an error.
Feight, Hoagland, Hooks and sophomore third baseman Nadia Taylor headlined the UT offense in the game with two hits apiece, while Hooks added two runs scored, two RBI, a stolen base and a walk. Hoagland's single in the second inning extended her team-best hitting streak to 15 games. Her hitting streak ties for the second-best in school history and is one off the school record of 16 set by Lindsay Gardner in 2000.
Texas wraps up play at the Judi Garman Classic on Sunday, March 21 when it takes on No. 23 Louisville at 11 a.m. Central.
