The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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Kansas
No. 17 Softball upends Kansas, 7-0
04.02.2010 | Softball
April 2, 2010
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The No. 17 Texas Softball team used a complete-game shutout pitching performance by freshman righthander Blaire Luna as it ousted Kansas, 7-0, Friday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark. The victory improved the Longhorns to 30-8 and 3-0 in Big 12 play, while the Jayhawks dropped to 16-18 and 0-3 in league action.
Luna (17-4) picked up the victory after firing 7.0 scoreless innings, scattering three hits, walking two and fanning 14. Her shutout extended her career-best scoreless innings pitched streak to 22.2 innings. Kansas starter Alex Jones (5-5) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on 13 hits, walking two and striking out three in 6.1 innings of work.
Texas got on the board in the second when sophomore centerfielder Courtney Craig slammed her ninth home run of the season and third of the week - a solo shot to right centerfield - to give the Horns a 1-0 edge.
The Longhorns started the third with three straight hits by sophomore first baseman Lexy Bennett, sophomore third baseman Nadia Taylor and junior catcher Amy Hooks. Kansas retired the next two batters with the bases loaded before a passed ball allowed Bennett to race home. Junior second baseman Raygan Feight plated the other two runners with a two-run single to right centerfield that moved the score to 4-0.
The Horns extended the margin in the seventh, using back-to-back singles by Taylor and Hooks to start the frame and an RBI double by junior designated player Shelby Savony to push the lead to 5-0. Feight followed with a two-run single that scored Hooks and Savony and ballooned the advantage to 7-0.
Taylor headlined the Texas offense on the day, equaling a UT single-game record with four hits, while scoring a pair of runs. Feight was 2-for-4 on the afternoon and posted a game-high four RBI.
Texas wraps up its two-game series with Kansas on Saturday, April 3. First pitch is slated for Noon Central.
POST-GAME NOTES
- Texas' win improved its all-time record against Kansas to 16-12 and extended its winning streak against the Jayhawks to four games.
- Texas' win was its 30th of the season, marking the fastest it has earned 30 wins since the 2006 season when it won 30 of its first 33 games.
- Nadia Taylor's four-hit performance tied the UT single-game record for hits in a game. Taylor is one of 10 Longhorns to accomplish the feat and the second this season (Raygan Feight vs. Iowa State on Feb. 20, 2010)
- Blaire Luna has now thrown 22.2 consecutive scoreless innings, dating back to the second inning of her outing against Nebraska (March 28, 2010)
- Luna's victory was the 17th of her career and gave her sole possession of 10th place on the all-time Texas charts. She is one victory shy of tying for ninth place with Christy Guidorizzi (18 / 1997-98)
POST-GAME QUOTES
Head coach Connie Clark
On winning on the road and staying unbeaten in Big 12 play: It's nice to win on the road. It is always a little more of a challenge to win on the road in a conference with so much parody. I talked to the team about our great energy at practice yesterday and they brought that out on the field today. It is kind of a loose intensity with a lot of energy. I think we had a great mindset going into today.
On the team's complete performance: The offense was tremendous in not trying to do too much and driving the ball the other way. That was due to what the pitchers were showing us, we got the ball middle to outside and our hitters did a great job of taking what they gave us and hitting it the other way. I thought we did as good a job of doing that today as we have all year. That definitely set the tone offensively. In the circle, Blaire (Luna) has had a specific goal of eliminating free passes and I felt like she did a nice job today for the second straight time out of working on that specific piece. We are also getting great defense, staying calm and playing pitch-to-pitch.
On Blaire Luna's renewed confidence: Everybody has a lot of confidence in Blaire. The defense and the coaching staff have a lot of confidence in her. What I really like is the fact that she continues to get better. I think the ebbs and flows from the last couple of weeks have been a learning piece for her. She is learning how to handle academics, resting the body and getting herself ready to go through the grind. I think she has gotten through some of those things now. She has made some changes mechanically, but it has been more about her getting rested and focusing on staying pitch-to-pitch. When she stays pitch-to-pitch she is as good as anybody in the country.
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