The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Louisville
No. 15 Softball downs Louisville, claims tourney crown
02.13.2011 | Softball
Feb. 13, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas - The 15th-ranked Texas Softball team used a three-hit, four-RBI effort by sophomore rightfielder Taylor Hoagland to roll past Louisville, 14-4 in the Texas Classic championship game, Sunday afternoon. The victory improved the Longhorns to 5-0 on the year and dropped the Cardinals to 3-2.
Hoagland continued her hot pace in the victory, coming up a double shy of the cycle after connecting for a grand slam, a triple and a single. The sophomore finished the weekend with a .667 average (10-for-15), 11 runs scored, four home runs, two triples and 11 RBI. She is currently riding a 16-game hitting streak that dates back to last season and ties for the second-longest streak in UT history.
Sophomore righthander Blaire Luna (3-0) earned the win in the circle for UT, firing her third-straight complete game and allowing four runs on seven hits, while fanning four. Louisville starter Chelsea Leonard (1-1) was saddled with the loss after leaving the game in the first inning with an injury. Leonard allowed four runs on three hits to the four batters she faced.
Texas got things going at the plate early on, using back-to-back singles by Hoagland and junior first baseman Lexy Bennett to start the frame. A Louisville error on a UT sacrifice bunt attempt loaded the bases and an RBI single by senior catcher Amy Hooks scored Hoagland. A Cardinals' error scored Bennett and a wild pitch allowed junior third baseman Nadia Taylor to come home. Consecutive RBI doubles by sophomore designated player Kim Bruins and freshman shortstop Taylor Thom scored two more runs and moved the Texas edge to 5-0.
The Cardinals narrowed the margin to two with three runs in the second on a three-run homer by Taner Fowler. The Horns answered quickly by pushing nine runs across on eight hits in the bottom of the second to widen the gap to 14-3. Hoagland tripled to right center to start the inning and an RBI double by Bennett brought her home. A pair of two-run homers by Taylor and Thom added four more runs before Hoagland smashed a grand slam over the leftfield wall to push the lead to 11.
Louisville added a single tally in the third when Chelsea Bemis was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Bennett, Hooks, Thom and sophomore leftfielder Torie Schmidt each posted a two-hit outing, while Thom added three RBI.
Texas returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 17 when it hosts Wisconsin in the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
POST-GAME NOTES
- Texas' win over Louisville improved its all-time record against the Cardinals to 2-1
- Blaire Luna's complete game victory marked her 33rd career win and her 31st career complete game.
- Taylor Hoagland's three-hit effort extended her hitting streak to 165 games. She ended the 2010 campaign riding an 11-game hitting streak. Her current streak ties for second-longest in UT history with Lindsay Gardner's streak of 16 games in 2000. Hoagland's streak of 21 games in 2010 is the longest ever by a Longhorn.
- Texas averaged 9.6 runs per-game in its five victories at the Texas Classic.
- All nine Texas starters recorded a hit in its victory over Louisville.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Head coach Connie Clark
On Texas' success this weekend: It was a good weekend all the way around. This group is obviously very focused on finishing. We'll talk a lot about that through the year, so it's good to be able to talk about that today and get the outcome. It was a great start, and not necessarily because of the outcome but because of how we got the outcomes. Two of the games were out of hand a little bit but two of them were pretty tight in some ways and made us work through some things. I think that's always good. To see our athletes have to come up with some big plays when they needed to and try to take the momentum back from the other team were things that we were looking for. That was something we were able to see this weekend and I think that's helpful for the big picture.
On the offensive production this weekend: The hitters were amazing this weekend and it's just a solid lineup all the way through and then some. Courtney Craig is hurt and still not even an option offensively, so we're very excited about the offense and the weapons that we have and being able to spread it around. Obviously a couple of them really jumped out, namely Taylor Hoagland. She was absolutely amazing this weekend.
On Taylor Hoagland's offensive success this weekend: She is so strong. We get to see it at practice of course. She runs so well and she's so strong. She's just an amazingly gifted athlete and has a great approach to the game and to life. You just love to see her get the outcomes because she puts the time in and does things the right way.
Sophomore rightfielder Taylor Hoagland
On her offensive success this weekend: There is no secret, really. It was all out on the table, just getting to that next pitch really dialed in and staying focused. I'm not exactly trying to hit home runs, but if they come that is great.
On starting the season 4-0 and winning the Texas Classic: I think it was a great start to our season. Our team intensity was up and I think it's going to be a good year for us. I think our offense was impeccable this weekend. Our defense did good and we have some things to work on, but our offense definitely shined through this weekend.
On being strong offensively throughout the lineup: I think for our opponents, it makes them realize that our best hitter isn't the number one hitter, but that we're good all the way through the lineup.
Junior third baseman Nadia Taylor
On the offensive success for Texas today: It was an offensive explosion. The team was great. One-through-nine, everyone got a hit. Everyone stayed focused and we made sure we stayed on the gas. We never let up and I think as a group our goal was to finish strong and we did that. I never doubted my team. I knew that we had the offensive power.
On starting the season 5-0 and winning the Texas Classic: It feels really good. As a group, we came out and we wanted to make a statement and I feel like we did that. As a group we make sure we stay positive. We wanted to finish the tournament undefeated and we did that.
On Taylor Hoagland's offensive success to start the season: Taylor's been great. She's been staying focused and we couldn't ask for a better leadoff hitter because she sees a lot of pitches and then she comes back and returns the information to the rest of the group. She's an awesome leadoff hitter and we're excited about it. It sets the tone. If you can lead off the game with a home run or a runner on base, it sets you up. That puts the momentum on our back to continue to push forward.
