The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Cal State Fullerton
No. 12 Softball blanks Cal State Fullerton, 5-0
03.19.2011 | Softball
March 19, 2011
FULLERTON, Calif. - Sophomore righthander Blaire Luna turned in her ninth shutout performance of the season as she tossed a one-hitter in the 12th-ranked Texas Softball team's 5-0 win over Cal State Fullerton at the Judi Garman Classic. The victory improved the Horns to 23-3 on the season and dropped the Titans to 8-14.
Luna (14-2) fired her third-straight complete-game shutout in the win, allowing one hit on a bunt, walking one and fanning 10. The Austin, Texas, native has now thrown her last 26.0 innings without allowing a run. Fullerton starter Ari Cervantes (7-8) gave up five runs on nine hits, while walking one and striking out three in the losing effort.
Sophomore leftfielder Torie Schmidt and freshman shortstop Taylor Thom once again anchored the Texas offense, with Schmidt going 2-for-3 with a run scored and one RBI and Thom notching a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly. The game marked the fourth-straight multi-hit game for Schmidt and the fourth-straight multi-RBI game for Thom.
In the second, Schmidt, freshman designated player Karina Scott and senior second baseman Raygan Feight recorded back-to-back-to-back one-out singles to jumpstart the Texas offense. A sacrifice fly to deep centerfield by freshman shortstop Taylor Thom plated Schmidt and gave UT an early 1-0 edge.
The Horns added another run in the third, when junior first baseman Lexy Bennett was hit by a pitch to start the frame and after a pair of groundouts came home on an RBI single by Schmidt.
Texas ballooned its lead to 4-0 in the fourth, taking advantage of a leadoff walk by Feight and a towering home run down the leftfield line by Thom. Her blast was her seventh of the season and her third of the tourney.
A one-out line-drive solo homer by Bennett added an insurance run to the Horns total in the seventh and widened the margin to five.
Bennett and sophomore rightfielder Taylor Hoagland each recorded two hits on the day, with Bennett also scoring a pair of runs.
Texas concludes play at the Judi Garman Classic on Sunday, March 20 when it takes on New Mexico. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. Central.
