The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas State
No. 8 Softball upends Texas State, 6-2
03.30.2011 | Softball
March 30, 2011
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The eighth-ranked Texas Softball team connected for 12 hits and four home runs and improved its season-best winning streak to 13 games as it downed Texas State, 6-2, Wednesday night. The victory improved the Longhorns to 29-3 on the season and dropped the Bobcats to 15-18.
Freshman righthander Rachel Fox (12-1) notched the victory after allowing one run on four hits and fanning three in 4.0 innings of work. Reliever Kim Bruins fired the final three frames, giving up one run on one hit, walking one and striking out one. Texas State starter Chandler Hall (8-12) took the loss, surrendering six runs on 10 hits and striking out three in 3.2 innings.
In the second, the Bobcats used a leadoff double by designated player McKenzie Baack to ignite a rally and plate the game's first run. A passed ball moved pinch runner Jordan Masek to third and set the table for an RBI squeeze bunt by Allyce Rother that gave Texas State a 1-0 edge.
Texas answered quickly in the third as junior first baseman Lexy Bennett reached on a fielder's choice and came home when senior catcher Amy Hooks ripped a line drive homer to leftfield to put the Horns ahead, 2-1.
In the fourth, junior designated player Courtney Craig led off the frame with her first homer of the season to push the lead to two. After a foul out, freshman shortstop Taylor Thom blasted a solo homer to leftfield to extend the margin to three. Sophomore rightfielder Taylor Hoagland followed with a single and a two-run home run by Bennett emptied the bases and put the Horns in front, 6-1.
Texas State added a second tally in the sixth, taking advantage of a Texas error to extend the inning and an RBI single down the leftfield line by Rother to close the gap to 6-2.
Texas returns to action on Saturday, April 2 when it travels to Oklahoma State. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. Central.
POST-GAME NOTES
- Texas' win improved its all-time record against Texas State to 26-9 and 11-3 in San Marcos.
- Amy Hooks' homer in the third was her fifth of the season and pushed her career total to 28.
- Lexy Bennett's home run in the fourth was her sixth of the season and improved her career total to 20, a mark which ties for sixth-best all-time at Texas.
- Courtney Craig's roundtripper marked her first longball of the season and moved her career homer total to 19, which ties best for eighth all-time at UT.
