The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Tech
No. 5 Softball's record power strike downs Texas Tech, 15-2
04.22.2011 | Softball
April 22, 2011
LUBBOCK, Texas - The fifth-ranked Texas Softball team ripped a UT single-game record seven home runs and senior catcher Amy Hooks hammered a pair of long-balls to become the Horns' career homer leader in a 15-2, run-rule win over Texas Tech, Friday evening. The victory improved the Longhorns to 40-4 on the season and 10-0 in Big 12 play, while the Red Raiders dropped to 39-10 and 4-9 in league action.
The Longhorns had twice before hit five home runs in a game, but in their win over Tech they reached new ground, connecting for seven roundtrippers in 5.0 innings. Hooks tied the UT school record owned by Desiree Williams with her 33rd homer in the first and broke the record with a solo shot to lead off the third.
Hooks headlined the Texas order in the win, going 3-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs, while senior second baseman Raygan Feight notched a season-best 3-for-3 effort with two runs scored. Sophomore rightfielder Taylor Hoagland set a new career-high with her five RBI in the win and added a double, a home run a walk and three runs scored to her stat line.
Sophomore righthander Blaire Luna (23-2) notched the win in the circle for the Horns after allowing two runs on four hits, walking none and fanning seven in her 22nd complete game of the season. Texas Tech starter Kelsey Dennis (12-3) took the loss after surrendering four runs on six hits in two separate stints of work.
Texas jumped out to an early edge in the first when Hoagland drew a leadoff walk and came home on freshman shortstop Taylor Thom's two-run home run to left centerfield. Hooks followed Thom's blast with a long-ball of her own, roping a moon-shot to deep left field to put UT ahead, 3-0.
Tech answered with a single tally in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Logan Hall to cut the edge to two, but the Longhorns answered immediately with three more runs. In the second, Texas recorded three-straight singles to start the frame and with two on, Hoagland smashed a three-run homer to straightaway centerfield to give the Horns a 6-1 edge.
The Longhorns tacked on three more in the third, using a leadoff homer by Hooks to begin the inning and a two-run home run by junior designated player Courtney Craig to forge ahead 9-1.
In the fourth, Texas added a solo tally on sophomore leftfielder Torie Schmidt's RBI single to left field. The Red Raiders put another run on the board in the bottom of the fourth when first baseman Sandy James' solo homer narrowed the score to 10-2.
Texas erupted in the fifth, sending eight hitters to the plate to build its lead to 13. Pinch hitter Karina Scott and Feight led off the inning with back-to-back singles and Hoagland plated both runners with a double to the left field corner. Senior pinch hitter Shelby Savony followed Hoagland with a two-run home run to left center and junior third baseman Nadia Taylor added to the onslaught with a solo shot to centerfield that capped the scoring at 15-2.
Texas returns to action on Saturday, April 23 when it wraps up its two-game series with Texas Tech. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. Central.
POST-GAME NOTES
- The win improved Texas' all-time record against Texas Tech to 25-5 and 11-1 in Lubbock.
- Texas became just the second team in the NCAA this season to win 40 games with its victory.
- Texas' seven home runs in the game set a new UT single-game record for long-balls.
- Amy Hooks' two-run effort pushed her career homer total to 34 and made her the most prolific home run hitter in UT history. Hooks surpassed Desiree Williams (2005-2009) 33 career roundtrippers.
- Raygan Feight's three-hit outing was her first multi-hit game of 2011.
- Taylor Hoagland set a new career-high with her five-RBI performance in the win.
