The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Cal State Fullerton
Softball defeats Cal State Fullerton, 23-0, in season opener
02.09.2012 | Softball
Feb. 9, 2012
Final Stats |
| Box Score 
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas Softball team used dominating efforts in the circle and at the plate en route to a 23-0 victory against Cal State Fullerton in the 2012 season opener on Thursday night at Red and Charline McCombs Field. The 23 runs during the five-inning win marked a UT single-game record, topping the previous record that was set in a 17-0 five-inning win at UTSA on April 13, 1999.
Junior Blaire Luna (1-0) earned the win in the circle for the Horns, tossing a complete-game shutout and allowing two hits while striking out 12 and walking one. Luna, a two-time second-team All-American, recorded her 28th career shutout to move into second place on the UT career charts. She fanned eight of the first 10 batters she faced and did not surrender a hit until the top of the fourth, when Nicole Johnson led off the frame with a single to left field. The only other hit Luna allowed came on an infield single by Ashley Carter with two out in the fifth.
Junior Aly Fascetti (0-1) took the loss for the Titans, pitching 3.0 innings and surrendering 20 runs (19 earned) on 15 hits while walking four. Desiree Ybarra worked the fourth inning and allowed three runs (all unearned) on two hits while striking out one and walking one.
Texas took command early with three runs in the bottom of the first. After back-to-back walks by Taylor Hoagland and Brejae Washington to open the frame, Lexy Bennett hit an RBI single to plate Hoagland. Torie Schmidt lined a two-out, two-run triple to left field to bring home Washington and Bennett and give the Longhorns a 3-0 advantage.
UT blew the game open with nine runs on eight hits in the second. After consecutive singles by Mandy Ogle and Gabby Smith, Hoagland hit a towering shot over the wall in center field to build a 6-0 cushion. Washington reached on a bunt single and stole second, and a Bennett single advanced Washington to third. Washington then scored on a Nadia Taylor RBI groundout to increase the margin to 7-0. Taylor Thom continued the frame with a single, before Schmidt added a two-run double that plated Bennett and Thom to give Texas a 9-0 advantage. After Kim Bruins was hit-by-pitch, Ogle hit a three-run homer to left field to build a 12-0 cushion.
Texas added eight runs on five hits in the third. With one out and the bases loaded, Kim Bruins was hit-by-pitch to bring home Taylor. Ogle then added an RBI single to plate both Thom and Schmidt (who was ruled safe on an obstruction call on the catcher) to push the lead to 15-0. Smith reached on an RBI fielder's choice to plate Bruins. With two out, Washington added a two-run single and Bennett followed with a two-run homer to center field to extend the cushion to 20-0.
The Horns closed out the scoring with three runs on two hits in the fourth. With one out and the bases loaded, Schmidt scored from third on a Marlee Gabaldon RBI fielder's choice, and Washington added a two-run triple to center that plated Bruins and Gabaldon.
POSTGAME NOTES
- The Longhorns improved to a perfect 16-0 in season openers, including a 10-0 record when opening the year at home.
- UT set a team single-game record for most runs scored. The previous mark came in a 17-0 (5-inning) victory in the first game of a doubleheader at UTSA on April 13, 1999.
- Texas recorded its most runs in a season opener in school history. The previous mark came in a 10-0 (5-inning) victory in the first game of a doubleheader at St. Edward's on Feb. 4, 1998.
- With three RBI, Lexy Bennett moved into a tie for sixth place on the UT career RBI chart (101).
- Lexy Bennett recorded her 24th career home run in the bottom of the third inning (seventh in UT history).
- Taylor Hoagland posted her 42nd career stolen base (eighth in UT history).
- Taylor Hoagland registered her 27th career home run in the bottom of the second inning (fifth in UT history).
- Blaire Luna recorded her 28th career shutout (second in UT history).
- Mandy Ogle posted her second career home run in the bottom of the second inning.
- Mandy Ogle set career highs in RBI (four), hits (3-for-3) and runs scored (three). She had six RBI in 28 games last season.
- Torie Schmidt set a career high in RBI (four), hits (4-for-4) and runs scored (three).
- Brejae Washington tied career highs in RBI (four), hits (3-for-4) and runs scored (three).
- Brejae Washington posted her 39th career stolen base (tied for ninth in UT history).
POSTGAME QUOTES
Head coach Connie Clark
On her expectations for the team heading into tonight's game: I really didn't know what to expect. I felt confident that we were going to play well and I believe in our team. We have tremendous talent, but we have talked about how it is the mental pieces. It's putting the bunts down, because as we get down to the final stretch, we have to make that happen off the best pitching in the country.
On maintaining momentum through roster switches: It was nice to get some other athletes in the game. I didn't want to switch up the battery at all until that one hit dropped in there and we were able to go to Krissie [Fountain] and get her a little work behind the plate. It's nice when you have an opportunity to do that, but there are some things to work on. I liked that we stayed focused. Sometimes your focus tends to wane in games like that, but I thought our energy and our focus stayed very consistent.
Sophomore C Mandy Ogle
On preparing for closer future games: We know we have to pick it up when the pace of the game gets quicker. We were just having fun and playing with heart tonight. We've been working on seeing live pitching. We scrimmage a lot during practice and it is all about seeing as many pitches as we can now that the season has started.
On the team's attitude heading into the season opener: Everyone was pumped up. We were all cheering [today] and we couldn't focus in study hall. We wanted to get the season rolling because we are excited about this year.
