The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
California
No. 6 Softball splits doubleheader in Honolulu
03.16.2012 | Softball
March 16, 2012
Game 1 Box Score vs. Marist
Game 2 Box Score vs. California
HONOLULU - Jolene Henderson earned the save Thursday with the bases loaded in the seventh as the No. 2 California Golden Bears held on for the 6-3 win over the No. 6 Texas Longhorns. The loss snapped the Longhorns' season-high 12-game winning streak as part of today's doubleheader at the Spring Fling Tournament.
Texas (22-2) was able to rally in the bottom of the seventh after trailing 6-3 with three consecutive singles from Taylor Hoagland, Brejae Washington and Lexy Bennett. After Henderson entered and gave up the single to Bennett, she struck out Courtney Craig and Taylor Thom before getting Nadia Taylor to ground out to end the game.
Cal (23-1) knocked out Texas ace Blaire Luna, who suffered her first loss of the season, in the fourth. Luna gave up a season-high six runs on seven hits in just three innings with three walks and four strikeouts. Rachel Fox relieved Luna, got an out when Britt Vonk was thrown out at second on a steal attempt and then retired 11 straight Golden Bears for four perfect innings.
Valerie Arioto (10-0) dealt the first blow for Cal with a two-run homer in the first to left. Cal stayed in the lead when Bennett struck out as Washington was thrown out at second for the inning-ending double play. Frani Echavarria would capitalize with a two-run single in the Cal second as the Golden Bears took the 4-0 lead.
Texas would cut the lead in half in the second. With Craig at first, Thom hit a single to left that went between Breana Kostreba's legs. Her ensuing errant throw allowed Thom to score as Kostreba's two errors made it a 4-2 contest. Echavarria doubled to start the fourth, followed by Jamia Reid's bunt single. Vonk ended Luna's day with a two-run single to right as Cal went back up by four, 6-2. Thom singled home Bennett for the final run of the game in the Texas half of the fifth. In the earlier game, Texas run-ruled Marist with the 10-2 victory in six innings. Freshman Gabby Smith struck out a season-high 11 batters as Washington went 3-for-3 while Thom, Taylor and Kim Bruins had two RBI each.
The Longhorns scored four runs in the first after loading the bases. Thom's sacrifice fly scored the first run, followed by Taylor's two-run single and a double delayed steal attempt. With two runners on in the sixth, Thom's RBI double to right center ended the game.
Texas concludes action in the Spring Fling Tournament tomorrow against Winthrop with a 4 p.m. (9 p.m. Central) start.
Notes: After Texas won the first three games in the all-time series against Cal, the Golden Bears have won four straight games in the series...Cal's six runs were the most allowed by Texas this season...during the tournament, Lexy Bennett moved into second all-time at Texas for runs scored (138)...Bennett needs 18 runs to tie the career mark held by Desiree Williams (2005-09)...Brejae Washington tied a career best with three hits in the Marist game, the sixth time in her career and second time this season she has posted three hits in a game...Rachel Fox has the lowest ERA this season (0.93) among the four Texas starters...Gabby Smith helped her cause in the first game against Marist with her first home run as a Longhorn, a two-run shot to center.
CAL 220-200-0---6-7-3 TEXAS 020-010-0---3-9-1WP - Arioto (10-0) LP - Luna (9-1) S - Henderson (1) Records: Cal (23-1), Texas (22-2)
Arioto, Henderson (7) and Ziegenhert. Luna, Fox (4) and Ogle.
Texas vs. Marist (Game 1 of DH)
MU 000-200---2-3-1 TEXAS 400-222---10-10-0
WP - Smith (3-0) LP - Lewis Records: Marist (11-11), Texas (22-1)
Lewis, Lalli (5) and Zahka. Smith and Ogle, Fountain (6).
Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach Connie Clark
On today's game against Cal: Cal is a great ballclub and I think we have a great ballclub. We just have to focus on the positives. We were in that game the entire time. We competed well. What we are trying to figure out is that if we see that same opponent tomorrow, what we would do as a team to shore things up. There were some specific things that we learned today. I wish we could play them tomorrow, but they are a good ballclub. We did our part in keeping ourselves in the game. One swing of the bat in the seventh inning could have made the difference.
On Blaire Luna's struggles today: I think Cal is the best hitting club we have seen all year long from top to bottom. They are not a one-dimensional team. I think we got some good information on them, like I said, if we saw them tomorrow, we might be able to do some things that they are susceptible against them. They were very balanced in their attack. I told Blaire to keep her head up. The key will be how she prepares against teams down the road.
On Rachel Fox out of the bullpen: That's something we talked about that the roles could have been reversed if we would have started Rachel and had Blaire come out of the pen. Mandy (Ogle) did a great job again in helping us to make adjustments in the second half of the game and credit Rachel for competing well and keeping us in the game. I liked the experience that we got today even though we didn't get the outcome we wanted.
