The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Tech
No. 6 Softball opens Big 12 play with 8-0 win over Texas Tech
03.06.2012 | Softball
March 6, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas - Junior right-hander Blaire Luna struck out eight in six scoreless innings Tuesday as the No. 6 Texas Longhorns opened Big 12 Conference play with the 8-0 six-inning (run rule) victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Five Longhorns had two hits each, including sophomore first baseman Karina Scott, who homered in her second straight game. Texas scored at least one run in all six innings tonight.
Luna improved to 8-0 on the season for Texas (18-1, 1-0), who has won eight straight games. Texas Tech (17-6, 0-1) mustered only three hits against Luna. Torie Schmidt went 2-for-3 with two RBI while reigning Big 12 Conference Player of the Week Courtney Craig was 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Lexy Bennett doubled with two outs in the first off Cara Custer (10-4) and scored on Craig's RBI single to right. Taylor Thom scored on Mandy Ogle's RBI groundout in the second for the 2-0 score.
Taylor Hoagland led off the Texas third with a double to the gap in left center and moved to third on Brejae Washington's groundout. A walk to Bennett put runners at the corners with one out. Bennett attempted to steal second and was thrown out, but Texas Tech shortstop Raven Richardson's throw to the plate bounced past the catcher which allowed Hoagland to score. Schmidt hit a two-run, bases-loaded single up the middle to make it a 5-0 lead.
Scott blasted her third homer on the year with the solo shot in the fourth. After scoring another run in the fifth, Texas finished off the game in the sixth after Washington tripled to right center to score Hoagland from second.
Texas continues its two-game series with Texas Tech tomorrow at 4 p.m. The game will feature a live television broadcast on Longhorn Network with a live audio webcast on TexasSports.com.
Notes: Tonight was the first time that Texas and Texas Tech have opened up Big 12 Conference play against each other...Texas is 11-5 in conference openers and has won its last five straight conference openers...Texas has now scored 25 runs in the first innings this season...Lexy Bennett is now tied for second place on the Texas career list with Lindsay Gardner for runs scored (134)...Bennett is now tied for fourth place with Tamara Poppe on the Texas career list for doubles (36)...Courtney Craig, Brejae Washington and Taylor Hoagland extended their season-long hitting streaks to six games tonight...Craig has 10 RBI in her last four games...Karina Scott (who had just one home run last year) is the first Longhorn to hit a home run in back-to-back games since Taylor Hoagland and Lexy Bennett homered in the first two games this season (Feb. 9 vs. Cal State Fullerton and Feb. 10 vs. UTSA)...Texas is now 16-0 when scoring first this season and 10-0 when scoring in the first inning.
TTU 000-000---0-3-3 TEXAS 113-111---8-12-0Note: 2 outs, 1 runner LOB when the game ended (run rule)
WP - Luna (8-0) LP - Custer (10-4) Records: Texas (18-1, 1-0 Big 12), Texas Tech (17-6, 0-1 Big 12)
Custer, Talley (4) and Tongate. Luna and Ogle.
Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach Connie Clark
On tonight's game: It was a good team effort. I thought we made quick adjustments at the plate so I thought we looked very solid offensively. (Blaire) Luna and (Mandy) Ogle are great battery mates. I thought they really had a great game plan and tremendous night.
On starting conference play with a win: We really didn't talk about it. We really just come out and focus on what we need to do regardless of who the opponent is or regardless if it is conference or non-conference. I think it was certainly on the back of the players' minds, but we aren't focusing on it.
On junior pitcher Blaire Luna so far this season: She is just getting better and better. It was disrupted over the initial 18 games with a minor injury, but there is no reason to push the issue on things in February when we don't need to. She's been able to get some consistency in her workouts over the last week and I think that really showed up tonight. If she can stay healthy, she's as good as anyone in the country and we are lucky to have her.
