The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State shuts out No. 5/6 Softball, 3-0
04.21.2012 | Softball
April 21, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas - Simone Freeman and Kat Espinosa combined for a five-hit shutout Saturday as the Oklahoma State Cowgirls evened its Big 12 series with a 3-0 win against the No. 5/6 Texas Longhorns. Freeman earned the win for Oklahoma State (23-17, 6-7) after going 5 2/3 innings with four hits, five walks and four strikeouts. Espinosa picked up her third save of the season as both OSU pitchers frustrated Texas (36-7, 10-5) with the Longhorns stranding 11 runners on the afternoon.
Kim Bruins (7-4) took the loss for Texas after allowing three runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings with no walks and four strikeouts.
Ari Morrison led the Cowgirls with a 3-for-3 game and one RBI.
Shelby Davis started the game with a single to center. Kelsey Anchors moved her over with a ground out to second, followed by Tamara Brown's single. Julie Ward then hit a hard line drive to left that was caught by Torie Schmidt, allowing Davis to score the first run of the game.
After consecutive bunt singles by Taylor Thom and Taylor Hoagland in the fifth, Lexy Bennett was intentionally walked with two outs to load the bases. Freeman then got Courtney Craig to ground out to short as the Longhorns stranded three runners in the inning.
OSU loaded the bases in the sixth with three consecutive singles before Sammy Jo Diffendaffer recorded a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to right, scoring Chelsea Garcia. Morrison followed with a hard line drive off Bruins' glove to cap the scoring. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Texas again tried to compile a rally after Brejae Washington singled and Bennett doubled to the gap in left center. Espinosa struck out Craig and Nadia Taylor popped up to Garcia at short for the Cowgirls' win.
The series concludes tomorrow at 11 a.m. with the game being broadcast on Longhorn Network. Gametracker live stats, along with a live Twitter feed (@TexasSoftball), for the game will be available on TexasSports.com.
Notes: Today's game was the second annual Pink at the Plate designed to create awareness for breast cancer...Texas is now 21-3 at McCombs Field this season...the Longhorns were shut out for only the second time this season (April 7 vs. Missouri)...Nadia Taylor reached on a walk today to extend her streak of reaching base safely to 12 straight games.
OSU 100-002-0---3-10-0 TEXAS 000-000-0---0-5-1WP - Freeman (7-6) LP - Bruins (7-3) S - Espinosa (3) Records: Texas (36-7, 10-5), Oklahoma State (23-17, 6-7)
Freeman, Espinosa (6) and Woodall. Bruins, Luna (6) and Ogle.
