The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Houston Baptist
No. 6/6 Softball pushes win streak to 12 games
02.20.2013 | Softball
Feb. 20, 2013
Box Score 
AUSTIN, Texas — A third-straight shutout and sixth in the last seven games allowed the No. 6/6 Texas Softball team to extend its season-opening winning streak to 12 games Wednesday night as the Longhorns downed Houston Baptist 5-0 at Red & Charline McCombs Field. Senior Taylor Hoagland and junior Brejae Washington combined for four hits and four runs scored to back senior pitcher Kim Bruins' complete-game shutout.
UT's 12-0 record gives the team the second-longest winning streak to open a season in program history. Helping the win streak has been a Texas offense that has outscored opponents 41-0 in the last 19 innings and 57-2 in the last six games.
Bruins (3-0) recorded her third consecutive shutout, holding the Huskies to four hits while striking out eight, one shy of her career high. She extended her career-best scoreless innings streak to 19.0. Houston Baptist's Keely Shuler (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in two-and-a-third innings. Sarah Shotton came in for the final three-and-two-thirds, struck out six and surrendered one run on three hits.
Texas jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Hoagland led off with a single through the left side, stole second and eventually scored after a throwing error by the Huskies' third baseman on a Washington bunt. Washington moved to second on the error, stole third and came home on a Shuler illegal pitch.
UT tacked on two more runs in the third, thanks again to the bats of Hoagland and Washington. Hoagland launched a solo home run, her third of the year, over the left field wall. Washington followed with a single to left field, and after stealing second, scored on an RBI single by Bruins.
The Longhorns scored their final run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Stephanie Ceo singled and advanced to second on an Erin Shireman single. After a fielder's choice moved Ceo to third, she scored on a wild pitch.
Lauren Schwirtlich tallied two of the Huskies' four hits, but HBU never had more than one runner on base in an inning as Bruins faced three batters over the minimum.
UT will be back in action this weekend as host of the Texas Invitational presented by Time Warner Cable. The Longhorns have a doubleheader Friday, facing Lamar at 4:30 and Tulsa at 6:30 p.m. CT. Both games will be televised live on Longhorn Network.
Post-Game Quotes
Head coach Connie Clark
On the team's performance tonight: I thought they did a good job tonight. I don't know if our at-bats were as good as they needed to be. She [Sarah Shatton] looked good with that rise ball later in the game. That's good for us to have to take a look at. It gives us something to work on and clean up a little bit.
On the team's top of the order: Up at the top with Taylor Hoagland and Brejae Washington, we love to get them in motion, obviously. They can make a lot of things happen if they can get themselves on and get things going with their feet.
We love that. That's certainly part of our game plan, regardless. We had that situation in Houston [against Illinois] when we were down; we just kept running.
We're not going to change our game plan and go into conservative mode. We're going to stay in and keep our foot on the pedal. That's something we do well and need to take advantage of it.
Senior P/1B Kim Bruins
On how she is feeling in the circle so far this season: I'm feeling pretty good. I've been working very hard this past fall to get back into it. I felt, at the end of last season, I did pretty well. I'm just trying to focus on hitting my spots and let my defense work for me.
On her team's performance so far this season: We're looking pretty solid. We're all just staying really positive and we're trying to keep things under our control. We're trying to stay up every inning and I think it's working pretty well for us.
Senior 3B/OF Taylor Hoagland
On her pitch selection leading to her home run tonight: I recognized the changeup; I just missed it the first time. I was actually looking for that pitch again. I got on top of it and drove through the zone.
On how she is feeling about her batting this season: I'm working through some things right now and I think it's not bad, but it can definitely be better. There is always room for improvement, so I have been working a lot this week on getting through the zone. I think I was doing a good job of that this game.
Post-Game Notes
- UT is 12-0 to begin the season. It's the second-longest winning streak to start the year in program history. The 2003 squad owns the mark with 16 consecutive wins.
- The Longhorns improved to 7-0 this season against in-state opponents and 263-65-1 all time versus other Texas schools.
- With the final 5-0 score, Texas has outscored the opposition 63-2 in the last seven games.
- Specifically, in the last 19 innings, UT has outscored the competition 41-0.
- With the shutout, the Longhorns' pitching staff has allowed just seven runs through 12 games. The total is tied for the second-fewest surrendered through 12 games in program history. The 2003 club holds the mark with six runs allowed.
- Senior Taylor Hoagland's two hits gave her 190 in her career and moved her past Tina Boutelle (2003-06) and into eighth on the program's all-time chart. Lexy Bennett (2009-12) owns the UT career mark with 245.
- Hoagland's two runs scored increased her career total to 166, tied with Bennett for the Texas career record.
- In her last seven games, Hoagland is hitting .400 (eight-for-18) with 12 runs batted in and six scored.
- Hoagland's home run in the third inning was the 47th of her career. She is now tied with Jen Bruck (Missouri/2005-08) and Jennifer Lizama (Nebraska/1997-2000) for sixth on the Big 12 Conference's all-time list.
- Freshman Stephanie Ceo went one-for-two in the contest. She leads the Big 12 Conference with a .583 batting average (14-for-24) this season.
- In games when senior Kim Bruins has been the starting pitcher, she is batting .500 (four-of-eight) with four runs batted in and one scored.
- Bruins set a personal record for consecutive scoreless innings with 19.0 to start this season. She is the only pitcher in the Big 12 Conference who meets the innings requirement who has not allowed a run this season.
- Junior Brejae Washington scored two runs. It was her third time scoring two or more runs in the last six contests.
