The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Syracuse
No. 5/8 Softball comes back to down Syracuse 2-1
03.02.2013 | Softball
March 2, 2013
Box Score | Box Score 
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Sacrifice flies from sophomore Gabby Smith and junior Brejae Washington allowed Texas to come back from a 1-0 seventh-inning deficit and claim a 2-1 victory over Syracuse on Saturday night during day two of the Citrus Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Orange took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run from Veronica Grant, but the Longhorns scored twice in the seventh for the win.
In the circle, senior Kim Bruins struck out a career-high 14 batters and allowed only three hits. She walked three, all in the first inning. She improved to 5-0 on the season in the complete-game effort. Lindsay Taylor (1-5) matched Bruins nearly pitch-for-pitch and took the loss in the complete game. She allowed two hits and two runs, both unearned. She fanned three and walked a trio.
Texas had a scoring chance in the top of the first as senior Taylor Hoagland reached third with a walk, steal of second and sacrifice bunt, but was left stranded by a pair of groundouts.
Syracuse (5-8) also had a scoring chance in the first and was held off the scoreboard. After a pair of strikeouts started the frame, Bruins walked the bases loaded before recording a fly out to end the threat and leave three on base.
In the top of the third, Texas (19-2) put two more runners on, but failed to convert. After a pop out started the frame, Hoagland singled through the left side. Washington followed with a grounder to the shortstop, who could not field the ball cleanly, allowing both runners to be safe. Taylor got out of trouble, however, as a fielder's choice and groundout ended the threat.
The Orange got its leadoff batter on in the bottom of the fourth as Julie Wambold doubled. Bruins buckled down and got out of trouble with a pair of strikeouts looking and a pop out.
UT had another scoring opportunity in the top of the fifth, but could not push across a run. Smith started the frame with a single up the middle and moved to second when the center fielder misplayed the ball. A sacrifice bunt from freshman Erin Shireman put Smith on third, but a lineout and groundout left her there.
Syracuse scored its only run with the leadoff homer from Grant in the bottom of the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, senior Torie Schmidt led off reaching on a fielding error by the shortstop. Freshman Holly Kern followed with a bunt. Taylor fielded the ball, but her throw sailed into right field, allowing Kern to reach first and Schmidt to move to third. With runners on the corners and none out, Smith provided a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game. Shireman reached on a fielding error and Kern moved to third on the play. A walk to Hoagland loaded the bases with one out and Washington's sacrifice fly brought home Kern for the game-winning run. A groundout ended the frame.
The Orange put the potential tying run on base in the bottom of the inning as Morgan Nandin singled to right center with one down, but Bruins struck out pinch hitter Gaby Torzilli and Ashley Dimon to end the contest.
UT concludes play at the Citrus Classic Sunday with an 8 a.m. CT contest against Fordham.
Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach Connie Clark
On the performance of senior pitcher Km Bruins against Syracuse: Kim Bruins competes so well. I've said that to almost everybody this whole year. I liked her performance overall. Physically, she was great. Mentally, what I love is after the one long ball she gave up, she came back and struck out the next two batters.
It was a career night for her in strikeouts. She had good command. She had a tight strike zone, but that's another mental piece she handled quite well. She got stronger as the game went on.
Kim just goes out and competes, regardless. In a tight ballgame like tonight, it's nice to have her out there. She doesn't out think the moment. She just goes out and competes.
On the win over Louisiana and the upcoming doubleheader with the Ragin' Cajuns: I think it was significant [to get a win]. It was exciting to me knowing that we're going to see them three times in one week. It's not in the same weekend, but it's as close as we get to [simulating] a conference series or NCAA Tournament Super Regional setup.
That's something we need to be tested on with our pitching staff, and [Blaire] Luna specifically. She threw today and that gives me an opportunity to go with her at least one of the other two games. She has to play chess. They are some of the best hitters in the country.
We also got to see three of their pitchers today. That's tremendous for us in regards to getting to their bullpen because our hitters are hot. That gives us an opportunity to have a good game plan going into a doubleheader with them Wednesday.
On execution in the second game: Early in the second game, I was a little disappointed. That's a big walk. [Taylor] Hoagland has done a great job for us time and time again of leading off a game, seeing a lot of pitching, getting on base, stealing second and letting us bunt her to third. We can't leave her stranded.
We had several opportunities to manufacture runs, or have more productive outs during the first part of the game. We talked about it and we kept chipping away. We had some good at-bats where we hit the ball hard, but right at some people in the middle of the game.
On the comeback in the seventh inning against Syracuse: The bottom line is that we kept playing, and playing hard. We kept getting better. There was absolutely no panic in the dugout. As a matter of a fact, it seemed like they knew it was just a matter of time.
I like us to capitalize on that earlier in the game when we can and make sure we understand how valuable productive outs are.
Post-Game Notes
- Texas has won every Saturday game it has played this season.
- The deficit overcome in the seventh inning was the first by the program since downing San Diego State 2-1 on Feb. 23, 2012, after trailing 1-0 going to the seventh and winning 2-1.
- Senior Taylor Hoagland went one-for-two during the contest and is hitting .385 (five-for-13) so far this weekend.
- Hoagland drew a walk in the first and seventh innings. She now has 22 free pass this season. She has received at least one walk in seven of the last nine contests.
- Hoagland has reached base safely in all 21 games this season.
- In senior Kim Bruins' five starts this season, she has allowed just two runs and struck out 38.
- Bruins has allowed a home run in each of her last four appearances.
- Bruins has five wins this season after totaling seven in 2012.
- Sophomore Gabby Smith pushed her hitting streak to a career-best six games with a single in the fifth frame. Smith is batting .529 (nine-for-17) during the run.
- This weekend alone, Smith leads the Longhorns with a .545 batting average (six-for-11).
- Freshman Erin Shireman earned her first career start at catcher. It was her eighth start of the campaign.
- Freshman Lindsey Stephens received the initial start of her career.
