The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
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Kansas
No. 8/8 Softball shuts out Kansas 5-0
03.28.2013 | Softball
March 28, 2013
Box Score 
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Seniors Blaire Luna and Kim Bruins combined to allow only two hits and the offense stole a program-record nine bases to lift No. 8/8 Texas to a 5-0 victory over Kansas on Thursday afternoon. Junior Brejae Washington drove in the game-winning run for the Longhorns (30-4, 3-0 Big 12) with a bases-loaded walk in the top of the second inning and freshman Stephanie Ceo tied her career high with two runs batted in.
It is the fourth-straight season UT has started the Big 12 Conference season with a 3-0 record. Helping Texas' cause in addition to the nine stolen bases were nine walks. Senior Torie Schmidt tied the Longhorns' record for stolen bases in a game with four. She joins Washington (Pittsburgh/March 4, 2011) and Courtney Craig (UTEP/March 1, 2009) for the lead. Senior Taylor Hoagland drew five walks, also tying the UT record, set by Nadia Taylor at Kansas on April 14, 2012.
Luna (16-1) limited the Jayhawks to a pair of singles and allowed two walks in six innings. She fanned nine and hit one. Bruins retired the side in order in the seventh. Alicia Pille (7-4) suffered the setback for KU, giving up five runs, three earned, on seven hits. She struck out five in the contest.
After both teams were held scoreless in the first, UT used a two-out rally and patience at the plate in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead. Schmidt reached on a fielding error with one out. She stole second and moved to third on an infield single by Ceo. Hoagland walked for the second time in the contest to load the bases for Washington, who also drew a walk to force in Schmidt. A groundout closed the frame.
In the bottom of the third, Kansas tried to rally, but Luna closed the door. Alex Jones reached on a one-out bunt single and advanced to second as the throw went into right field. A groundout moved Jones to third, but a strikeout left her stranded.
The Longhorns added to their lead in the top of the fourth with another run for a 2-0 advantage. Schmidt led off reaching on an error, stole second base and moved to third on a single from sophomore Gabby Smith. Ceo followed with a bunt third baseman Chanin Naudin fielded and threw to first for the out, but Schmidt came home to score on the play. A foul out and runner interference call allowed Pille to limit the damage.
Kansas mounted another scoring opportunity in the bottom of the inning, but could not convert. Naudin was hit by a pitch to open the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, Rosie Hull walked to put runners on first and second. The frame's second strikeout ended the threat.
In the top of the sixth, the Longhorns put the game out of reach with another two-out rally to go ahead 4-0. After a groundout started the frame, Hoagland drew her fourth walk of the contest and Washington bunted for a single. After a foul out, sophomore pinch hitter Marlee Gabaldon delivered a single to center that scored the pair. Junior Mandy Ogle singled to keep the inning alive, but a strikeout closed the frame.
UT scored the contest's final run in the top of the seventh. Freshman Holly Kern, pinch hitting for Schmidt, was hit by a pitch to open the inning and Schmidt reentered to run. Schmidt swiped second and moved to third as the toss got into center field. After a walk to freshman pinch hitter Erin Shireman, Ceo drove in Schmidt with a sacrifice fly to left.
Bruins entered for Luna in the seventh and retired the Jayhawks in order to seal the victory.
The Longhorns continue this weekend's series with a doubleheader Friday starting at 1 p.m. Due to the forecast of inclement weather in the area Saturday, a doubleheader will be played Friday with no game Saturday.
Post-Game Notes
- Senior Taylor Hoagland's five walks allowed her to reach base in all 34 games this season. Going back to the end of the 2012 campaign, Hoagland has reached in 42 consecutive contests. The streak is a Texas record.
- Hoagland's five walks moved her into fifth place on the Big 12 Conference career chart with 147. Megan Gibson (Texas A&M/2005-08) is the all-time leader with 172.
- Hoagland is hitting .465 (20-for-43) during March with 18 runs scored, 12 RBI, six home runs and 23 walks.
- Hoagland has scored a run in her last seven contests and in 12 of the last 13 games.
- Hoagland lifted her on-base percentage to .646 this season. The UT single-season record is .510, by Lexy Bennett in 2011.
- Senior Blaire Luna has not allowed an earned run in three Big 12 Conference starts this season. She has not surrendered an earned run in her last 23.1 innings.
- Luna struck out nine in the contest and has fanned nine or more batters in her last seven starts.
- Senior Torie Schmidt matched her career high with three runs scored.
- Junior Brejae Washington has scored a run in five of her last six games.
- After a zero-for-nine skid, senior Kim Bruins is hitting .474 (nine-for-19) in her last four contests.
- Freshman Stephanie Ceo's single in the second inning gave her hits in six-straight at-bats. The string was broken with a groundout in the sixth. In the last four contests, she is batting .857 (six-for-seven) with four runs batted in.
- Sophomore Marlee Gabaldon drove in a career-high two runs in the contest. Gabaldon drove in four runs as a freshman in 2012.
- UT has won all three of its true road games this season. The team has averaged 8.0 runs per road tilt.
- In the Longhorns' last four games against Kansas, they have drawn 34 walks (8.5 per contest).
- Texas has won its last seven games in Lawrence.
- The Longhorns have drawn 127 walks this year. The program's single-season record is 204 in 2011. The current squad is on pace to draw 209.
- Luna and Bruins tossed the team's 16th shutout of the season, tying the 2012 squad's total.
- In the last seven games, Texas has stolen 22 bases, an average of 3.1 per contest.
- The Longhorns have stolen 73 bases this season and are on pace to swipe 120. The program single-season record is 114 in 2011.
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