The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
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Kansas
Offense carries No. 8/8 Softball to sweep at Kansas
03.29.2013 | Softball
March 29, 2013
Game 1 Box Score | Game 1 Box Score 
Game 2 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
LAWRENCE, Kan. - A program-record 14-run sixth inning in game one and three runs batted in from senior Kim Bruins in the second contest carried No. 8/8 Texas to a sweep of Kansas on Friday afternoon. The Longhorns trailed 3-0 in the opener before scoring 16-straight runs and claiming a 16-4 victory. In the second game, sophomore Marlee Gabaldon drove in senior Torie Schmidt for the game-winning run in the fourth inning and Bruins added three RBI as UT won 5-4.
UT improved to 32-4 this season with the two wins. The mark is tied for the third best through 36 games in program history, trailing only the 33-3 records by the 2006 and 2011 squads. The Longhorns are also 5-0 in Big 12 Conference action for the fourth-straight year.
The 16 runs in the opener were the most by Texas in a Big 12 Conference game in program history, and tied UT's third most in any contest. Eleven Longhorns scored at least one run in the contest and nine recorded at least one hit. In the 14-run inning, UT tallied 15 consecutive hits or walks.
During the opener in the circle, sophomore Gabby Smith started and threw two innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits and two walks. She also struck out one. Freshman Holly Kern (6-3) entered for the remaining four frames and allowed one run on one hit and two free passes. It was the first Big 12 appearance of Kern's career. For Kansas, Kelsey Kessler started and tossed four-plus frames. She surrendered three runs on five hits and two walks. She also fanned four. Alicia Pille, Morgan Druhan and Alex Jones followed, combining to allow 13 runs on 10 hits and seven walks in two innings pitched. Pille suffered the setback.
The second contest had senior Blaire Luna (17-1) go the distance for the Longhorns, allowing two hits, both in the first inning, and four runs, two earned. She fanned nine and walked seven. Pille (7-6) took the loss again, throwing four innings and allowing three runs on four hits and two free passes. She fanned four. Kessler tossed the remaining three innings and allowed four hits and two runs on a pair of walks and two whiffs.
In game one, Kansas took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Jones led off with an infield single and Maggie Hull reached on a fielder's choice as Jones slid safely into second base. A bunt from Chanin Naudin filled the bases as she was safe at first on a fielding error. After a lineout, a groundout from Maddie Stein plated Jones for the one-run edge. Smith got out of the inning with a lineout to junior shortstop Taylor Thom.
KU (21-10, 0-3 Big 12) added to its lead in the second inning with two more runs to go ahead 3-0. Mariah Montgomery led off with a single and Chaley Brickey reached on an error. After a lineout and sacrifice bunt, Hull doubled to left center to drive in the two runs. Smith walked the next two batters, but ended the frame with a pop out to Thom.
In the top of the fourth, the Longhorns cut into the Kansas lead with two runs. Thom got the inning started with a single up the middle and steal of second base. Junior Mandy Ogle followed with a double to left center that drove in Thom to make it a 3-1 Kansas advantage. A single by Schmidt and fielder's choice with Ogle sliding back into third safely loaded the bases with no outs. A wild pitch allowed Ogle to scoot home and make it a 3-2 contest. Kessler kept the Jayhawks in the lead with a pair of strikeouts and foul out.
Two innings later, UT exploded for 14 runs in the top of the sixth to take a 16-3 lead. Schmidt led off with a single to center and freshman Stephanie Ceo bunted for a single to put runners on first and second with no outs. A sacrifice bunt moved the pair up a base before pinch hitter Bruins walked to load the bases. Another free pass, this one to freshman Erin Shireman, forced in Schmidt to even the score at 3-3. Senior Taylor Hoagland delivered the big blow, after walking her previous eight plate appearances in the series, with a grand slam that put Texas in the lead 7-3. After a Kern single, Thom delivered a two-run blow to make it a 9-3 advantage. A hit by pitch and two more singles filled the bases before a wild pitch allowed another run to score for a 10-3 cushion. A walk to pinch hitter Gabaldon loaded the bases for Bruins, who walked to force in a run. An illegal pitch forced in another run to make it 12-3. Shireman doubled to right center to plate two and a two-run single from freshman Rachel Scott made it 16-3.
Kern finished off the sixth for the eight-run-rule victory. She allowed a leadoff walk to Brickey and a two-out single to Hull that drove in Brickey. Kern ended the contest with a fly out.
In the second contest, the Longhorns jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two-out hit from Bruins. Hoagland led off with a walk and junior Brejae Washington bunted for a single. The two pulled off a double steal before a pair of pop outs. Bruins delivered a soft single into left that plated the pair. A groundout ended the frame.
Kansas came right back in the bottom of the inning with an Alex Hugo two-out, two-run home run.
Texas regained the lead in the top of the fourth with another two-out rally to go ahead 3-2. Schmidt singled with one down. After a fly out, she stole second. Gabaldon doubled to right center to drive in Schmidt for the one-run lead. A pop out closed the inning.
The Longhorns added to their lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to go ahead 5-2. Hoagland walked and Thom delivered a one-out single up the middle. An Ogle single filled the bases for Bruins, who singled through the left side to plate Hoagland for a two-run advantage. A fielder's choice by Schmidt plated Thom to make it a 5-2 lead. A strikeout closed the frame.
KU answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 5-4 Texas edge. After a groundout started the inning, Hull reached on a fielding error, Naudin walked and Hugo reached on an error to load the bases. A fielder's choice by Stein brought home Hull, who slid in safely at home. Luna recorded a strikeout before a walk forced in Naudin. The frame's second strikeout ended the threat and kept UT in the lead.
After going down in order in the sixth, KU put the tying run on second base in the bottom of the seventh. Hugo walked with one down and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A groundout moved Hugo to third and Rosie Hull walked, but a strikeout ended the contest.
Texas returns to action Tuesday with a 4:30 p.m. doubleheader against McNeese State. Longhorn Network will televise the first contest live while the second will be on tape delay. The doubleheader opens an 11-game home stand for UT.
Post-Game Notes
- Senior Taylor Hoagland's eight walks during the two games allowed her to reach base in all 36 games this season. Going back to the end of the 2012 campaign, Hoagland has reached in 44 consecutive contests. The streak is a Texas record.
- Hoagland hit .477 (21-for-44) during March with 21 runs scored, 16 RBI, seven home runs and 31 walks.
- Hoagland's eight-straight walks to start the series were tied for the second most in NCAA history. Southern Miss' Megan Hill owns the mark with 10 consecutive free passes from April 4-5, 2009.
- Hoagland's 13 walks during the three-game series gave her 50 this year. The mark is already the sixth most on the Big 12 single-season chart. Meghan May (Texas A&M/2012) owns the record with 56 free passes.
- Hoagland has scored a run in her last eight contests and in 14 of the last 15 games.
- Hoagland lifted her on-base percentage to .669 this season. The UT single-season record is .510, by Lexy Bennett in 2011. The Big 12 mark is .594 by Amber Flores (Oklahoma/2009).
- Sophomore Gabby Smith made her first career pitching start in a Big 12 Conference game during the opener.
- Freshman Holly Kern came on in relief of Smith and allowed just one run in four innings. In Kern's last four appearances, she has surrendered only four runs in 17.2 frames.
- Senior Kim Bruins is hitting .526 (10-for-19) with nine runs batted in during her last six contests.
- Bruins has driven in eight runs during Big 12 contests this season. She entered the year with 12 career RBI in league games.
- Senior Torie Schmidt stole a base in both contests, bringing her total to six swipes in the last three games.
- Junior Taylor Thom stole two bases in the opener to bring her season total to 12, one shy of her single-year high, set in 2011.
- UT has won all five of its true road games this season. The team has averaged 9.0 runs per road tilt.
- In the Longhorns last six games against Kansas, the team has drawn 49 walks (8.2 per contest).
- Texas has won its last nine games in Lawrence.
- The Longhorns have drawn 142 walks this year. The program's single-season record is 204 in 2011. The current squad is on pace to draw 221.
- In the last nine games, Texas has stolen 30 bases, an average of 3.3 per contest.
- The Longhorns have stolen 81 bases this season and are on pace to swipe 126. The program single-season record is 114 in 2011.
