The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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Texas Tech
No. 7/7 Softball completes sweep of Texas Tech with 4-1 victory
04.28.2013 | Softball
April 28, 2013
Box Score 
LUBBOCK, Texas - No. 7/7 Texas completed a three-game series sweep at Texas Tech with a 4-1 Sunday victory at Rocky Johnson Field. The Longhorns (42-6, 12-2 Big 12) were helped by two Red Raiders (29-24, 3-12 Big 12) fielding errors, which led to four unearned runs. Senior Torie Schmidt led the offense with three hits and a run batted in while freshman Stephanie Ceo also chipped in with a pair of hits and a run scored.
In the circle, senior Blaire Luna (24-3) yielded one run on three hits. She struck out 10 in the complete-game performance and walked three. Her 24 victories leave her six shy of her single-season best, set in 2010. Cara Custer (13-14) suffered the setback after throwing four-and-two-thirds innings, surrendering four unearned runs on five hits and a pair of walks. Brittany Talley came in for one out and allowed one hit. Gretchen Aucoin completed the pitching effort, striking out four and issuing two hits in two innings.
After the teams combined for just three base runners through the first three innings, the Longhorns used a two-out rally to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth. After a pair of groundouts started the frame, junior Karina Scott and Schmidt hit consecutive singles to put runners on first and second. Senior Kim Bruins followed with a ground ball to second baseman Brooke Scott, but her throw to second to try and get the force on Schmidt sailed high and allowed pinch runner Rachel Scott to score. A groundout ended the threat.
The Red Raiders attempted to rally in the bottom of the fourth, putting two of their own runners on base. With one out, Mikey Kenney drew a walk and Katelyn Williams followed reaching on an error. Luna buckled down and struck out the next two batters to preserve the one-run lead.
Following the defensive hold, UT added three runs in the top of the fifth to make it a 4-0 advantage. Ceo and senior Taylor Hoagland started the frame with consecutive singles. Junior Brejae Washington then put down a bunt, but catcher Lexie Elkins' throw to first was dropped and rolled into right field, allowing Ceo to score and moving Hoagland to third. A sacrifice fly from junior Mandy Ogle plated Hoagland and made it a 3-0 Texas lead. After a walk to Karina Scott, Talley was greeted by a Schmidt single that scored Washington. A pop out closed the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Red Raiders cut into the lead and made it 4-1. They began with consecutive doubles from Shelby Johnson and Kenney. After a groundout moved Kenney to third, Sandy James walked to put runners on the corners with one out. Luna bounced back with a strikeout and groundout to strand the pair.
Aucoin was hit by a pitch with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Luna ended the contest with a foul out to catcher Ogle.
Texas plays its final three-game series of the year next weekend at Oklahoma State. The opener is slated for 7 p.m. Friday in Stillwater.
Post-Game Notes
- Senior Taylor Hoagland extended her streak of reaching base safely to 56-straight games with a single in the fifth inning. Hoagland has reached base in all 48 games this season, and the last eight of 2012.
- Hoagland holds a .639 on-base percentage this season. The UT single-season record is .510, by Lexy Bennett in 2011. The Big 12 Conference mark is .594 by Amber Flores (Oklahoma/2009).
- Hoagland's run scored in the fifth inning was her 55th of the season, good for the second most in a year in program history. Hoagland now owns Texas' top three single-season marks for runs scored with 59 in 2012 and 54 in 2011.
- Junior Mandy Ogle hit .444 (four-for-nine) this series with a team-high five runs batted in.
- Ogle caught her second runner stealing of the weekend in the bottom of the third inning. She has gunned down 12 would-be stealers this season, and one in four of the last five contests.
- Senior Torie Schmidt leads the squad with six three-hit games this season. She is hitting .348 (16-for-46) in Big 12 action after leading the league with a .388 average during conference contests last season.
- Freshman Stephanie Ceo recorded two singles for her 12th multiple-hit game of the season, the most by a rookie since Brejae Washington (15) and Taylor Thom (13) in 2011.
- Freshman Rachel Scott has scored a run in her last four appearances as a pinch runner, including all three games this weekend.
- Senior Blaire Luna's 10 strikeouts gave her 300 for the season. She joins Cat Osterman as the only pitchers in program history to fan 300 or more in a season three times.
- Texas improves to 12-2 in Big 12 games, its best mark since going 13-1 through 14 league games in 2011. The Longhorns have had a 12-2 record or better after 14 conference contests six times (2011, 2010, 2007, 2003 and 2002).
- UT's overall record of 42-6 is the third best through 48 games in program history, trailing only the 2011 (44-4) and 2006 (43-5) squads.
- With the win, the Longhorns improved to 8-0 in away games this season. The program record for most road wins is 11 in 2011, 2009 and 2005. UT has never had fewer than three road losses during a campaign.
- UT improves to 17-0 against in-state competition this season.
