The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Florida State
No. 6/7 Softball comes back for 3-2 victory in NCAA Austin Super Regional opener
05.26.2013 | Softball
May 26, 2013
Box Score | Box Score 
Florida State post-game quotes |Texas post-game quotes
AUSTIN, Texas - A double to left center from junior Karina Scott in the bottom of the sixth inning drove in senior Torie Schmidt and snapped a 2-2 tie, handing No. 6/7 Texas a 3-2 comeback victory over Florida State in the opener of the NCAA Austin Super Regional. Scott drove in the first and last runs for the Longhorns in picking up her third multiple-RBI game of the campaign.
The Seminoles took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on a two-run double from Victoria East, but the Longhorns scored once in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to earn the victory. A triumph tomorrow and Texas would make its fifth trip to the Women's College World Series.
Texas senior pitcher Blaire Luna (29-5) record the victory, scattering seven hits and walking five while striking out 10 and allowing two earned runs. Florida State's Lacey Waldrop started and tossed five innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. She fanned eight. Monica Perry took the loss for the Seminoles, throwing an inning and giving up a run on two hits and two whiffs.
Florida State (44-18) got leadoff singles in the first and second frames, but neither runner was able to move past first base.
Texas (48-8) had its first scoring chance in the bottom of the second inning as it put two runners on, but the Longhorns could not convert. With one out, junior Mandy Ogle drew a walk and Schmidt followed with a single up the middle. Waldrop bounced back with a fielder's choice and groundout to end the threat.
Following the defensive hold, the Seminoles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third. With one down, Kelly Hensley walked and moved to second on a two-out free pass to Maddie O'Brien. With two outs and two runners on, East lined a double off the wall in right to plate both and give Florida State the lead. A pop out to senior third baseman Taylor Hoagland closed the frame.
UT cut the FSU lead to one run in the bottom of the fourth for a 2-1 score. Senior Kim Bruins led off with a walk, moved to second on a groundout and scored on a two-out single through the right side by Scott. A strikeout allowed Waldrop to escape without further damage.
The Longhorns evened the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman Stephanie Ceo bunted for a single to open the frame, but was erased on a Hoagland fielder's choice. Hoagland stole second and came home on a double by junior Brejae Washington. Waldrop avoided further damage with a lineout and strikeout.
The Seminoles loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth, but Luna struck out a pair to strand all three. Kirstin Austin led off with a single and was forced out at second on a Celeste Gomez fielder's choice. Courtney Senas followed with a single through the left side, putting runners on first and second for Brittany Schinella, who walked to load the bases. Alex Kossoff and Hensley both struck out to end the threat.
Texas broke the tie with another Scott RBI in the bottom of the sixth. With one down, Schmidt singled to the shortstop and came home on Scott's double to left center for the game-winning run.
Luna worked around a one-out single to O'Brien in the seventh with a strikeout and fly out, ending the contest.
The teams continue the series Sunday with a 2 p.m. CT first pitch. The game will be televised live on ESPN. If the Longhorns win at 2 p.m., they will advance to the Women's College World Series. If Florida State wins, the teams will play a winner-take-all contest at 5 p.m., which will be televised live on ESPNU.
Post-Game Notes
- Senior Taylor Hoagland holds a .617 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 in the fifth inning was her 64th of the season. She has already set the UT single-season mark and is now tied for seventh on the Big 12 Conference single-season chart. Norelle Dickson (Oklahoma/2007) owns the league mark with 71 runs scored.
- Junior Brejae Washington picked up her 68th and 69th hits of the campaign, tied for the fourth most in a year in program history. Lindsay Gardner owns the record with 83 hits in 2000.
- Washington stole a base in the third and fifth innings to give her 31 this season. The total is good for third on the UT single-season list. She owns the school single-season record with 38 swipes in 2011. Washington and Shannon Thomas (35/2007) are the only players in program history to reach 30 or more steals in a season.
- So far in the NCAA Tournament, Washington is hitting .545 (six-for-11) and slugging 1.000.
- Senior Blaire Luna improves to 3-0 this postseason with a 1.27 earned-run average. She has 29 strikeouts in 22.0 innings.
- Luna has struck out five batters in eight at-bats with the bases loaded. Opponents are zero-for-eight with the bases loaded so far this postseason.
- UT has scored 340 runs this season, the second most in a year in program history. The 2012 squad set the mark with 372 runs.
- Texas' three stolen bases gave the team 116 this year, setting the program single-season record by surpassing the 2011 team's 114.
- The Longhorns have outscored their opponents 25-4 during NCAA Tournament action.
- UT's victory was the team's 48th of the season, the sixth most in a year in program history. The 2006 squad owns the mark with 55 victories.
