The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma State
No. 6/6 Softball falls in nine innings at Oklahoma State 1-0
05.03.2013 | Softball
May 3, 2013
Box Score 
STILLWATER, Okla. - Seniors Blaire Luna and Kat Espinosa staged a pitching duel that lasted nine innings Friday evening at Cowgirl Stadium with Espinosa and Oklahoma State coming away with a 1-0 walk-off victory. A two-out single to right field from Samantha Chrisman drove in Tamara Brown in the bottom of the ninth to end the contest.
The pitching duo combined to allow just four base runners through the first five innings and only six through the initial seven. Senior Kim Bruins led the Texas offense with a pair of hits.
Luna (24-4) suffered the tough-luck loss, allowing just a pair of singles and a trio of walks in eight-and-two-thirds innings. She fanned 11 in the contest. Espinosa (17-15) earned the victory, limiting Texas to four hits and fanning nine in nine innings.
After both teams were retired in order through the first inning-and-a-half, Oklahoma State (29-22, 5-8 Big 12) recorded the game's first base runner in the bottom of the second with a leadoff walk to Chrisman. A sacrifice bunt and wild pitch moved Chrisman to third, but Luna closed the door with a groundout and strikeout to strand Chrisman.
Following the defensive hold, UT (42-7, 12-3 Big 12) recorded the contest's first hit in the top of the third with a leadoff single from Bruins. A sacrifice bunt moved freshman pinch runner Rachel Scott to second before a fielder's choice and fly out closed the inning.
Neither club recorded another base runner until the Cowgirls got a one-out single from Tarah Ettinger in the bottom of the fourth. Pinch runner Shianne Hughes did not advance to second base, as a fielder's choice erased her and a fly out ended the frame.
UT tallied two-out hits in the top of the fifth and sixth innings with Bruins' second single of the night in the fifth and a bunt single from junior Brejae Washington in the sixth. A lineout and pop out ended the two innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, Oklahoma State had its own two-out base runner as Ari Morrison walked, but Luna struck out Ettinger for the frame's final out.
Both teams went quietly until the in the top of the ninth, when UT got a leadoff triple from senior Taylor Hoagland. A pop out on a bunt attempt and pair of strikeouts left her stranded.
In the bottom of the frame, the Cowgirls earned the win. Brown led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Ettinger fouled out, but Chrisman dropped a soft single into right and Brown came around to end the contest.
Texas looks to even the series Saturday with a 3 p.m. first pitch.
Post-Game Notes
- Senior Taylor Hoagland extended her streak of reaching base safely to 57-straight games with a triple in the ninth inning. Hoagland has reached base in all 49 games this season, and the last eight of 2012.
- Hoagland holds a .630 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 owns two triples this season, one shy of her single-year best, set in 2011.
- Senior Kim Bruins picked up her 11th multiple-hit game of the season. She is batting .356 (16-for-45) in Big 12 games this year.
- Bruins is now tied with junior Taylor Thom for the team lead with six multiple-hit games during Big 12 conference action.
- Junior Brejae Washington stole a base in the sixth inning, giving her 26 this season, good for sole possession of fourth on the UT single-season chart. She owns the program mark with 38 swipes in 2011.
- Senior Blaire Luna recorded her 18th game of 10 or more strikeouts this season, fanning 11.
- Despite the setback, Luna owns a 1.14 earned-run average against Big 12 Conference competition this season.
