No. 15/16 Softball drops home opener to UTSA, 4-2

Wednesday, February 12

Austin, Texas

7:00 PM

University of Texas

4-3

UTSA

4-0

UTSA

TEXAS

No. 15/16 Softball drops home opener to UTSA, 4-2

02.12.2014 | Softball

Box Score

UT loaded the bases in five innings, but left 16 runners on base.

Box Score (PDF) | Twitter | Photo Gallery |

VIDEO: 2013 Women's College World Series Recognition | Coach Clark Honored For 700th Win | Luna Throws First Pitch

AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 15/16 Texas Longhorns opened their 2014 home slate with a 4-2 loss to the UTSA Roadrunners on Wednesday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field. UT endured its third-straight defeat, dropping it to 4-3 on the season, while UTSA boosted its unbeaten start to 4-0.

The Longhorns had trouble bringing runners home and capitalizing on bases-loaded situations. Texas left the bases loaded five out of seven innings and finished the game with a total of 16 batters stranded on base.

Junior Gabby Smith, freshman Tiarra Davis and sophomore Holly Kern all pitched for the Horns. Smith, who surrendered a two-run home run in the fifth inning to junior Megan Low in the fifth inning, was dubbed with her first career loss, dropping her to 2-1 on the season.

Smith tallied four strikeouts and allowed three runs off four hits in five innings pitched. The fourth and final UTSA run came off Davis, who allowed two hits in one-and-one-third innings pitched. Davis and Kern recorded one strikeout each.

UTSA freshman pitcher Nicole Merrill pitched all seven innings for the Roadrunners and only gave up two runs off six hits. Tess Soefje and Low recorded two RBIs each for the Roadrunners.

Texas opened its scoring in the bottom of the second inning. With the bases loaded, freshman Devon Tunning was hit by a pitch for a free base, which allowed Kern a free ticket home for the first UT score of the game. Then, with one out, sophomore Stephanie Ceo hit a ball down the first base line and reached base on an error, helping senior Karina Scott to score, giving Texas a 2-0 lead.

The Roadrunners answered in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Madison Kinley hit a double to left field with one out and a groundout moved her to third. Soefje hit an RBI single to center to bring Kinley home to decrease the UTSA deficit, 2-1 before a fly out ended the inning.

In the top of the fifth, UTSA took the lead. Sophomore Alexis Ramirez was walked with one out and then Low stepped up to the plate and homered to left field, giving the Roadrunners the 3-2 advantage.

The final UTSA run was scored in the top of the sixth inning. Senior Jolene Graham hit a triple to right field with one out. The next batter, Soefje, hit a sacrifice fly to bring Graham home and give UTSA a two run advantage, 4-2.

The Horns had one last shot in the bottom of the seventh with the two outs and the bases loaded again, but a fly ball to center field was caught to end the game.

Texas returns to action on Friday, Feb. 14 at Red & Charline McCombs Field. The No. 15/16 Horns will face No. 7/9 Kentucky to open the Texas Classic at 4 p.m. Central and then will take on IPFW in the nightcap at 6:30 p.m.

POSTGAME NOTES

Texas dropped its home opener only for the third time in program history and for the first time since 2007 (vs. San Diego State). The Longhorns are now 15-3 in annual home-opening games.
The loss to UTSA halts UT's nine-game win streak against the Roadrunners and drops the Horns all-time record in the 40-game series to 34-5-1.
UT's overall record falls to 4-3, putting the Longhorns on their first three-game losing streak since 2012 (April 6-11). It's the fourth time in program history that the Horns have started a campaign 4-3 (1997, 2000, 2009)
Junior Gabby Smith took her first loss at Texas. Her career pitching record as a Longhorn now stands at 8-1.
Texas Athletics honored the 2013 team for their Women's College World Series appearance during a pregame ceremony. [WATCH]
Three-time All-American and former ace Blaire Luna threw out the ceremonial first pitch. [WATCH]
Head coach Connie Clark was honored in between the second inning for her 700th career coaching win. She was presented with a painted softball, commemorating the milestone. [WATCH]