No. 15/16 Softball falls to No. 7/9 Kentucky, 6-5, in Texas Classic Championship Game

Sunday, February 16

Austin, Texas

10:00 AM

University of Texas

6-6

Kentucky

10-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Kentucky	0	2	3	0	0	0	1	6	6	0
Texas	0	1	0	4	0	0	0	5	11	2

No. 15/16 Softball falls to No. 7/9 Kentucky, 6-5, in Texas Classic Championship Game

02.16.2014 | Softball

Box Score

Stephens and Ogle blast home runs; Davis strikes out eight and tosses second-straight complete game

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AUSTIN, Texas – No. 15/16 Texas Softball wrapped up play in the 2014 Texas Classic with a 6-5 loss to No. 7/9 Kentucky in the tournament championship game on Sunday morning at Red and Charline McCombs Field.

Sophomore Lindsey Stephens (2-for-3) and senior Mandy Ogle highlighted UT's (6-6, 0-0) offense with pair of home runs for the Longhorns. Stephens' fourth long ball of the season got UT on the board in the second inning, making it a one-run game after UK (10-0, 0-0) had put up a two-spot in the top half of the frame on Ginny Carroll's solo home run before Emily Jolly's RBI single up the middle.

Texas trailed 5-1 after UK starting pitcher Lauren Cumbress helped her own cause by delivering a three-run home run in the third inning. The Horns found their way back in the game in the bottom of the fourth when it put together a four-run rally, highlighted by Ogle's three-run homer. The Longhorns tacked on the tying run when senior Taylor Thom was hit by a pitch to force in freshman Stephanie Wong.

Kentucky broke the tie in the seventh when Ansley Smith scored on a fielder's choice by Krystal Smith and a fielding error at second base.

Freshman Tiarra Davis got her third start of the season and was challenged by the undefeated Wildcats. The Horns lefthander struck out eight hitters, but was dubbed with her second straight complete game loss. Davis was charged with four of the six runs on six hits. Her record falls to 1-3 on the season.

Wong continued her impressive weekend by going 2-for-3 on Sunday. Over the last two games, she has hit 5-for-6 and has totaled three runs, two RBIs and a stolen base. During the Texas Classic, Wong led the team with a .636 batting average through the five games.

The Longhorns pounded out 11 hits, giving them double figures in their hits total for a third straight game.

UT drops to 6-6 on the year and will now turn its attention to its next tournament. The Longhorns prepare for five games at the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. beginning on Thursday, Feb. 20. Texas will face UNLV and Cal Poly in day one of the weekend tournament.

POSTGAME NOTES

The Longhorns are 6-6 through their first 12 games, matching the 2000 UT squad's start to the season.
Texas is now 0-3 against Kentucky all-time.
Freshman Stephanie Wong had two more hits on Sunday. She finished the Texas Classic with seven hits and a team-best .636 batting average through the five games.
Sophomore Lindsey Stephens hit her fourth home run of the season. She now has five in her career at Texas.
Senior Mandy Ogle hit her first home run of the season and her ninth of her career.
Texas put up 11 hits on Sunday against UK, making it the third-straight game the Horns have had at least 10 hits in a contest. It was the fifth time this season UT has reach double figures in the hits column.

POSTGAME QUOTES

Head coach Connie Clark

On Texas situational hitting:

"I thought we played well today. We had a specific game plan for the batter, but I was disappointed. We should not have given that home run. We had a better game plan for that. That was really where my focus was, rather than the offense. We had some good at bats throughout the game. We made some good adjustments yesterday and today. The game is still the game; sometimes you hit the ball hard at people. They have some tremendous athletes on the Kentucky squad, especially the shortstop."

On Texas players transiting between offense and defense:

"We had some really good transitions from offense to defense, and vice-versa. There were some places where Tiarra [Davis] and Mandy [Ogle] had to do that today. They did tremendous with that."

On the takeaway from this weekend:

"More than anything, there are no surprises. We have said from day one that it will be a process with this squad in regards to getting better, playing together and having the veterans intermix into the squad with the young pitching staff. We have had some growing pains, it will be a roller coaster but I really like what we are doing. If they can stay on the ride and enjoy it, we will get better. We are a very talented team. It is a matter of staying together and working as a team."