No. 25/25 Softball splits day one at Mary Nutter Classic against UNLV and Cal Poly

Thursday, February 20

Palm Springs, Calif.

12:30 PM

University of Texas

6-7

UNLV

3-7

Texas

UNLV

No. 25/25 Softball splits day one at Mary Nutter Classic against UNLV and Cal Poly

02.20.2014 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Longhorns fall on walkoff single against UNLV before exploding for 13 runs on Cal Poly.

Box Scores (PDF): UNLV | Cal Poly | Twitter

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – No. 25/25 Texas Softball opened play at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Thursday with a split, as it fell in walkoff fashion to UNLV, 5-4, before exploding for a 13-7 win in the second game against Cal Poly.

Texas scored a season-high seven runs in an inning during the fourth frame against the Polytechnics, highlighted by sophomore Lindsey Stephens' grand slam, which made it 9-0. Stephens had two big hits for the Horns between the two games. Before clearing the bases with one swing against Cal Poly, she ripped the RBI double that forced in the go-ahead run in the top half of the seventh inning against UNLV. Stephens now has a team-high five home runs on the year. Senior Taylor Thom also homered against the Polytechnics, giving her two on the season.

Senior Brejae Washington had another solid all-around day, as she went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and went 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts, while freshman Devon Tunning had her most consistent day at the dish this season, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored between the two games.

All four pitchers saw time in the circle for the Horns between the two games. Freshman Lauren Slatten took the ball against UNLV, but it was sophomore Holly Kern who took the loss in game one. Junior Gabby Smith started against Cal Poly and collected the win, moving her to 4-1 on the season. Freshman Tiarra Davis made a relief appearance and threw the final two-and-a-thirds against the Polytechnics to help secure the win for UT.

Down 3-2 as it went to bat in the top of the seventh against UNLV, the Longhorns once again showed their grit late. UT sent the top of its order to the plate in the frame. Senior Taylor Thom got things going right away, as she drew a full-count walk and then later scored to make it a one-run contest when classmate Karina Scott smacked a pitch into right field. Scott would make her way home from first base to give UT the lead on Stephens' hard-hit double.

UNLV responded by getting its first runner on base and would later knot the game at five on Emily Haslinger's RBI single. With two runners aboard and the Rebels down to their last out Samantha Juarez delivered the game-winning run with a single into center field to score Alyssa Cordova.

After taking a heartbreaking loss, the Horns returned for the next game and got their frustrations out on Cal Poly. UT got its scoring outburst started in the third inning when Thom hit a two-run home run that just made it out of the yard, on a full-count. Her blast scored freshman Devon Tunning, who reached on a walk.

When they came to the plate in the fourth inning, UT poured it on. Kern got the parade started with a single up the middle. She would later score on a one-out single by freshman Stephanie Wong, which came after a base hit by Smith. Tunning would then come up and drive Smith home with a hit before Thom lifted a sacrifice fly to score Wong. Senior Brejae Washington worked a walk to load the bases for Stephens, who only needed one pitch to clear the basepaths with her grand slam.

UT tacked on two more runs in the fifth, as sophomore Rachel Scott doubled to score Smith and Thom busted out a single to left center to bring Scott in to make it 11-0, Longhorns.

Facing the run-rule, Cal Poly found a way to get its offense going in the bottom of the fifth, as it threw up its own seven-run inning, highlighted by Sierra Hyland's grand slam. The Polytechnics dodged being run-ruled as cut it back to a four-run contest as the game progressed to the sixth inning.

UT would limit Cal Poly from getting any closer while adding a pair of runs in the seventh on sophomore Stephanie Ceo's RBI-triple and Washington's sacrifice fly.

Texas remains at .500 with a 7-7 record as it sets its sights on Friday's Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic matchup against No. 3/2 Washington. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. Central.

POSTGAME NOTES

UT improves to 6-3 in all-time games against UNLV. The Horns are now 2-1 when they have met the Rebels at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
The seven runs Texas scored in the fourth inning against Cal Poly is the most it has pushed across in an inning this season.
The 13 runs scored against Cal Poly are the most UT has manufactured in a game this season.
Texas is now 7-0 when scoring six or more runs and 0-7 when scoring five runs or less. With the walkoff loss to UNLV, UT is 0-4 in one-run games this season
Senior Taylor Thom hit the 30^th home run of her career. She now has two on the season.
Sophomore Lindsey Stephens hit a grand slam against Cal Poly in the fourth inning. Stephens leads UT with five home runs this season.