Connie Clark collects 700th career victory; No. 10/10 Softball defeats No. 13/15 Louisiana Lafayette and falls to Northern Iowa

Saturday, February 8

Lafayette, LA

4:30 PM

University of Texas

4-0

Louisiana - Lafayette

2-2

Louisiana

Texas

Connie Clark collects 700th career victory; No. 10/10 Softball defeats No. 13/15 Louisiana Lafayette and falls to Northern Iowa

02.09.2014 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Ceo has four hits, including first career home run; Longhorns are 3-0 this season against ranked competition

PDF BOX SCORES: vs. Louisiana Lafayette |vs. Northern Iowa

LAFAYETTE, La. – No. 10/10 Texas Softball knocked off No. 13/15 Louisiana Lafayette , 7-3, before falling 6-3 to Northern Iowa for its first loss of the season. With the win over the Ragin' Cajuns, 19-year head coach Connie Clark reached the 700 win milestone on Saturday night in the second day of the 28 Annual Louisiana Classic. Clark, who is in her 18th varsity season at the helm of the University of Texas softball program becomes the 34th NCAA Division I head coach to reach 700 wins.

Against ULL, the Longhorns scored five runs in their half of the second inning, highlighted by sophomore Lindsey Stephens' three-run home run that broke a 2-2 tie. Stephens smashed her third homer of the year, while sophomore Stephanie Ceo blasted a solo shot out to deep center field in the sixth inning to add insurance. Ceo led the team with four hits over the two contests. Junior pitcher Gabby Smith boosted her record to 2-0 in the circle on the season.

Freshmen pitchers Lauren Slatten and Tiarra Davis both saw relief innings in the circle. Slatten entered for Smith in the top of the third inning and went on to toss 3.0 innings of work before Davis took over in the middle of the fifth frame with the bases loaded and was able to pitch her team out of the jam.

UT and Northern Iowa clashed moments after the Longhorns improved to 4-0 on the season. The Panthers demonstrated a potent offense in their earlier games in the Louisiana Classic and would continue to put up a strong offensive effort when it came time to face Texas.

Responding to the Longhorns' first inning run by senior Taylor Thom on Davis' base hit up the middle, UNI exploded for six runs in the bottom half of the frame.

The Panthers would be held from scoring for the rest of the contest once sophomore pitcher Holly Kern settled in. After taking over for Davis with one out recorded in the first, Kern allowed just one run on one hit, while striking out five and walking three over 4.0 innings. Smith made an appearance and pitched 1.2 innings to keep UT in the contest, as it worked to battle back.

Davis and Shireman each hit solo home runs to bring the Horns to within three runs, but would be held from making another five-run comeback.

No. 10/10 Texas will have an early contest on Sunday morning against Purdue and will close out play in the Louisiana Classic. First pitch is set for 9:00 a.m.

POSTGAME NOTES

- Texas head coach Connie Clark reached the 700-win milestone with the Longhorns' 7- 3 win over No. 13/15 Louisiana Lafayette.

- Sophomore Lindsey Stephens hit her third home run of the season. She now has four in her last six games, dating back to last season.

- Sophomore Erin Shireman hit her second home run of the season. She now has three in her UT career.

- Sophomore Stephanie Ceo hit her first home run of the season and of her career.

- With its win over No. 13/15 Louisiana Lafayette, Texas is 3-0 this season against national ranked opponents in the USA TODAY/NFCA Top 25. UT is 175-173-1 all-time against teams in the USA TODAY/NFCA Top 25 poll. The current senior class is 38-22 against such teams.