Softball’s rally at a comeback falls short in 6-3 loss to No. 6/6 Washington

Saturday, March 8

Fullerton, Calif.

10 p.m.

University of Texas

14-12

Washington

19-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Washington	0	1	4	0	0	0	1	6	9	0
Texas	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	3	10	0

Softball’s rally at a comeback falls short in 6-3 loss to No. 6/6 Washington

03.09.2014 | Softball

Box Score

Thom blasts her third home run of the season; Texas gets strong effort from defense

Box Score (PDF) | Twitter

FULLERTON, Calif. – Trailing by five runs to No. 6/6 Washington in the home half of the third inning, senior Taylor Thom hit her third home run of the season to jumpstart Texas Softball's bid at a comeback, but the Longhorns (14-12, 0-0) weren't able to catch up to the Huskies (19-3, 0-0), as they fell 6-3 in Saturday night's Judi Garman Classic contest.

After the Huskies gathered five runs off of home runs by Kylee Lahners and Ali Aguilar and a sacrifice fly over the course of the second and third innings, Thom took the first pitch she was dealt from Kaitlin Inglesby and slammed it over the center field wall to get UT on the board.

Senior Brejae Washington and sophomore Lindsey Stephens doubled and walked, respectively, to continue UT's third inning rally before freshman Tiarra Davis slapped a single to score Washington to make it a three-run game (5-2) at that point.

Stephens was held hitless for the first time in her last 16 games, but still managed to extend her streak of reaching base to 27-straight games.

Texas would continue its momentum when it went back to the dish in the fourth, as it would load the bases with one out. Freshman Lauren Slatten worked a four-pitch walk in her first at-bat of her career before sophomore Stephanie Ceo also drew a free pass and Thom reached on a fielder's choice. Washington came to the plate and blasted a pitch into right field to tack on another UT run on her sacrifice fly to make it a 5-3 game in the fourth.

The Longhorns, who out-hit the Huskies, had opportunities to get closer, but left seven runners on base over the final three innings.

UW posted an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when Aguilar pounded out an RBI double into left field.

UT's defense showcased one of its finest efforts of the season all game long, but especially in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Stephens threw a UW runner out at home plate from right field before freshman third baseman Devon Tunning made a terrific stretch to nab a line drive near the left field line.

Junior Gabby Smith started in the circle for the Horns, but was lifted after giving up the three-run home run to Aguilar in the middle of the third. Freshman Lauren Slatten took over and made her first appearance since Feb. 20 against UNLV. The Cincinnati, Ohio native struck out a season-high four batters over the final four-and-a-third innings, while holding the Huskies to one run on four hits and two walks.

Smith took her second straight loss in as many starts to fall to 8-3 on the season, while UW's Inglesby improved to 6-1.

The Longhorns will close out play in the 2014 Judi Garman Classic on Sunday afternoon when they take on Long Beach State at 2:00 p.m. PT/4:00 p.m. CT.

POSTGAME NOTES

-Freshman Lauren Slatten threw a season-high four strikeouts.

-Sophomore Lindsey Stephens' 16-game hitting streak ended. Her streak matched Desiree Williams (2006) and Lindsay Gardner (2000) for the third-longest in school history.

-Stephens has reached base in 27-straight games, tying Taylor Hoagland for second place on UT's all-time list in consecutive games reaching base.

-Texas fell to Washington for the second time this season, dropping its record to 7-15 all-time against the Huskies.

-The Longhorns out-hit Washington, 10-9. It was the seventh time in the last nine games that UT pounded out at least 10 hits in a game.