The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Temple College
Softball rolls past Temple College in fall play, 13-0
10.08.2015 | Softball
Longhorns’ offense plates six runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth in rolling to the victory
AUSTIN, Texas – On Thursday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field, three Texas pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout and the Longhorns offense exploded for six runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth to roll past Temple College in fall exhibition action, 13-0.
Freshman outfielder Bekah Alcozer went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and a RBI, sophomore pitcher Paige von Sprecken was 1-for-1 with two RBIs, junior infielder Celina Felix was 1-for-2 with a RBI double, senior catcher Erin Shireman went 1-for-2 with a RBI and senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo scored twice, was hit by two pitches, stole three bases and scored two runs in helping lead the offensive onslaught.
In the circle for the Burnt Orange & White, junior hurler Tiarra Davis started and tossed three innings of no-hit ball with two walks and four K's. Sophomore Kristen Clark permitted an infield single over two frames of relief with a strikeout, while von Sprecken walked one and K'ed three in two no-hit innings to complete the victory.
Despite issuing a one-out walk, Davis had little problem with the Temple College line-up during the top of the first posting two strikeouts and getting a caught stealing on a strong throw to second by sophomore catcher Randel Leahy.
That set the stage for the Longhorns to break in front in the bottom of the first. Junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel got things started for Texas by drawing a one-out walk. With the Houston, Texas, native stationed at second after a wild pitch, Shireman drove an RBI single down the right field line.
A lead-off hit-by-pitch and steals of second and third by Ceo got UT back in business in the bottom of the second. Following her two-out walk off Temple hurler Lexi Smith, Leahy immediately took off on a steal attempt. The throw from catcher Sara Ralston bounced into center field as Ceo crossed easily from 60 feet away on a double steal to make it 2-0.
The Texas advantage continued to expand in the third as a lead-off Stephanie Wong bunt single, a stolen base, a perfect sacrifice bunt from freshman outfielder Reagan Hathaway and a wild pitch plated UT's third tally of the night. The Longhorns loaded the bases with two outs as junior infielder Mickenzi Krpec walked, von Sprecken was hit by a pitch and senior outfielder Rachel Scott earned a free pass. Unfortunately, the Horns left the bags packed as a swinging strikeout ended the threat with no further damage.
Temple College managed its initial hit beginning the top of the fourth against new UT hurler Clark as a high chopper to short by center fielder Carolina Flores was barely beat out at first. That was all the Lady Leopards would get, however, as Clark handled a chopper back to the circle, recorded a strikeout and induced a liner to third to end the frame.
With Clark keeping Temple's bats in check, Alcozer got Texas' largest outburst underway starting the bottom of the fifth by driving a double into the right center gap. The bases were soon packed on a Ceo walk and a Lindsey Stephens hit-by-pitch with still no one retired. Freshman infielder Christina Bardwell stepped to the dish and hit a slow bouncer to first. The throw home got away for an error as two runs crossed the plate to make it 5-0. A sacrifice fly to left from Leahy and a RBI blooper to right center from Alcozer pushed the Longhorns' advantage to 7-0. The final count grew to six runs in the frame as Stephens soon followed with a two-RBI triple to the wall in left center as the lead expanded to nine tallies.
The Lady Leopards registered a base runner on a walk against new pitcher von Sprecken with one down in the sixth. That's all they could get going, however, as the Yorba Linda, Calif., native struck out two and got the benefit of a caught stealing.
The Texas offensive count was finalized in the bottom of the sixth at 13-0 as four Longhorns crossed the plate. A RBI double over third base from Felix, a two-RBI single by von Sprecken and a RBI bouncer through the right side by senior outfielder Rachel Scott did the damage for the Horns in the frame.
From there von Sprecken retired Temple College on order on a K, a fly ball to left and a pop-up to short to end the UT triumph.
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