The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
4-2
IPFW
0-7
Kern’s career-high six RBIs boost Softball past IPFW, 12-0 (5 inn.)
02.13.2015 | Softball
Sophomore pitcher Tiarra Davis earns her 20th career victory with complete-game shutout.
AUSTIN, Texas – A career-high six RBIs off the bat of junior first baseman Holly Kern and a complete-game shutout from sophomore pitcher Tiarra Davis led Texas past IPFW on Friday evening at the Texas Classic, 12-0 (5 inn.).
The Longhorns offense banged out nine hits prior to making liberal substitutions, led by Kern's 2-for-2, two-double, six-RBI effort. Sophomore left fielder Stephanie Wong was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored and a RBI. Junior Lindsey Stephens (1-for-1) knocked in two more runs, improving her team-leading RBI total to 13 through just six contests. Junior pinch hitter Rachel Scott, senior pinch hitter Gabby Smith (1-for-1) and senior right fielder Marlee Gabaldon (1-for-1) were each credited with a single RBI.
Davis improved to 1-1 on the season from the circle for Texas after allowing just two hits, walking three and striking out a season-best nine batters over 5.0 innings.
IPFW third baseman Jenna Balthazor attempted to get something started for the Mastodons in the top of the first by battling Davis for a lead-off walk. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner up 60 feet, but she ventured no further as a foul out behind the plate and a strikeout looking left her stranded.
With IPFW having missed a chance to break in front in the top half, Texas took full advantage of its opportunity in the bottom of the first. Walks from sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning and Stephens sandwiched a single off the bat of Wong to load the bases and set the stage for Kern. The Plano, Texas, native blasted a double into the right center field gap, clearing the base paths and staking Texas to a quick 3-0 advantage. Gabaldon soon followed with a two-out single up the middle, plating Kern to improve the lead to four tallies.
Texas added three more in the bottom of the second with the benefit of just one hit. Senior third baseman Stephanie Ceo started the outburst by getting hit by a pitch opening the frame, swiped second and moved to third on a Sarah Lazarovich wild pitch. With runners stationed at the corners following another Tunning walk, a Wong RBI single through the right side and consecutive sacrifice flies off the bats of Stephens and Kern pushed the gap to a commanding 7-0.
After allowing a runner to reach second during each of the opening two innings, Davis was firmly in command in the bottom of third. The Henderson, Texas, product struck out the side in order in completely shutting down the Mastodon offense.
Freshman pinch hitter Randel Leahy ignited another scoring outburst for the Horns in the third as her initial career extra-base hit, a double to left center, christened a string of six straight Texas batters reaching successfully. A RBI single by Smith, a sacrifice fly from Scott, a Stephens RBI base knock to right and another Kern double (two RBIs) proved the big blows in extending the gap to a commanding 12 runs.
With one final opportunity to extend the game in the top of the fifth, IPFW managed to get a runner on via a one-out walk but that was it as Davis struck out the side to end the contest.
Texas Team Notes:
Series - The Longhorns now hold a 2-1 advantage in the series against the Mastodons. The teams split the two games they played last year in the Texas Invitational.
Not wasting any time - Texas scored four runs in the first inning and three runs in the second. The Longhorns have now scored 25 runs in the first two frames in six contests this season.
Production at the top - The Longhorns 1-4 hitters combined to go 5-for-5 with 10 RBIs, eight runs, four walks, and two doubles.
Efficiency at the plate - Texas registered 12 runs on nine hits spread between seven hitters.
Runs in bunches - UT scored at least three runs in each of the first three innings. The Longhorns now have scored at least three runs in an inning seven times this season and in five of its six total games.
Player notes:
Holly Kern – The junior had a career game by going 2-for-2 with two doubles and a career-high six RBIs. She is now three hits away from 50 in her career.
Devon Tunning – The shortstop recorded two walks in the game and now has eight free passes on the year. The sophomore had 16 base on balls all of last year. She has now reached safely in six straight games.
Lindsey Stephens – The junior All-American recorded a first inning walk to extend her streak of reaching base safely to 12 games. She also recorded an RBI single in the third inning to extend her hitting streak to six games. Stephens now has 13 RBIs on the season.
Tiarra Davis – The sophomore hurled her first complete game of the season and second career complete game shutout behind a season-high nine strikeouts. The southpaw now has seven solo shutouts in her career.
Stephanie Wong – With her stolen base in the second inning, she now has a perfect stolen base percentage, going 15-for-15 in her career.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Davis, Tiarra (1-1)
L: Sarah Lazarowich (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Lindsay Burke 1
SH: Avery Nelson 1
Base Running:
CS: Becca Beier 1
Batting:
2B: Kern, Holly 2 ; Leahy, Randel 1
RBI: Wong, Stephanie 1 ; Scott, Rachel 1 ; Stephens, Lindsey 2 ; Kern, Holly 6 ; Gabaldon, Marlee 1 ; Smith, Gabby 1
SF: Scott, Rachel 1 ; Stephens, Lindsey 1 ; Kern, Holly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tunning, Devon 2 ; Angel, Alyssa 1 ; Wong, Stephanie 2 ; Stephens, Lindsey 2 ; Kern, Holly 1 ; Leahy, Randel 1 ; Krpec, Mickenzi 1 ; Ceo, Stephanie 1 ; King, Taylor 1
SB: Wong, Stephanie 1 ; Ceo, Stephanie 1
HBP: Ceo, Stephanie 1
