No. 25 Softball falls late to No. 18 Missouri, 4-3

Friday, February 20

Cathedral City, Calif.

5 p.m.

University of Texas

9-5

Missouri

7-1

Missouri

Texas

No. 25 Softball falls late to No. 18 Missouri, 4-3

02.20.2015 | Softball

Box Score

Another Texas seventh-inning rally comes up just short with tying run at third

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Friday at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic was a day of hard-fought Burnt Orange & White rallies that came up just 60 feet short as No. 25 Texas (9-5) again fought back from a deficit in the seventh inning and got the tying run to third base before falling to No. 18 Missouri, 4-3.

After a two-out, top of the seventh inning miscue opened the door for three unearned Missouri (7-1) runs to break a 1-1 tie, Texas tallied twice in the bottom half before eventually leaving the bases loaded.

The Horns managed six hits in the contest with sophomore left fielder Stephanie Wong (1-for-3), junior center fielder Lindsey Stephens (1-for-4) and sophomore second baseman Kelli Hanzel (1-for-3, run) each managing single RBIs.

Texas freshman Erica Wright suffered the hard luck loss, allowing four runs, all unearned, on four hits with four walks and a strikeout over a complete-game effort.

Missouri would have broken in front in the top of the second if not for a little Texas glove work. With two retired, Tiger designated player Angela Randazzo blasted a shot to deep center. Stephens retreated as far as she could before leaping over the fence to make the catch and save a run.

Texas registered its first scoring threat of the contest in the bottom of the second. After junior first baseman Holly Kern walked opening the frame, junior catcher Erin Shireman bounced a single the other way through the right side of the infield. With two on and one down following a fielder's choice, Gabaldon drew a walk, packing the bases full of Longhorns. Hanzel stepped into the box and hit a bouncer to short for a fielder's choice as Shireman scored from 60 feet away to make it 1-0.

Some major Texas assistance helped Missouri tie the game up in the top of the third as a lead-off defensive miscue on the UT infield, a groundout and a pair of wild pitches combined on MU's first run of the contest.

Neither team could get much going offensively until the top of the fifth when the Tigers put a pair aboard with two down via a walk and infield single. Nothing would come of the threat, however, as Wright got right fielder Emily Crane to fly out harmlessly to Stephens in center.

The Longhorns had single base runners in the fifth and sixth innings and even managed to get someone as far as second during the latter. Kern battled Missouri starter Paige Lowary over a 13-pitch at-bat before reaching on an error at second. Unfortunately for the Burnt Orange & White, a bouncer to second and a liner to left field left her stranded in scoring position as the teams went to the final inning of regulation tied 1-1.

Missouri finally managed to break in front in the top half of the seventh as a walk and a two-out single placed a pair aboard for the Tigers. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, a ball was misplayed for an error, escaping far enough away to allow two runs to cross and make it 3-1 Missouri. A RBI single to left by Sami Fagan finalized the MU scoring at four runs as Texas came to the plate needing another late rally.

Facing one last opportunity, senior right fielder Marlee Gabaldon and Hanzel got things going with back-to-back singles to begin the frame. Sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning reached on a one-out miscue at second and suddenly the Horns had the bags packed. Wong came through with a bases-loaded walk and Stephens with an RBI single and suddenly the deficit was just 4-3. Following a foul out down the line, the decision was made by MU to bring in ace Tori Finucane in relief against Shireman. Texas' starting catcher battled hard over six pitches before getting jammed and popping up to short to end the contest.