Shireman’s walk-off heroics help No. 25 Softball beat Northwestern, 5-4

Saturday, February 7

Tempe, Ariz.

2:30 p.m.

University of Texas

2-1

Northwestern

2-1

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

Shireman’s walk-off heroics help No. 25 Softball beat Northwestern, 5-4

02.07.2015 | Softball

Box Score

Junior catcher’s deciding HR came on 3-2 pitch with two outs in the bottom of the seventh

TEMPE, Ariz. – It literally took to the last pitch, but No. 25 Texas (2-1) utilized a clutch walk-off, two-run homer off the bat of junior catcher Erin Shireman to post a come-from-behind, 5-4 victory over Northwestern (2-1) on Saturday afternoon at the Kajikawa Classic.

Down 4-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh, sophomore designated player Tiarra Davis drew a vital lead-off walk, was sacrificed to second by sophomore second baseman Kelli Hanzel and scored as Shireman blasted a 3-2, two-out offering over the wall in left off Northwestern starter Amy Letourneau.

Texas out-hit the Wildcats, 6-5, with Shireman leading the way by going 2-for-3 with a double, a HR and three RBIs. Sophomore left fielder Stephanie Wong mashed her first HR of the young season and Hanzel went 1-for-2 with a RBI.

In the circle for the Horns, freshman Kristen Clark earned her first collegiate victory in relief, allowing just one hit and walking two during a single frame of action. Sophomore Lauren Slatten started the contest and permitted three earned runs on a trio of hits with four walks and four K's over four innings. Freshman Erica Wright allowed one earned tally on a single hit with three free passes and a K in 2.0 innings of relief.

A wild first inning of play saw both teams put a three-spot on the scoreboard. After NU nabbed a 3-0 advantage, Texas got a solo HR by Wong, a RBI single from Hanzel and a bases loaded walk from Shireman to immediately knot things back up.

Both pitchers finally began to settle in after the first inning chaos. Texas' offense tried to get something going in the top of the third with the assistance of Northwestern's Letourneau. Davis walked to open the frame, and Hanzel followed by getting struck by a pitch. With two aboard, Letourneau responded by retiring the next three batters she faced in order as the Texas left-on-base count expanded to six.

UT made a pitching change in the top of the fifth with Wright entering the contest in relief of Slatten. The Huntington, Texas, native immediately walked Andrea DiPrima and Letourneau to put the Wildcats in business with none out. Wright proved up to the task, however, coercing a pair of long fly balls to left, that were tracked down, and getting a fielder's choice to escape the jam.

Northwestern managed its first base hit since the opening outburst as first baseman Julia Kuhn blooped a ball over the defense and just onto the grass in shallow right with one down in the top of the sixth. Again Wright wouldn't allow NU to string anything together, posting a strikeout and getting pinch hitter Brooke Marquez to pop up to sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning just behind second base.

With time beginning to run short for both teams, Shireman got Texas in business in the sixth with a lead-off double down into the left field corner. A one-out wild Letourneau offering moved the runner within 60 feet of pay dirt, and she was soon joined via walks by Tunning and Wong to pack the bases. With the chance for her second grand slam in as many days, Stephens rolled over a swing and bounced harmlessly into the fielder's choice that cut down the lead runner at the plate. Kern quickly got ahead of Letourneau 2-0 but was jammed inside on a pitch, popping up in foul ground to leave a trio stranded.

A lead-off walk starting the seventh frame signaled the end of Wright's stint in the circle as Clark was summoned in for a relief appearance. She immediately walked Letourneau, placing the go-ahead run in scoring position at second base and allowed a bloop single to right by LeBeau to load the bags with still no outs. Filler stepped to the dish and hammered a shot to deep right that senior right fielder Marlee Gabaldon managed to track down near the fence. The shot proved enough, however, to plate the runner from third as the Wildcats nabbed a late 4-3 advantage.

Provided with one final chance in the bottom of the seventh to either extend the contest or win it outright, Davis got UT off to the right start with a lead-off walk. After Hanzel sacrificed the runner over a base and Gabaldon flied out, Shireman stepped to the plate facing a huge situation. The Pearland, Texas, native battled Letourneau to a full count before unloading on a drive over the wall in left as Texas walked-off dramatically over Northwestern, 5-4.