Softball sweeps Arkansas with heart-stopping 8-6 (8 inn.) win

Monday, March 16

Fayetteville, Ark.

8 p.m.

University of Texas

18-8

Arkansas

13-14

Texas

Arkansas

Softball sweeps Arkansas with heart-stopping 8-6 (8 inn.) win

03.16.2015 | Softball

Box Score

Sophomore pinch-hitter Mickenzi Krpec blasted a crucial three-run pinch-hit HR during the fourth

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Monday's night contest proved to be another in a weekend full of heart-stopping match-ups at Bogle Park as a four-run fourth and a two-run eighth inning powered Texas (18-8) to an 8-6 (8 inn.) victory and a three-game series sweep of Arkansas (13-14).

The Longhorns offense banged out 12 more hits, finishing the weekend batting at a .354 overall clip during the series with 27 runs scored and 11 extra-base hits.

UT sophomore pinch hitter Mickenzi Krpec provided arguably the biggest hit of the game with a three-run HR, highlighting a four-run Texas fourth as UT fought back from a 5-2 deficit. Junior second baseman Stephanie Ceo raised her series average to a team-best .667 by going 3-for-4 at the dish with a triple and two runs scored. Junior designated player Holly Kern was 2-for-3 (hit .600 against Arkansas) with a RBI, while sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning (1-for-2) and sophomore first baseman Kelli Hanzel each registered a RBI.

In the circle for the Horns, freshman Erica Wright earned her seventh win of the campaign, allowing three earned runs and four hits, while walking five and striking out four over a complete-game effort.

Texas' offense threatened right from the start against Arkansas starter Claire Clark, loading the bases with one out via a Tunning walk, a Stephanie Wong infield single and a Razorback error. Unfortunately for the Horns, consecutive grounders to third brought an end to the scoring opportunity as UT missed a big early chance by leaving three stranded.

A hit batter and consecutive walks got Arkansas into immediate business starting the bottom of the first against Wright. Designated player Shelby Hiers followed by making solid contact on a drive to left, but Wong was able to track it down short of the warning track for a long sacrifice fly as UA took a 1-0 lead. Wright battled through the adversity, however, as the Huntington, Texas, native induced a fly ball to center and a grounder to short to limit the damage to just a single run.

The Longhorns mounted a two-out threat in the second, all started by a long Ceo triple off the wall in right. Tunning walked for the second time, putting pressure on the Arkansas defense with Longhorns stationed at the corners. On a steal of second, a ball thrown by catcher Nicole Schroeder proved low to shortstop Madison Yannetti as she tried to cut things off prevent a potential double steal. As the ball got away, Ceo managed to scamper home with the tying run to tie things at 1-1.

In the top of the third, a Lindsey Stephens lead-off walk was quickly cashed in on a long Kern double to right center as the Horns made it 2-1.

The lead didn't last for long, though, as Arkansas first baseman Devon Wallace dead-locked the contest at two apiece in the bottom of the third on a lead-off solo home run to right center. The Razorbacks weren't quite done as a crucial dropped pop-up and consecutive walks loaded the bases for UA with still just one down. That set the stage for Schroeder who stepped to the dish and drove a long fly to right center. Stephens raced over near the track and almost made a great running catch, but the ball dropped in for a double as the Razorbacks plated three unearned runs to lead 5-2.

Suddenly faced with its largest deficit of the series, Texas immediately mounted its comeback in the top of the fourth. Senior right fielder Marlee Gabaldon and freshman third baseman Randel Leahy started off the frame with back-to-back free passes. Ceo ripped a bouncer through the right side of the infield and suddenly the Longhorns had the bases juiced with no one out. Tunning drove a fly ball to left that was caught for a sacrifice fly as Gabaldon scored UT's third tally. The decision was made to pinch hit Krpec, and that decision paid off big-time. The Fulshear, Texas, product jumped all over reliever Sydney Wright's offering, depositing it over the left field fence for a three-run HR and a 6-5 Longhorn advantage.

Wright settled in for Texas over the next three frames, retiring eight in a row in a stretch from the fourth through the sixth innings with a pair of K's.

With one last chance in the seventh and the top of the order up, Arkansas wouldn't go quietly as Wallace became the tying run after getting hit with the first pitch of the inning. Center fielder Stephanie Canfield delivered in the clutch, driving a RBI triple into the gap in left center as Wallace crossed easily to tie things up at 6-all. Again Wright proved her mettle in a tough spot, retiring the next three Razorbacks in order on a pop-up, a grounder to the circle and a strikeout to escape a huge jam.

Granted new life, Texas roared to the lead in the top of the eighth. Wong walked and Stephens singled to right center to put a pair aboard with no outs. Kern surprised UA with a sacrifice bunt, and on the throw to first, there was a collision between the runner and first baseman. During the ensuing chaos, Wong raced home with the go-ahead run to make it 7-6. The lead was finalized at a pair of tallies just two batters later as Hanzel hammered a sacrifice fly to left.

Again faced with scoring or suffering a loss during the bottom of the eighth, Arkansas got off to a promising start as left fielder Loren Krzysko battled over 10 pitches to earn a lead-off walk. Another pronounced battle, this one between Wright and Schroeder went Texas' way as junior catcher Erin Shireman hustled back to catch a pop-up behind the plate for out number one. A fielder's choice cut down the lead runner for a big second out, bringing pinch hitter Haley Meinen to the plate in a huge spot. Wright managed to get the batter to pop-up to third to end the extra-inning thriller.