Softball drops a 3-1 decision to Georgia Southern

Thursday, March 19

Austin, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

18-9

Georgia Southern

7-19

Georgia Southern

Texas

Softball drops a 3-1 decision to Georgia Southern

03.19.2015 | Softball

Box Score

Longhorns return to action on Tues., March 24, against UTSA at 6 p.m. CT

AUSTIN, Texas – On Thursday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field, a two-run fourth-inning outburst bolstered a complete-game pitching effort from starter Kierra Camp as Georgia Southern defeated Texas (18-9), 3-1.

Sophomore left fielder Stephanie Wong led the UT offense by tying a career-high for hits in a perfect 3-for-3 performance, while junior second baseman Stephanie Ceo went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

In the circle for the Longhorns, senior pitcher Gabby Smith (5-1) suffered her first loss over her last 10 decisions, allowing three earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts over 4.0 innings of relief. Freshman Erica Wright started the contest for the Burnt Orange & White and permitted three hits with three K's over 3.0 frames.

Wright faced an immediate threat from the circle in the top of the first as an Emily Snider double into the left field corner and a hit batter put a pair of Eagles aboard with one out. The freshman hurler refused to permit anything else, however, inducing a pop-up to short before striking out catcher A.J. Hamilton to end the half-inning with no damage.

Texas missed out on a huge chance to break in front in the bottom of the opening frame, loading the bases with no outs on a Devon Tunning walk, a Wong infield single and a hit-by-pitch. Unfortunately for the Horns, a strikeout and a groundout to the circle that was turned into a home-to-first double play concluded the frame.

It took a great Longhorns defensive play to keep GSU off the board in the second. With a runner at third and two retired, second baseman Alesha Mann lofted a ball to shallow right center. Senior Marlee Gabaldon, who made a game-saving catch in the 8-7 (9 inn.) win at Arkansas on March 14, was back at it against the Eagles, racing over from her position in right to make a run-saving diving grab.

The Longhorns finally managed to take the lead during the bottom of the third. As she has done so often during her current six-game hitting streak, Ceo got UT off to the right start by singling to left opening the inning. A pair of wild pitches from Camp moved the runner to third. That set the stage for a Wong RBI single through the right side as Texas took a one-run lead.

The advantage didn't last long, though, as Georgia Southern struck right back in the fourth against UT reliever Smith. Hitting the lead-off batter came back to hurt the Longhorns as consecutive two-out doubles, one the result of a misplayed liner to the outfield, from right fielder Breanna McLendon and Mann pushed the Eagles in front for the first time in the contest, 2-1.

Needing a rally, Texas got a pair aboard in the fourth via walks and a Wong one-out single in the sixth, but couldn't solve the Camp riddle in the circle.

Georgia Southern tallied a big insurance run in the top of the seventh to seal the win as Snider drove a solo HR to center to make it 3-1.

Freshman third baseman Randel Leahy gave the Horns life in the last half of the seventh with a lead-off walk, but three consecutive groundouts ended the contest.