Softball gets two Leahy HR’s to top UT Arlington, 8-0 (5 inn.)

Wednesday, April 15

Austin, Texas

6 p.m.

University of Texas

28-12

UT Arlington

26-20

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UT Arlington	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Texas	6	1	0	0	1	8	10	1

Softball gets two Leahy HR’s to top UT Arlington, 8-0 (5 inn.)

04.15.2015 | Softball

Box Score

Freshman third baseman blasted her first career grand slam and a walk-off solo shot in victory

AUSTIN, Texas – The first career two-HR game from freshman third baseman Randel Leahy helped power Texas (28-12) to a commanding 8-0 (5 inn.) victory over UT Arlington (26-20) on Wednesday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field.

Leahy (3-for-3, two runs scored, two HR's, career-high five RBI) blasted her first career grand slam during a six-run first and finished things off in style with a walk-off solo shot in the fifth. The walk-off triumph marked the sixth for the Longhorns this season and fifth at home, while Leahy's two-HR game was the third for UT over its last seven games. Sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning previously turned the multi-HR trick in games against Texas State (April 3) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (April 7).

"Great at-bats for Randel tonight," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "She's really come along, and we've talked about it this season, that she's somebody we wanted to try to get in the line-up every single day. She just has such a high ceiling and is such a great athlete. Obviously the grand slam was sweet, but to get the walk-off was tremendous."

Junior catcher Erin Shireman went 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, sophomore first baseman Kelli Hanzel was 2-for-3 with a run and sophomore left fielder Stephanie Wong was 2-for-3 with two runs and a pair of steals.

In the circle for the Longhorns, senior Gabby Smith (8-2) earned the win as the most effective reliever, striking out six while walking one and allowing a single hit over 2.0 innings. Sophomore Tiarra Davis started the match-up for UT, walking two and striking out a pair in 2.0 no-hit frames. Freshman Erica Wright finished the victory by tossing the final inning of perfect relief with a single K.

"Tonight was really about getting our pitchers work in a mid-week, non-conference game," Clark said. "Tiarra (Davis) packed on two innings of work instead of one like this past weekend. All three of our pitchers did a great job of throwing to all zones and mixing speeds efficiently. That's what we need is for those three to get stronger and stronger as we go on this season."

"It (the softball she was seeing tonight) was pretty big," Leahy said. "Definitely during warm-ups, I was feeling it. I was just working on really seeing the ball, working a lot on my eye and seeing pitches at the appropriate level. It was nice to come out tonight and redeem ourselves. Last weekend was tough, but I think if we learn from it, it will be a good experience for us."

After UT Arlington left a runner stranded on a walk during the top of the first, Texas' offense wasted no time getting rolling against Maverick starter Sam Montes in the bottom half. Tunning (1-for-2, run) and Wong christened the outburst the right way with a free pass and a single to center, respectively. With a pop-up and a grounder threatening a premature end the UT threat, Shireman stepped to the dish and drove a two-RBI single the other way through the right side of the infield, plating both Longhorns for a quick 2-0 lead. Consecutive base knocks from Hanzel and senior right fielder Marlee Gabaldon (1-for-2, run) loaded the bags full and set the stage for Leahy. The Norco, Calif., product didn't miss her chance, immediately driving the first pitch of her at-bat to deep left for her first career grand slam and the fifth of the season for Texas as UT's advantage exploded to 6-0.

The speed at the top of the Longhorns' line-up showed itself in the bottom of the second as a Tunning lead-off single, a Wong fielder's choice and stolen base, a groundout to the circle and a passed ball combined on an unearned Texas run to make it 7-0.

With UTA in major need of offense to get back in the contest, a Texas throwing miscue opening the third and a one-out walk granted the Mavericks a pair of base runners. Smith didn't let any of that faze her in the circle, however, as the senior reliever struck out the side to leave the duo stranded.

Teas threatened once again in the bottom of the third as singles by Hanzel and Leahy as well as a Stephanie Ceo walk loaded the bases with two outs. Tunning hit a ball right on the screws, but her liner to left traveled right to UTA's Britnea Barilli to end the frame with no damage.

The Maverick offense finally managed its only hit of the contest starting the top of the fourth as right fielder Shelbi Sikes chopped a single through the left side of the infield. That proved a small bump in the road for Smith as the hurler struck out the side for the second straight frame, improving her K total to six.

Following Wright's perfect top of the fifth from the circle, Texas ended the match-up in the bottom half. With two retired, Leahy drove a 1-0 pitch from reliever Taylor Simmonds over the left field wall to bring about the run-rule.