Softball’s season ends in 4-3 (9 inn.) loss to San Diego State

Saturday, May 16

Los Angeles, Calif.

8:15 p.m.

University of Texas

38-17

San Diego State

38-19

Texas

San Diego State

Softball’s season ends in 4-3 (9 inn.) loss to San Diego State

05.16.2015 | Softball

Box Score

Aztecs hit walk-off solo HR leading off the bottom of the ninth inning to eliminate Texas

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Clutch home runs from sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning and junior catcher Erin Shireman pushed Texas (38-17) to a pair of late leads, but they weren't quite enough as San Diego State (38-19) hit a walk-off solo HR in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday night to eliminate the Longhorns from the NCAA Los Angeles Regional, 4-3 (9 inn.).

Tunning's two-run HR in the sixth granted UT its first lead of the night at 2-1, while Shireman's seventh inning solo drive over the scoreboard in left handed Texas a short-lived 3-2 advantage.

Freshman Erica Wright suffered the loss in the circle, completing her initial campaign in the Burnt Orange & White at 18-9 after allowing two earned runs on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts over 5.2 innings of work. Sophomore Tiarra Davis permitted two tallies on three hits over 2.1 frames of relief work.

At the plate, Tunning was 1-for-4 with a two-run HR, her seventh of the season, and a pair of RBIs, completing her NCAA Regional action at .667 overall (6-for-9) while reaching in 10 of her 13 total plate appearances. Shireman blasted her 10th big fly of the campaign as part of a 2-for-5 effort with a RBI, hitting .545 with a pair of HR's and a team-leading five RBIs during NCAA play. Freshman third baseman Randel Leahy was a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk as the Longhorns out-hit the Aztecs by a 9-6 count.

Tunning walked to open the contest, and in the process, reached safely in a remarkable ninth-consecutive plate appearance to start NCAA Regional action. Following a Stephanie Wong fielder's choice that cut down the lead runner, junior center fielder Lindsey Stephens ripped a single into left field, putting a pair of Longhorns aboard. With two retired following a strikeout, Shireman continued her impressive postseason with a sharp single through the left side of the infield. Wong raced around third and tried to score on the play but was thrown out on a perfect relay to end the frame.

Consecutive one-out singles by senior right fielder Marlee Gabaldon and Leahy in the second got Texas' offense in business against SDSU starter Erica Romero in the top of the second. Unfortunately for the Horns, a fly out to center and a foul out outside of third left the duo on the base paths as UT's left stranded count expanded to four through the first two innings.

After cruising through the first two innings in order, Wright finally allowed SDSU's first base runner of the contest via a one-out free pass in the bottom of the third. That walk soon turned into the game's first run as a sacrifice bunt and a RBI single from right fielder Kayla Jordan gifted the Aztecs a 1-0 lead.

Texas continued to threatened offensively into the fourth as a lead-off Kelli Hanzel bunt single, a Leahy walk and a passed ball moved UT runners to second and third. Tunning stepped into the batter's box and drove a pitch the other way to deep left, but it was caught near the track as the Horns left two more on base.

Wright's first stay in the circle came to an end with two on and two out in the bottom of the fifth as Davis was summoned into the contest in relief. She was greeted immediately by a slow chopper into the hole between short and third that went for a single to load the bases. SDSU second baseman Leia Ruiz had an opportunity to blow the game open for the Aztecs but grounded harmlessly to Tunning at short to leave the bags packed.

With time beginning to run desperately short, a big two-out walk drawn by sophomore pinch hitter Mickenzi Krpec opened the door for the first Texas heroics. Tunning came to the dish facing another huge spot in the contest and delivered with a towering two-run HR to deep center as Texas swiped its first lead of the match-up at 2-1.

The advantage didn't last long, however, as San Diego State catcher Jenavee Peres dead-locked the game at 2-2 on a solo HR to right center with one retired in the bottom of the sixth.

More long ball heroics awaited the Longhorns in the top of the seventh as Shireman blasted a solo shot, her 10th HR of the season, over the scoreboard in left to grant Texas a 3-2 lead.

Both teams refused to quit as SDSU again tied the contest at three apiece in the bottom of the seventh on a solo HR down the left field line from center fielder Hayley Miles.

The Longhorns got a scoring threat starting the top of the eighth as a Gabaldon walk and a Leahy single up the middle put a pair of Longhorns on with no outs. Following a pop-up, Tunning nearly hit another HR as her towering fly ball to center was caught at the base of the wall for a loud second out. A once promising inning went for naught soon after as a K looking left the duo on the base paths.

SDSU would take advantage of escaping the jam, ending the contest immediately in the bottom of the ninth on a solo walk-off HR off the bat of designated player Taylor Stewart as the Aztecs prevailed 4-3.

NCAA Los Angeles Regional Schedule:

Friday, May 15

Game 1 – 5 p.m. CT – San Diego State vs. TEXAS – TEXAS wins 8-3

Game 2 – 7:30 p.m. CT – Cal State Northridge vs. #7-seed UCLA – UCLA wins 9-1 (5 inn.)

Saturday, May 16

Game 3 – 2 p.m. CT – TEXAS vs. #7-seed UCLA – UCLA wins 4-1

Game 4 – 4:30 p.m. CT – San Diego State vs. Cal State Northridge – SDSU wins 5-4 (CSUN eliminated)

Game 5 – 7 p.m. CT – TEXAS vs. San Diego State – San Diego State wins 4-3 (9 inn.) (TEXAS eliminated)

Sunday, May 17

Game 6 – 2 p.m. CT – #7-seed UCLA vs. San Diego State – ESPN3

Game 7 – 4:30 p.m. CT – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary) – ESPN3