Softball keeps rolling with 9-0 (5 inn.) win at Oklahoma State

Saturday, May 2

Stillwater, Okla.

3 p.m.

University of Texas

34-14, 9-5

Oklahoma State

21-30, 3-12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Texas	2	1	3	0	3	9	9	1
Oklahoma State	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	3

Softball keeps rolling with 9-0 (5 inn.) win at Oklahoma State

05.02.2015 | Softball

Box Score

Texas’ offense bangs out nine hits, while Stephanie Ceo homers for the second straight day in victory

STILLWATER, Okla. – Texas softball (34-14, 9-5 Big 12 Conference) kept its late-season momentum going on Saturday afternoon at Cowgirl Stadium by registering nine hits in rolling past Oklahoma State (21-30, 3-12 Big 12) in the second game of a league series, 9-0 (5 inn.).

With the victory, the 2015 edition of the Longhorns became the first squad in program history to win 12 road games in a single campaign, and at 12-3 in road tilts, is off to its best-ever 15-game road start.

Junior second baseman Stephanie Ceo homered for the second consecutive day as part of a 1-for-2, run scored, two-RBI effort, while junior center fielder Lindsey Stephens went 2-for-4 with a pair of tallies, a double and a RBI. Sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning helped ignite the offense from her lead-off spot by going 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI. Junior designated player Holly Kern was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI, sophomore pitcher Tiarra Davis was 1-for-1 with a RBI, junior catcher Erin Shireman was 1-for-3 with a RBI and sophomore first baseman Kelli Hanzel scored twice while knocking in a single tally.

In the circle for the Horns, Davis scattered six hits, walked four and struck out four over a complete game effort while improving her record to 5-4.

"For Tiarra to get in five innings today from the circle was really exciting," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "We're just working her back in, and she even got an at-bat today. She's just been working in all facets of the game in order to get back. I don't know if she had her best stuff physically today, but mentally, that's as good as I've seen her. She really stayed pitch-to-pitch. She made some pitches, and then got some solid defensive help. Our double play in the fourth inning was tremendous in just helping take the wind out of their sails. Our offense was also amazing today. Stephanie Ceo continues to produce for us at the plate with a home run for the second straight day and six RBIs over the first two games of this series. That is great to see."

Tunning got the Texas offense off and running in the top of the first with an infield single to reach in the Longhorns' initial at-bat of the game for the 31st time in 2015. After a bouncer to the circle advanced the UT speedster into scoring position, Stephens kept her great weekend going by driving a RBI double into the left field corner. A Randel Leahy single to right and an error at the plate on the throw home moved the pair of base runners into scoring position with just one down. Shireman stepped to the dish and brought in Stephens on a RBI groundout to second as the Horns nabbed a quick 2-0 advantage.

The Cowgirl offense tried to answer right back in the bottom half as a leadoff single by center fielder Shelby Davis, a sacrifice bunt and a single to right by third baseman Tiffany Mikkelson put runners at the corners with just one retired. That's when OSU tried to test the arm of UT's catcher for the second straight day. Having entered the series with over 100 steals as a team, the Cowgirls were having no luck against Shireman as the Pearland, Texas, native cut down Mikkelson at second for a big out number two. With a pair again on base after a hit-by-pitch, Davis got first baseman Danielle Riddle to fly out routinely to right to end the threat.

Having escaped the first inning jam unscathed, UT expanded its lead to 3-0 in the second as Ceo went deep for the second-consecutive day on a solo shot down the right field line. The big fly marked the Meadow Vista, Calif., product's single-season best fifth HR as well as Texas softball's 50th team HR of the campaign.

Oklahoma State drew consecutive two-out walks off Davis in the bottom of the second, but again was denied anything on the scoreboard as UT's starter struck out OSU's Shelby Davis looking to leave a pair stranded.

A lead-off Stephens single up the middle got Texas' offense in motion again during the top of the third as the Longhorns eventually built a 6-0 advantage. Leahy stepped to the dish and hit a pop-up behind first base that appeared to be fairly routine. The ball was dropped for an error, however, and was judged to have rolled outside the field of play as the runners improved to second and third with no outs. That set the stage for a RBI fielder's choice from Hanzel and consecutive RBI singles by Davis and Kern as UT put up four tallies during the outburst.

OSU got something underway in the bottom of the third as a Texas fielding miscue opening the frame and consecutive base knocks from second baseman Vanessa Shippy and Riddle loaded the bags with one out. The Cowgirls missed another big chance to get back in the game, however, leaving the bases packed as Davis induced a routine fly out to left before getting designated player Dre McKee to pop-up into foul ground outside of first.

Texas continued playing with fire in the Oklahoma State fourth as a leadoff single and consecutive walks loaded the bases with no one retired in the frame. The Longhorns immediately flexed their defensive mettle to dance out of danger as pinch hitter Darcy Taylor promptly hit into a 5-2-3 double play and Mikkelson flew out harmlessly to right as the OSU left-on-base count grew to nine through four innings.

The Burnt Orange & White offensive output was finalized at nine tallies in the top of the fifth as eight Longhorns stepped to the plate while plating three runs. An error on the shortstop opening the inning proved the starting point as UT successfully loaded the bases with no outs. Kern followed by being hit by a pitch to force in a run, Ceo hit a sacrifice fly to center and Tunning bounced out to second for a RBI to make it 9-0.

Despite a leadoff single starting the last half of the fifth from OSU's Shippy, Davis refused to allow the Cowgirls to string anything else together. The UT hurler induced a fly ball to center before striking out Jessi Haffner and Peyton Walker consecutively to complete the run-rule victory.