No. 24 Softball stays unbeaten with 6-3 victory over Toledo

Sunday, February 21

Houston, Texas

11:30 a.m.

University of Texas

9-0

Toledo

1-7

Toledo

Texas

No. 24 Softball stays unbeaten with 6-3 victory over Toledo

02.21.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Longhorns blast three homers to back Paige von Sprecken’s eight-strikeout, complete-game effort

HOUSTON, Texas – Junior third baseman Celina Felix homered for the fourth-straight game, senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens and freshman right fielder Reagan Hathaway each blasted HR's and sophomore hurler Paige von Sprecken struck out a career-high eight over a complete game effort as No. 24 Texas softball improved to 9-0 with a 6-3 victory over Toledo (1-7) on Sunday morning at the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational.

By homering in her fourth-straight contest, Felix tied former Longhorns great Lexy Bennett (March 30-April 6, 2011) for the second-longest consecutive-game HR streak in school history, just one game behind Stephens' mark of five-straight established during the 2015 season. The Montclair, Calif., native also combined with Hathaway (1-for-3, HR) during the fifth inning to blast back-to-back HR's for the second time over the weekend.

Stephens was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, her second HR of the year and two RBIs, Felix was 1-for-2 with her team-leading fourth HR of the season and two RBIs, Hathaway's shot marked her third of the campaign and came as part of a 1-for-3, RBI effort, junior left fielder Stephanie Wong was 1-for-4 with a double and a RBI and senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo was a perfect 2-for-2.

In the circle for the Horns, von Sprecken (3-0) allowed two earned runs on six hits with two walks and a career-high eight strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work.

Junior shortstop Devon Tunning (1-for-3, walk, run) got the Longhorns offense off to the usual start, reaching to begin the contest for the fifth-consecutive game by drawing a lead-off walk. With Tunning at second on a one-out stolen base, Stephens crushed a Marla Gooding pitch well over the wall in right center for a quick 2-0 advantage.

Toledo got two base runners of its own in the top of the second as third baseman Chandler Rice walked and moved to third on a one-out Celeste Fidge single down the right field line. Things quickly went south for the Rockets just seconds later as pinch-runner Kylie Gross was called out at first for leaving early to put the second retirement on the scoreboard. First baseman Kaitlyn Cozy popped up to her junior counterpart on the Horns Kelli Hanzel in foul ground as Toledo left a runner stranded 60 feet from paydirt.

Texas improved its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second as a Hanzel walk was cashed in on a two-out Wong RBI double off the wall in center. The Longhorns boasted two more in scoring position with two down as Wong swiped third and Stephens walked and stole second. Unfortunately, a long foul out down the line in left was caught on a great diving grab to end the threat.

After the Rockets left a runner stranded 60 feet from scoring in the top of the third, Toledo finally managed to cut into its deficit in the top of the fourth. With two on after Rice doubled and second baseman Megan Choate walked with one out, Fidge stepped to the plate and ripped a RBI single up the middle to plate a tally. On the play, however, Fidge was gunned down trying to advance to second on the throw home. The third K of the contest from von Sprecken soon got the Horns out of the frame with no additional damage.

The Burnt Orange & White blew the game open by using the long ball in the bottom of the fifth. Felix stepped up, with Stephens on first via bunt single, and cranked a two-run shot over the left field wall to make it 5-1. Hathaway then crushed a solo shot to right center as the newcomer duo for the Horns went back-to-back on big flies for the second time during the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational.

Needing something quick to cut into its deficit in the sixth, Toledo got a lead-off double to left center from Jessica Lemieux and a base knock from Samantha Showalter to put two aboard with no outs. Facing a RBI spot, Rice dropped a perfect sac bunt, plating Lemieux from 60 feet away to trim Texas' lead to 6-2. A misplay on the Longhorns infield would then allow the Rockets to add one more before von Sprecken struck out Cozy to conclude the frame.

Down to one last chance in the top of the seventh, the Rockets went down in order as von Sprecken induced a liner to third before striking out the final two batters to seal UT's ninth straight win to open 2016.