No. 21 Softball drops its first game of the season to Tulsa, 3-0

Friday, February 26

Austin, Texas

2:30 p.m.

University of Texas

12-1

Tulsa

10-2

Tulsa

Texas

No. 21 Softball drops its first game of the season to Tulsa, 3-0

02.26.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Longhorns’ 12-0 start marked the third-best unbeaten opening to a year in program history

AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday afternoon in Texas Invitational action at Red & Charline McCombs Field, Tulsa pitcher Emily Watson kept the Longhorns offense off-balance throughout as No. 21 Texas softball (12-1) dropped its first game of the season in a 3-0 loss to the Golden Hurricane (10-2).

The Burnt Orange & White managed just two hits in the contest with junior left fielder Stephanie Wong going 1-for-2 and senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens posting a 1-for-3 effort.

In the circle for the Longhorns, junior Tiarra Davis dropped to 7-1 overall by allowing three earned runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts over a complete game.

"We saw two really good pitchers today," Texas head coach Connie Clark said. "There's so much parity in our game, you're not going to go very long without running into some pretty darn good pitching. Abilene Christian threw a really good ball game in the first game of the day, and then we ran into a hard-breaking, late rise ball in our second game. We made some adjustments, but probably could have made them a little bit sooner. You have to tip your cap. She threw a good ball game against us."

Back-to-back infield singles from third baseman Maggie Withee and center fielder Jodi Edmiston got Tulsa in business right from the start of the contest. The Golden Hurricane managed a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first as left fielder Maddie Withee drove a two-out, sacrifice fly to deep center.

The Longhorns tried to answer right back in the bottom of the first as Wong and Stephens contributed one-out singles. Unfortunately, Tulsa starting pitcher Watson induced a pop-up to second and posted a strikeout as Texas left two stranded.

The Golden Hurricane lead quickly expanded to 3-0 in the top of the second. A lead-off walk came back to hurt the Horns as the free pass was cashed in on a two-run HR to left center by shortstop Shelby Estocado.

Looking to start a rally, freshman right fielder Reagan Hathaway got the Burnt Orange & White in business in the fourth by drawing a four-pitch lead-off walk. Davis stepped into the box and tried to help her own cause with a high-bouncer to short. Tulsa's Estocado decided to try for the force at second, but her dive to the bag proved too late as Texas boasted a pair on base with still no outs. Once again, Watson proved up to the task from the circle, getting a pair of pop-ups and a strikeout to escape a big jam.

Davis and Watson settled in from the circle during the fifth and sixth innings as neither offense could mount a serious threat.

Tulsa attempted to add some insurance on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh as a Rylie Spell single and a Texas error stationed runners at the corners with two outs. The two base runners were left stranded, however, as Davis registered her fifth strikeout of the contest on a swinging K of catcher Catherine Horner.

Facing one last opportunity to extend the contest in the bottom of the seventh, the Longhorns went down in order against Watson on a pair of strikeouts and a fly ball to left.