No. 21 Softball falls again to Tulsa, 3-0

Saturday, February 27

Austin, Texas

10 a.m.

University of Texas

12-2

Tulsa

11-2

Tulsa

Texas

02.27.2016 | Softball

Box Score

Longhorns return to action on Saturday at the Texas Invitational against Illinois at 1 p.m. CT

AUSTIN, Texas – On Saturday in Texas Invitational action at Red & Charline McCombs Field, Tulsa (11-2) hurler Caitlin Sill tossed a complete-game, two-hit shutout as No. 21 Texas softball (12-2) dropped its second-consecutive contest to the Golden Hurricane, 3-0.

Junior third baseman Celina Felix and junior designated player Taylor McAllister each posted 1-for-3 efforts at the plate to lead the Longhorns.

In the circle, sophomore right-hander Paige von Sprecken fell to 4-1 overall after allowing three earned runs on 11 hits with three walks and two strikeouts over 7.0 innings of work.

A lead-off walk, a single, a sacrifice bunt and another free pass got Tulsa in immediate business starting the top of the first against von Sprecken. With the bags packed and just one down, Texas' starter managed her initial strikeout to get the Longhorns close to escaping a big jam. On a 2-1 pitch, however, Golden Hurricane first baseman Jocelyn Sheffield drove a two-RBI double off the base in the wall in left for a quick 2-0 advantage.

McAllister managed Texas' initial hit of the contest on a one-out single to right center during the bottom of the second. Unfortunately, the Horns couldn't string anything together against Sill as back-to-back grounders to third ended the frame.

After Tulsa left two on base in the top of the third, junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel got UT off to a positive start in the bottom half by drawing a lead-off walk. A Stephanie Wong sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position with two outs, where she was soon joined on the basepaths via walk by senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens. Felix made promising contact with a Sill offering, but lined it directly to Tulsa center fielder Jodi Edmiston to leave a pair stranded.

The Golden Hurricane got the offense rolling again in the top of the fourth as shortstop Shelby Estocado and right fielder Brittany Walker christened the frame with consecutive base knocks. Second baseman Kaitlin Allen soon made it 3-0 by lacing a RBI single to left center. The advantage could have been more, but a heads-up play by the Texas infield on a lengthy rundown caught a runner stranded between third and the plate for an important second out. A bouncer to first was handled routinely by Hanzel as the Horns minimized the damage to just a single tally.

Sill kept the Longhorns in check from the circle in the fourth and fifth frames by setting the UT down in order during both innings.

Proving what type of game it was for Texas, Kern ripped a liner straight to the first baseman to open the sixth. Stephens immediately followed with a long drive the other way that was caught at the base of the wall in left. Felix broke up a string of nine consecutive retired Longhorns hitters on a two-out single up the middle, but a bouncer to short brought the inning to a close with the Golden Hurricane still leading 3-0.

Down to one last chance to extend the match-up in the seventh, Texas went down in order against Sill on a bouncer to third, a fly out to deep left and a chopper to second.